Latest news with #BeeNetwork
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Stockport 'can't wait' for tram to town centre
People in Stockport have welcomed the announcement of funding for a long-awaited extension of Greater Manchester's tram line into the town centre. Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced £2.5bn in funding for Greater Manchester, some of which will be used to extend the Metrolink network to the town. It is also set to be used to create new stops in Bury, north Manchester and Oldham, Reeves said. Stockport commuter Becci Simmons, 37, said she "can't wait" for the day that she can take the tram to work in Manchester, rather than multiple trains. Becci added: "We have quite a lot of trouble on that [train] line. And if have any trouble, you're stuck. You can't do anything else. "You've got to take the bus and the bus can take an hour." Leader of Stockport Council Mark Roberts said the recently-completed Stockport Interchange was "Metrolink-ready". Roberts, who was appointed to the top job last week, said: "Stockport is the fastest-growing town in Greater Manchester, and today's decision sends a powerful signal that investment is following ambition." He said the council had led the push for the Metrolink extension, alongside the business community. Labour MP for Stockport Navendu Mishra said the details around the project were yet to be figured out. He said the plan would help to "future proof" Greater Manchester's Bee Network. Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham said the funding would also go towards 1000 new electric buses, meaning the entire Bee Network would become emission-free. He said: "We can now move at pace to deliver the next phase of the Bee Network – creating the UK's first fully electric, zero-emission integrated public transport system by 2030." Burnham said new transport interchanges would be built in Leigh and central Manchester, with new transport infrastructure also to be built in Ashton-under-Lyne, Bolton, Middleton and Stretford. Listen to the best of BBC Radio Manchester on Sounds and follow BBC Manchester on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230. Chancellor announces £15bn for transport projects Council leader renews Metrolink expansion call Transport for Greater Manchester
Metro
6 hours ago
- Business
- Metro
Rachel Reeves reveals £15,000,000,000 transport projects - here's what we know
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Eight regions in the UK are set to receive £15 billion in investment to improve their tram, train and bus connections. Chancellor Rachel Reeves has announced the cash injection to boost public transport in the North and Midlands nearly two weeks after South Western Railway became the first train operator to be nationalised. Greater Manchester has been awarded the highest amount of funding with £2.5 billion earmarked to extend its network to Stockport and add stops in Bury, Manchester and Oldham. The West Midlands follows behind, with a £2.4 billion boost to extend services from Birmingham city centre to the new sports quarter. The funding announcement comes ahead of Reeves' spending review next week, which will set out how much money the government is going to spend on the NHS and other public services. Speaking in Rochdale today, Reeves said she was making the announcement because 'connectivity is an absolutely critical factor in unlocking the potential of towns and cities outside of London.' She added: 'Stronger transport links within cities and the towns around them create opportunity by connecting labour markets and make it easier for firms to buy and sell goods and services in different places, to different people. Craig Munro breaks down Westminster chaos into easy to follow insight, walking you through what the latest policies mean to you. Sign up here. 'We want London to succeed. But it is the lack of that infrastructure which puts England's other great cities – Birmingham, Liverpool, Newcastle – at a disadvantage compared to their European counterparts that have this infrastructure. 'That helps to explain our underperformance relative to other European economies.' Here is a breakdown of how much each region will get and how the money will be spent. The region will receive £2.5 billion to electrify the city's buses, open new tram stops in Manchester, Bury and Oldham, and bring the existing local rail lines and stations into the Bee Network. The network, named after the city's emblem the worker bee, is the integration of the rail, tram and bus services under one umbrella where passengers can travel seamlessly on all transport using a contactless card, Apple watch or phone. Fares will be capped and it will operate in a similar way to London's Transport for London network. The funding also allows the city's tram network to be extended to Stockport, something that locals have urged for several times over the years. Reeves said the extension will give people shorter commutes to central Manchester. Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham said: 'With a pipeline of major transport projects better connecting our towns and cities, and local rail lines brought into the Bee Network, our communities will be the first outside London to be served by fully joined-up bike, bus, tram and train travel.' The region is set to receive £1.6 billion to build new rapid transit links to the John Lennon Airport, Everton and Anfield, plus a new bus fleet serving the Wirral and St Helens. Steve Rotheram, the mayor of the Liverpool City Region, welcomed it as the 'biggest ever investment in transport spending.' West Midlands will receive £2.4 billion, which is earmarked for the metro extension from Birmingham city centre to the new sports quarter. The metro extension will have more than 80 tram stops and over 20 interchanges to link Wolverhampton, Birmingham, Dudley, Brierley Hill, Digbeth, North Solihull, Birmingham Airport, the NEC conference centre and HS2. People between Derby and Nottingham will have a tram system, for which the Chancellor pledged £2 billion. There will also be rail, road and bus improvements. The money – £2.1 billion – will help the mayor, Tracy Brabin, deliver the area's 'mass transit system,' Reeves said. Works for the West Yorkshire Mass Transit system are set to start by 2028, and be operational before the mid-2030s. The proposed light rail-style system will connect Leeds with cities and towns like Bradford, Huddersfield, Leeds Bradford Airport, Wakefield and Halifax. Leeds is the biggest city in western Europe without a mass transport system, such as a light rail. South Yorkshire has been pledged £1.5 billion in investment, of which £530 million will be used to upgrade the trams. Tees Valley is in line for £1 billion for transport projects, while Tyne and Wear will receive £1.85 billion. The Tees Valley funding will pay for a new platform at Middlesborough train station to boost commuter capacity, redevelopment of the bus station, a tram connecting Teesside Airport and towns in the area, a new station at Tessside Park, and upgrades on the A66 and A689. The region will receive £800 million, with £200 million used to build mass transit links between Bristol, Bath, South Gloucestershire and north Somerset. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said: 'Today marks a watershed moment on our journey to improving transport across the North and Midlands – opening up access to jobs, growing the economy and driving up quality of life as we deliver our Plan for Change. 'For too long, people in the North and Midlands have been locked out of the investment they deserve. With £15.6bn of Government investment, we're giving local leaders the means to drive cities, towns and communities forward, investing in Britain's renewal so you and your family are better off.' The British Chambers of Commerce welcomed the boost to regional infrastructure. Jonny Haseldine, head of business at the BCC, said: 'The pathway to the strong and consistent growth the UK economy needs has to come through investment in our regions. 𝗡𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗽: 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗰𝗸𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁!Metrolink is officially coming to StockportThis is a huge moment for our town and for Greater Manchester. It means better connections, more opportunities, and another big boost for the UK's largest town centre regeneration. — Stockport Council (@StockportMBC) June 4, 2025 'That means developing regional infrastructure, including transport projects and grid connectivity, improved rail capacity and electrification of key sections of the network. 'These projects can then give firms involved in the supply chains real confidence to start planning and investing in their local economies.' But London Assembly members said that London 'cannot be passed over' in the spending announcement. Elly Baker, the London Assembly Labour, said: 'Every part of the country deserves access to a properly funded transport system so people can go to work, visit loved ones and enjoy their city. 'But London needs its fair share. 'We've got shovel ready projects like the Bakerloo line extension, West London Orbital and DLR extension to Thamesmead that would connect parts of Outer London to the rest of the city. More Trending 'We also need sustainable, multi-year funding to invest in maintenance projects that replace old tube trains and buses – keeping our transport network at its current level.' The Chancellor's plans will face further scrutiny next week as part of the spending review. She has said there are no plans to hike taxes on the same scale that took place at last year's autumn budget, but is expected to outline how the U-turn on winter fuel payments will be funded after concerns this could be through a tax rise. 'We have absolutely no intention of repeating a budget on that scale again,' she said. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Motorcyclist seriously hurt after crash near London's Blackwall Tunnel MORE: Fare dodger barges his way through barriers – and straight into arms of police MORE: The UK is 'sleepwalking into a bloody ambush and may not be around in 2034'
Yahoo
a day ago
- General
- Yahoo
'Major tram disruption' as services stopped after crash causes cars to block tracks
