Date set for launch of pilot 24-hour bus pilot project in Leigh

Buses will run on the V1 service, which runs from Leigh to Manchester Royal Infirmary - stopping at Tyldesley and Salford - 24 hours a day from Sunday, September 1.

And the number 36 bus, which travels from Bolton to Piccadilly Gardens via Great Lever and Salford, will be included in the scheme too.

The trial will see services run at least every hour, providing round-the-clock connectivity for around 135,000 people living within 400m – or about five minute walk – from the V1 and 36.

Buses will run at least once per hour in each direction on both routes, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, excluding bank holidays.

Later running services over the Christmas period will be considered separately.

The night buses will use the same capped bus fares first introduced in 2022 to provide a simplified ticket offer which is consistent with services across Greater Manchester.

Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham said: “I’m really excited by Greater Manchester’s potential as an engine of growth – but it will only be fully realised if we have the transport infrastructure in place to get people to and from our thriving employment centres whatever the time of day or night.

“Better transport at night is something I know people have been crying out for, and I must thank Sacha Lord (Greater Manchester's night time economy advisor), who has been instrumental in getting us to the point where we can confirm the first night Bee Network services are now just a few weeks away.

“The Bee Network allows us to develop the services that best serve people and businesses across our city region. Transport should never be a barrier to opportunity, and this is a step towards improving things for people who work – or want to work – in our hospitals, care homes, clubs, bars, distribution centres or theatres.”

Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham is 'really excited' about the pilot project (Image: Transport for Greater Manchester)

The V1 and 36 services have been chosen due to their proximity to "key night time economy employment sites", such has hotels, bars and clubs, hospitals and distribution centres.

They also serve areas with high numbers of people less likely to own a car and more likely to use public transport, including students.

The night-time economy is a major part of Greater Manchester’s economy, with 358,000 people working in jobs or businesses that are significantly active at night, accounting for around 33 per cent of the region's workforce.

Mr Lord said: “‘I have called for extensions to night transport services since I became the night time economy advisor for Greater Manchester.

“It’s not fair that night workers should face more expensive transport options simply because of the hours they work.

"We often think of transport as being an issue for customers at night, but I am delighted to have worked with the mayor, the transport commissioner, Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) and the Bee Network and its operators to be able to bring in such an important pilot that has parity and equality for all workers, no matter what time of day or night, at its heart.”

According to the Greater Manchester Residents Survey carried out in February, more than a quarter (27 per cent) of people said a lack of public transport at night has prevented them accessing opportunities including work, night classes, socialising or accessing late-night healthcare services.

Safety will be of paramount importance on night bus services.

A team of Travelsafe support and enforcement officers has already been rolled out on the Bee Network to support customers, and this will be extended to support the pilot.

The pilot will be rolled out on September 1 (Image: Transport for Greater Manchester)

Transport commissioner for Greater Manchester, Vernon Everitt, said: “The safety of customers and staff will be of paramount importance on night bus services.

"A team of Travelsafe support and enforcement officers has already been deployed on the Bee Network to provide a highly visible presence and this approach will be extended to support the night bus pilot.

“Customers can also report incidents quickly and discreetly to a police call handler from their smartphone using the Greater Manchester Police LiveChat service accessed through the Bee Network app.

“We are also examining the potential for further action in the coming months to continue to improve safety, and the perception of safety, across public transport and active travel as part of our zero tolerance towards crime and anti social behaviour.”

Managing director at Go North West, Nigel Featham, said: “We’re excited to partner with TfGM on enhancing the Bee Network. 24-hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week services will be a real boost to shift workers and the night time economy.

"Our key focus at Go North West is, as always, ensuring a Bee Network on which people can depend, day or night, with reliable services and the highest safety standards.”

TravelSafe Live Chat is staffed by professionally trained call handlers from the GMP call centre who have awareness of the public transport network and know how to get in touch with key TravelSafe partners.

Messages sent via Live Chat will be triaged similarly to an emergency 999 call to figure out the best course of action, whether it’s to log the incident as a crime, or request police to attend depending on the severity of the situation.

TfGM and GMP are now developing a partnership that will see migration to a dedicated transport live chat service – enabling people to easily, safely and discreetly report any concerns when travelling around Greater Manchester.

Regional officer for Unite the Union, Colin Hayden, said: “We've got hundreds of thousands of our members who work late or into the early hours of the morning when there's no public transport and no option to get them home.

"Women in particular tell us that they do not feel safe when going to and from work.

“This pilot scheme will hopefully help these women, and all our members working in the night time economy, feel confident when travelling on these services which will provide a safe and secure mode of transport for them."

Unite the Union have backed the move (Image: Transport for Greater Manchester)

Mr Hayden added: “It also aligns with our Get Me Home Safely campaign, where we are calling on employers to recognise the importance of the safety of their workers then they leave the workplace at these later hours.

"This pilot is something we fully support and we're confident it will be successful when it launches in September.”

A stakeholder forum featuring leaders from the hospitality industry, Manchester’s BID organisation CityCo, the NHS, Salford University, Logistics North distribution park and Wigan Council helped inform the development of the pilot, highlighting safety, communication with potential customers and reliability of service as key factors.