Greater Manchester’s Yellow Buses Through The Ages

From Bee Line Buzz Company to the Rochdale Runners

As we know that Greater Manchester’s franchised buses will be in yellow and black, it is worth noting that yellow buses are far from novel in our City Region. Historically, they have orange and white, white, orange and brown, and several other colours before then. None of them being in yellow till The Bee Line Buzz Company came on to the scene.

The Future’s Yellow: 2024 Start for Greater Manchester’s Publicly Controlled Buses

Bus Franchising Scheme to begin a year earlier than expected

Greater Manchester’s Bus Franchising Scheme is set to start a year earlier than anticipated. With the pandemic, it was envisaged that franchised operations would begin in Sub-Area A in 2023, with Sub-Areas B and C following suit in 2024 and 2025. This morning [10 May 2021], it was announced that a fully franchised bus network will be in operation by 2024.

What Colour for Greater Manchester’s Buses

Is the future orange and white or pink with yellow spots?

Unless we know different by the end of May, we shall be bracing ourselves for a new era of franchised bus operations by 2025. There will be endless chat on social media and blogs as to what bus routes will change, the fares, the cost of running the whole thing, and fun things like the livery.

Franchised Buses Get The Green Light

Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham goes for Bus Franchising Scheme

Nearly four years after he was elected as Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham stuck to his pledge to reform Greater Manchester’s buses. Following a second consultation, he made his announcement at 1440 beside Stand E of Ashton-under-Lyne Interchange. The Free Trade Experiment with Greater Manchester’s buses will be consigned to history in four years time.

Duffers’ Guide to Bus Operations #14: Lowbridge Buses

The even longer awaited fourteenth part of our informal look at bus operations For beginners.

Once upon a time, quite some time ago, a certain Robert Stephenson created the world’s first true inter-city railway line. By September 1830, it carried its first passengers and goods between Liverpool and Manchester city centres. Today, Liverpool Lime Street is the world’s oldest railway terminus in continuous use. Liverpool Road station, in Manchester, is part of the Science Museum Group as Manchester’s Science and Industry Museum.

On reading the previous paragraph, you may be asking yourself, “What has this got to be do with buses?” Quite a bit, because not all railway bridges are sixteen feet or higher above our roads, bridleways, canals, footpaths and rivers. Our earlier road bridges were designed for horses and carts, never mind state-of-the-art electric cars. Or double decker buses.

Gimme (Flexi) 5! Stagecoach Greater Manchester Introduces Flexible Season Ticket

New flexible season ticket offers five days unlimited travel on Stagecoach Greater Manchester buses for the price of four days travel

Over the lockdown period, working from home has become the norm for white collar workers. Some of which have previously paid for seven-day, 14-day, monthly and annual season tickets for local buses, trams and trains. For some people, spending two days in the office and three days working from home has taken over from doing five daily commutes. Owing to this trend, the days of ‘traditional’ season tickets are numbered.

Concessionary Fare Changes: No Charge Before 9.30 am in Greater Manchester

Peak hour restrictions lifted on buses and trams

If you know somebody with a concessionary pass, or have one yourself, Transport for Greater Manchester has lifted AM peak restrictions on buses and trams.

Important Changes to Senior Citizens’ Passes on 01 February

£10.00 per annum charge for unlimited off-peak tram and train travel in Greater Manchester

If you are a passenger of pensionable age in Greater Manchester, there’s every chance you will be using your concessionary pass to access the City Region’s buses, trains and trams. In the weekends, you may be able to take a train, tram or bus before 9.30 am and travel by bus anywhere in England. This month, train and tram concessions are covered by your existing pass.

Greater Manchester Bus Fare Changes, January 2020

What’s going up, what’s staying the same, and what’s going down?

This year’s bus fare changes could be fairly grim for some passengers, particularly those in North Manchester. The 02 January 2020 sees the expiration of the Diamond Bus North West/Go North West/First Greater Manchester ticket agreement. Instead of one FirstDay ticket for most of North Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale, Bury and Bolton, three single operator day saver tickets cover the area.

Thankfully, System One Travelcards’ multi-operator tickets can bridge the gap, though these are going up in price. Stagecoach Greater Manchester will be raising the price of their season tickets but single fares will be frozen.

The Shape of Bus Fares Before and During Franchised Bus Operations

The state of Greater Manchester’s bus fares before and during franchised bus operations

Greater Manchester has over thirty different bus operators. At present, this means over thirty different fare tables. Over sixty should you count half fares within the City Region. Once you get into cross-boundary operations, there are two or more sets of concessionary fares to deal with. The 358 route has three sets of concessionary fares: Cheshire East and Derbyshire rates as well as TfGM’s fares.