Tram services were stopped after a crash caused cars to block the tracks in Rochdale on Tuesday evening (June 3). The collision involving a number of vehicles happened at the junction of Drake Street and Milnrow Road, which was blocked in both directions. Police and emergency services were pictured at the scene as the roads were closed off, which also caused Metrolink tram services to be cancelled. READ MORE: Why this Greater Manchester tip is closing for a year READ MORE: 'Utter chaos' on M62 as slip road closure causes miles of congestion and 'severe' delays Join the Manchester Evening News WhatsApp group HERE The Bee Network said no services were able to operate between Rochdale town centre and Rochdale railway station due to emergency crews dealing with the collision. Pictures from the scene showed three vehicles in the middle of the busy junction with a police van also in attendance. "Due to a road traffic accident blocking the tracks there is no service between Rochdale Town Centre and Rochdale Railway Station. Metrolink apologies for any inconvenience," a Bee Network update said. Customers were instead able to board trams towards Manchester from Rochdale train station. --- Day in day out, our reporters in the Manchester Evening News newsroom bring you remarkable stories from all aspects of Mancunian life. However, with the pace of life these days, the frenetic news agenda and social media algorithms, you might not be getting a chance to read it. That's why every week our Features and Perspectives editor Rob Williams brings you Unmissable, highlighting the best of what we do - bringing it to you directly from us. Make sure you don't miss out, and see what else we have to offer, by clicking here and signing up for MEN Daily News. And be sure to join our politics writer Jo Timan every Sunday for his essential commentary on what matters most to you in Greater Manchester each week in our newsletter Due North. You can also sign up for that here. You can also get all your favourite content from the Manchester Evening News on WhatsApp. Click here to see everything we offer, including everything from breaking news to Coronation Street. If you prefer reading our stories on your phone, consider downloading the Manchester Evening News app here, and our news desk will make sure every time an essential story breaks, you'll be the first to hear about it. And finally, if there is a story you think our journalists should be looking into, we want to hear from you. Email us on newsdesk@ or give us a ring on 0161 211 2920.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Police take photos of distracted drivers from top deck of bus
Thirty two distracted drivers were detected in two hours by police officers deployed on a Bee Network bus as part of a road safety scheme. Operation Top Deck sees specially trained Greater Manchester Police (GMP) officers boarding a Bee Network bus and using cameras from an elevated position to detect dangerous driving behaviour on key roads during peak periods. Once offences are captured on camera, GMP's motorcycle unit pulls over drivers to "educate them on their behaviour," and traffic offence reports, and notices of intended prosecution, can be issued. Dangerous driving behaviour includes the so-called "fatal four" offences- drink and drug driving; distractions such as using a mobile phone behind the wheel, speeding and not wearing seat belts. During an "Operation Top Deck" deployment on May 13, a total of 32 offences were captured over a two-hour period, according to a spokesperson. Seventeen people were caught using their mobile phone while driving, there were "seven reports" of people not wearing seat belts, were "seven instances" of a vehicle crossing a solid white line and there was one report relating to a vehicle's number plate. Dame Sarah Storey, active travel commissioner for Greater Manchester, who attended the recent Operation Top Deck deployment, said: "I'd strongly urge that drivers think twice and ask themselves if making a call or answering a text message is really worth the risk. "Doing so shows no consideration for their own safety or the safety of their passengers or other road users - and drivers who use their mobile phones while driving are four times more likely to be involved in a crash. "Seeing Operation Top Deck first-hand has given me a fascinating insight into how Greater Manchester Police enforce the roads while reinforcing their commitment to Vision Zero, our region's ambition to end all deaths and life-changing injuries caused by road traffic collisions by 2040. "I would encourage anyone who witnesses unsafe driving, and can safely and legally capture footage, to submit it to GMP through the Operation Snap online portal. "This will be dealt with by the police, which could lead to further action." Inspector Bradley Ormesher, from GMP's Roads Policing Unit, said: "We are committed to taking direct and positive action to make roads safer across Greater Manchester, and our latest bus-based operation is just one strand of the wider work we are doing. "Distractions can cost lives and cause serious injury, and we will never take offences lightly where someone is distracted and not fully in control of their vehicle. "If you are on your phone, not wearing a seatbelt, or driving without due care and attention, you are ultimately breaking the law, and we will take