All aboard the night bus!

Launched on Sunday 1 September, the service connects Manchester with Leigh and Bolton via Salford. The V1 and 36, which both pass the University, will run at least every hour in each direction, 24 hours a day, seven days a week and on most bank holidays. Both routes also serve areas which were among the first to be taken over by the Bee Network in September 2023, and whose buses are now under local control for the first time in nearly 40 years.

Speakers at the special media launch included Sacha Lord, Night Time Economy Adviser for Greater Manchester, Vernon Everitt, Transport Commissioner for Greater Manchester, Mark Wantling, Chief Infrastructure Officer at the University of Salford and Nigel Featham, Managing Director at Go North West.

The year-long trial will provide 24-hour connectivity for around 135,000 people living within a five-minute walk from the two routes – including students and people working in the hospitality, healthcare and logistics sectors.

Tickets will be the same price as daytime services, to ensure that services are an affordable option for both visitors and workers of the night-time economy. A single adult ticket costs just £2.

Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, said: “Ensuring that everyone working in our night-time economy can access safe, reliable, around-the-clock public transport is hugely important as our thriving region continues to grow.

“We know that people have been crying out for better night transport, and it was clear to us that Greater Manchester can only realise its potential as a catalyst for growth if we have the right infrastructure to get people to and from employment centres whatever the time, day or night.

Mark Wantling, Chief Infrastructure Officer at the University of Salford, said: “Our growing student numbers and campus expansion plans mean that an efficient transport network is crucial to our connectivity - I’m delighted to see this new night bus service launching right on our doorstep.

“As one of the biggest organisations in Salford, the University plays a significant part in the economic health of Salford and Greater Manchester. Many of our students live, work and socialise around the area, and the new bus will provide a safe and cost-effective way to travel in and out of Manchester.” 

According to the Greater Manchester Residents Survey carried out in February, more than a quarter (27%) 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.

The safety of passengers and staff onboard the night bus services remains vitally important, and the launch of the pilot will see TravelSafe Support and Enforcement Officers (TSEOs) deployed to provide extra reassurance and visibility to the night services. TSEOs have been patrolling onboard Bee Network buses and at interchanges since the launch of the first Bee Network franchised services in September 2023.

All night buses will be equipped with high quality CCTV cameras, and drivers will be in regular communication with both their operational control room and TfGM’s 24/7 operational control centre.

As part of the pilot scheme Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) is also partnering with Strut Safe, a volunteer-operated support line which offers people a friendly voice to keep them company when walking between a bus and their front door.

Vernon Everitt, Transport Commissioner for Greater Manchester, said: “Providing late-night bus services was one of our ambitions when developing the Bee Network and it’s a core part of the overall plan to improve public transport in all parts of Greater Manchester. 

“Safe, reliable and affordable transport is essential to enabling Greater Manchester’s sustainable economic growth and higher productivity and our night-time economy plays a huge role in this. With hundreds of thousands of people working late and into the early hours, it’s only right that we offer better public transport options. 

“The safety and security of our passengers and hard-working staff is of paramount importance to us with our TravelSafe Officers providing a visible presence to go alongside on board CCTV and the support of organisations such as Strutsafe. We continue to explore the potential for further action to improve safety, and the perception of safety, across public transport and active travel as part of our zero tolerance towards crime and antisocial behaviour.”

The V1 and 36 have been chosen due to their proximity to key night-time economy employment sites, such as 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% of the Greater Mancunian workforce.

Sacha Lord, Night-Time Economy Adviser for Greater Manchester said: “Late night public transport is central to maintaining our position as a leading 24-hour European night-time economy. That is why I have made this a huge priority of mine since becoming Greater Manchester’s Night-Time Economy Adviser.

“Now that the Mayor has brought buses under local control, the Bee Network has given us the opportunity to deliver bespoke, timetabled services that work for our customers in a way that was not possible before franchising was introduced.

“From 1st September, the V1 and 36 bus services will provide 24-hour connectivity for around 135,000 people living within a five-minute walk. Late night workers will pay the same as those who work in the day and will finally have a cheap, sustainable and safe way to get home from their shift.

“I want to thank all colleagues from TfGM, GMCA and within our business community for getting us to this point and encourage all active at night – whether that be for work or leisure – to utilise these services so we can prove their viability and roll them out across the city-region.”

Image: TfGM. L-R: Sacha Lord, Night Time Economy Adviser for Greater Manchester; Vernon Everitt, Transport Commissioner for Greater Manchester; Mark Wantling, Chief Infrastructure Officer at the University of Salford; Nigel Featham, Managing Director at Go North West.