The Bee Network: Mancunians share their thoughts on the new London-style transport system launching in Manchester

National World - LocalTV

The first Bee Network buses will launch in parts of Greater Manchester from Sunday September 24.  Bus services in Bolton, Wigan, parts of Bury, Salford and Manchester will be under local control for the first time in 40 years.  Transport for Greater Manchester says the Bee Network will eventually be the one-stop shop for all local public transport and active travel journeys.  The new transport network for the region hopes to bring all Greater Manchester buses under public control by 2025.  With the Bee Network set to launch in a few days, you may have seen some bright yellow buses driving around Manchester gearing up for the big day.  We talked to Mancunians to find out what they think about the new London-style integrated transport network system.

Transcript

00:00 The first B Network buses will launch in parts of Greater Manchester from Sunday 24 September.

00:07 Bus services in Bolton, Wigan, parts of Bury, Salford and Manchester will be under local

00:12 control for the first time in 40 years.

00:16 Transport for Greater Manchester says the B Network will eventually be the one-stop

00:20 shop for all local public transport and active travel journeys.

00:24 The new transport network for the region hopes to bring all Greater Manchester buses under

00:28 public control by 2025.

00:31 With the B Network set to launch in a few days, you may have seen some bright yellow

00:34 buses driving around Manchester, gearing up for the big day.

00:39 We talked to local people to find out what they think about the new London-style integrated

00:43 transport network system in Greater Manchester.

00:46 "I know the London transport system in general, I used to live in London so I do know a lot

00:51 about that kind of system anyway.

00:54 That makes me feel very reassured because we need a bit more of a better system.

00:59 I've missed two door buses, let's just say that.

01:03 I have heard little bits about it, I've seen some of the B buses going around and obviously

01:07 have the tram system as well.

01:09 I think it's a lot better just because obviously London is so advanced in everything.

01:14 Obviously London gets everything first so it's kind of like the tester city for everyone

01:19 else.

01:20 I think it will make it a lot better just because it will make everything a lot more

01:23 accessible.

01:24 Everyone has different zones in the transport system like I've seen on the tram, just like

01:27 London.

01:28 So I think this one ticket system will make everything a bit better, a bit easier for

01:32 everyone to get around.

01:34 Some people might live in Fallowfield, some people might live in Ordsall like myself.

01:37 So it's very much, I think it will make the city more accessible for people who aren't

01:41 able to either walk there or can't afford to get an Uber or something like that."

01:46 "Now you might have seen the big yellow buses around, say the B network on the side."

01:50 "Yes I have, yeah.

01:51 Right, okay, now I have, yeah.

01:52 I know what you mean."

01:53 "So you've seen the B?"

01:54 "Yes, I have, yeah."

01:55 "What do you think of the big yellow buses around Fallowfield?"

01:58 "Distracting in a good way because it gets your attention but I don't take the bus so

02:03 I've just seen it as in 'wow, what is this?'

02:06 I would say Manchester is a strong network itself.

02:09 We've got a really good community, we've got great people, my communities are great.

02:12 I wouldn't say be like London, I would say take some of their positives and adopt that

02:18 like we said with the network.

02:20 So yes it will help because it will help people get from various places to work, to commute

02:26 and obviously depending on price, if it is a reasonable price then yes it will help to

02:32 the cost of living crisis because not only will the price be less hopefully, it can help

02:37 someone get to a place of work which they may not be able to reach."

02:41 "Yeah, it feels more like London, tap on, tap off kind of thing.

02:43 The only real way of getting from A to B in the city is an Uber because you either have

02:49 to get a bus to get a tram which can be a little bit of a nightmare if it's not readily

02:56 available.

02:57 So if there's more routes from a different network then that would be great, yeah."

03:02 "Everything will be a bit more accessible."

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