the most appropriate action required. "Our new operation targets roads at peak times, to allow for maximum impact in our work, and we have already identified dozens of offences when we have been out. "Driving offences can receive any punishment, from a huge fine, to losing your licence, to potentially spending time behind bars. "I would urge drivers to think twice before breaking the law." Operation Top Deck is inspired by National Highways' Operation Tramline, which sees police officers capture footage of dangerous driving from the cabs of heavy goods vehicles. Since the launch of Operation Tramline in 2015, 51,500 offences have been reported by 35 police forces across the UK, according to a spokesperson. Last year, more than 3,200 people in Greater Manchester were caught driving while using their phone or not wearing a seat belt properly over a five-week period, as part of a camera trial by Safer Roads Greater Manchester, according to a spokesperson. To report a dangerous or irresponsible driver, call 101, or 999 in an emergency.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Bee Network apologises after three buses in a row cancelled on morning of GCSE English Literature exam
A transport boss in Greater Manchester has apologised after three consecutive early morning Bee Network services on a key Tameside bus route were cancelled as children were traveling into school for a GCSE exam. The 347 ferries passengers between Ashton-under-Lyne and Haughton Green - but on Tuesday morning passengers, among them pupils heading to schools for an English Literature GCSE, arrived at bus stops in Ashton to find out that three consecutive services, all due to depart before 8am, had been cancelled at late notice. The service is supposed to operate every 12 minutes but regular users report that buses are frequently cancelled at the last minute, so-called 'ghost buses'. READ MORE: Former Manchester United player, 19, died after quitting football in 'sudden' mood change READ MORE: GCSE exams are under way: Can you can answer these seven easy questions? Among those regular users is former industrial chemist Jackie Birch, 60, a teaching assistant at Thomas More secondary school in Denton. She said she managed to get a service before the three cancelled buses, but others weren't so lucky. She told the Manchester Evening News: "It's a problem and it's getting worse. It's not acceptable. There are people trying to get to work and children trying to to get into school for lessons and exams. There are at least four secondary schools and lots of primary schools. "They can't keep doing this because there will be a point when somebody misses their exam. Since it got changed to Bee Network, it's definitely got worse. It's gone down the pan. They haven't got enough drivers. They keep telling us how wonderful the Bee Network is but you can ask anybody who uses it. They all slag it off. "It's getting worse and worse. You can ask anybody's who gets on. It's a standing joke!" All buses outside London were deregulated in 1986, and they only returned to public control after Greater Manchester struck a deal with the government to allow the mayor to re-franchise them decades later. In 2021, Mayor Andy Burnham announced he would kick-start a process to take on vehicles and depots, then establish a franchising system so private operators run routes on behalf of Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM). The distinctive yellow Bee Network buses were introduced in phases, with Wigan, Bolton, and Salford the first in September 2023. By March 2024, Rochdale, Oldham, north Manchester, and Bury joined, and the remaining areas followed on January 5 this year. But there have been problems with so-called 'ghost buses' simply not turning up as scheduled. However TfGM data suggests Bee Network buses are more frequently on-time than privately-run services, more people are catching them, and passenger satisfaction has also improved. Jackie sent emails to Mr Burnham and local MPs, including Ashton-under-Lyne MP and deputy prime minister Angela Rayner to alert them that the cancellations risked children arriving late for a GCSE English Literature exam. With a nod to a famous soliloquy by Shakespeare's tragic hero Hamlet, she wrote: "To BEE or not to BEE, that is the question - well the answer is simple - Not to BEE!" Following the cancellation of three consecutive buses on the 347 service, TfGM issued an apology. Chief Network Officer Danny Vaughan said: "We are very sorry for the issues with the 347 bus service (on Tuesday) morning and understand the concerns raised. While the service was impacted by several factors, including driver availability and traffic congestion, three consecutive services should not have been cancelled. "We know how important it is for children to get to school on time, especially those sitting exams. We take this very seriously and are working with the operator, Metroline, to address issues affecting reliability and punctuality. "We have been reassured that changes due to start next week should resolve this - and in the meantime have reiterated the importance of prioritising routes that serve schools.' The Manchester Evening News has approached Metroline bus company for comment.
