Burnhams' Bee Network

 

The Bee Network bus system in Greater Manchester has been beset with problems since its initial launch in Bolton and Wigan in September 2023. Despite all the fanfare and publicity, the official launch of the Network, was said to have been more of a damp squib than a big bang. Bus passengers complained of bus services running late or not turning up at all. They also complained that the Bee Network app wasn't functioning properly. Andy Burnham, the Mayor of Greater Manchester, said these were teething problems that would sort themselves out in the long run.

Although it's now eight months since in the initial launch of the Bee Network, bus passengers in Bolton, are still complaining of buses running late. Tom Forth, who previously worked for Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM), is supposed to know all there is about buses. He seems to think that we have far too many bus stops in Greater Manchester and that the Bee Network, would run far smoother if we removed many of them.

This young man, obviously hasn't considered how this might impact on the elderly and people with disabilities, who would have to walk much further to get a bus because there would be fewer bus stops.

I've been using public transport in Greater Manchester for nearly sixty years, and I know that they've not been able to run a decent bus service in Greater Manchester since the deregulation of bus services in 1986. Deregulation didn't lead to greater competition because the small companies got swallowed up or went out of business very quickly. Stagecoach and First dominate bus services in Greater Manchester.  In the days of the clippies, a ten-minute bus service meant a bus service every ten minutes and you could time your watch by the bus services. Despite there being far more bus routes in those days and more buses, bus fares were cheap and bus services were very reliable. More people also used buses to get to work or to get about. In those days, the bus driver also knew where he was going and didn't have to ask the bus passengers for directions.

I frequently use a Stagecoach bus service that is supposed to be every 12 minutes, but it's not unusual, to be waiting for over half an hour for a bus. Sometimes it feels like I'm waiting for Godot. I often feel sorry for the poor bastard that will be waiting for the next bus, because it's not usual, for buses on this 330-route going from Stockport to Ashton, to turn up two at a time. Two days ago, three buses turned up at the same time. When I complain to the bus drivers about this unreliable bus service, they never blame their lateness on there being too many bus stops. Invariably, their excuse is road works or traffic congestion. The situation is made even worse because on this route, there is no other bus provider. Some bus services are one an hour in the evenings and even they can't run on time and sometimes don't even turn up.

I hope Andy Burnham can sort things out quickly with Bee Network because his political reputation and job depends on bus reform being a success in Greater Manchester. Unfortunately, at the moment, it seems to be like business as usual. All the people of Greater Manchester want is a reliable and efficient bus service that is affordable. Andy Burnham promised the people of Greater Manchester a London-style bus system of cheap 'hopper' fares and reliable buses. Have Burnham and his team got the organisational skills to deliver it?