Integrating rail lines into our network is fundamental to our wider ambitions. It’s key to unlocking growth in our region and beyond
At the start of the year, I set out ambitious plans to bring eight commuter rail lines into the Bee Network – the next big step for our joined-up public transport system in Greater Manchester and one intended to boost passenger numbers, drive growth and deliver new homes.
We have already seen how buses have improved under the Bee Network, with services in Greater Manchester now more reliable than under the old deregulated system and standards uplifted with newer, cleaner and more accessible vehicles.
Our pioneering approach has seen us take control of our entire bus network and bring it together with Metrolink – the country’s largest light rail network – and our growing active travel infrastructure to create the basis for seamless, multi-modal journeys.
Rail is the final piece of the puzzle if we want to create a truly integrated experience
But rail is the final piece of the puzzle if we want to create a truly integrated experience for everyone that lives or works in Greater Manchester – as well as for those who visit us to make the most of everything we have to offer.
I believe our city-region deserves no less.
By working in partnership with the government and the rail industry, we want to build on what we’ve already achieved and bring Bee Network standards to rail in Greater Manchester, to join-up our trains, buses, trams and active travel routes.
Whilst our ambitions to integrate the eight lines will signal a significant change for passengers, fundamental reform is still needed to give the city-region further powers to realise its plan in full.
I make no secret of the fact that in the longer term we would like a statutory role for mayors and city regions over rail, and look forward to working with the government to rewire the country’s railways through its landmark reform bill, which is now under consultation. This will help us move from a fragmented system to one that is more accountable to our residents.
Early integration
By 2028, our plan is for eight commuter rail lines, covering 64 stations, to be brought into the Bee Network in three phases, delivering major improvements to the city-region’s train stations and services.
The step-by-step plan will start with lines between the city centre and Glossop and Stalybridge, scheduled to complete by December 2026, and then expand each year until 2028. A further 32 stations and all lines within Greater Manchester are scheduled to join by 2030.
When it comes to ticketing, we will first work with the government to roll out contactless tap and go ticketing across 17 stations on the first two lines, before expanding across our remaining commuter rail lines.
We then want to simplify the complex rail fare structure that can put people off travelling so that, rather than worrying about having the right ticket, people will have the best fare calculated for them automatically.
This would be done by expanding the daily and weekly fare caps on Bee Network buses and trams to include train travel.
Our railway stations also need to look and feel like they are part of an integrated network.
They will be brought up to a Greater Manchester exemplar standard – including Bee Network branding, new safety and accessibility features, upgraded toilet and waiting facilities and improved passenger information.
Flagship stations at Manchester Piccadilly and Stalybridge will showcase this integrated approach in action, with the second phase introducing a flagship station at Manchester Airport, creating an international travel hub as the gateway to the city-region.
Our commitment to improving local rail services also includes the delivery of modern new stations at Golborne and Cheadle, the first in Greater Manchester for nearly 20 years
Our commitment to improving local rail services also includes the delivery of modern new stations at Golborne and Cheadle, the first in Greater Manchester for nearly 20 years.
And it’s also worth noting that we are seeing a ‘step change’ in accessibility, with 60% of stations on the eight lines due to have step-free access by 2028, compared to 43% at the end of last year.
We will also work with the government to improve the reliability of services, with a real focus on joining them up with Bee Network buses, trams and bikes to create a more seamless experience for people.
Our plan – developed in partnership with the rail industry, Department for Transport and Shadow Great British Railways – is expected to boost the number of trips by train by 1.3 million each year, as more people choose public transport and more services running later and at the weekend.
But it’s not only aimed at improving transport.
Wider impact and opportunity
Our rail system today is acting as a brake on growth. As the UK’s fastest growing city-region, we need a reliable railway that is fully integrated with the rest of the Bee Network to drive growth and deliver new homes with rail connections right on the doorstep, connecting residents to even more opportunities.
The integration programme will put the city-region’s rail stations at the heart of connected communities, with underused land around them identified for employment and regeneration opportunities. This will include a delivery plan to unlock an initial 750 new homes close to rail stations by 2028.
Only by making travel by train more reliable, simpler, flexible and accessible to everyone, will we convince more people to leave the car at home and make the switch to the Bee Network.
Getting more people onto public transport will also make rail services more financially sustainable and play a major role in reaching net zero targets
Getting more people onto public transport will also make rail services more financially sustainable and play a major role in reaching net zero targets. Integrating the first eight rail lines alone is expected to take over seven million cars off the road, saving around 700 tonnes of carbon.
I am also committed to moving more freight journeys out of the city centre – using opportunities such as the regeneration of Old Trafford – to support our ambitions to optimise the frequency of passenger trains.
In Greater Manchester our ambitions for rail also extend to a new Liverpool to Manchester rail line – to maximise connectivity and economic growth across the Liverpool-Manchester Growth Zone and wider North West.
The Liverpool-Manchester Railway Board (which I co-chair with Steve Rotheram, mayor of the Liverpool City Region) last year published a report that found the right scheme could be worth an additional £7bn per year and create 40,000 additional jobs by 2050, as well supporting the construction of 300,000 new homes.
The preferred options include transformational investment in city centre stations in Liverpool and a modern, underground station at Manchester Piccadilly. The new high-speed line would run through new stations at Warrington Bank Quay and Manchester Airport, connecting the Investment Zones in Liverpool City Region and Greater Manchester via prime development sites.
We have since appointed former rail minister and chair of the Transport Select Committee Huw Merriman to lead a new Partnership Board tasked with supporting the development and delivery of the new railway. This brings together the private sector and industry leaders, to provide expertise and strategic advice to the Railway Board, helping to build the business case for the most ambitious line possible.
I also continue to push for a replacement for the northern leg of HS2 – connecting Birmingham with Manchester – following the decision to cancel it.
Last year a private consortium I sponsored with the mayor of the West Midlands found there was a viable option to build a new 80km rail line between Lichfield and High Legh – the Midlands-Northwest Rail Link.
This would connect HS2 to Northern Powerhouse Rail, with almost all the benefits of HS2 delivered quickly and crucially at a lower cost.
We desperately need capacity on this part of the network. The Department for Transport acknowledges there is no room on the West Coast Main Line and I’m committed to working with the government to find a solution to this long-term issue.
I am passionately committed to driving improvement and investment to deliver the rail system that Greater Manchester deserves in the short, medium and long-term. It is fundamental to our wider ambitions – and key to unlocking growth not just in Greater Manchester and the North but the country as a whole.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Andy Burnham has served as mayor of Greater Manchester since 2017.
This story appears inside the latest issue of Passenger Transport.
Bringing rail into the Bee Network
by Passenger Transport on Mar 7, 2025 • 3:11 pm No CommentsIntegrating rail lines into our network is fundamental to our wider ambitions. It’s key to unlocking growth in our region and beyond
At the start of the year, I set out ambitious plans to bring eight commuter rail lines into the Bee Network – the next big step for our joined-up public transport system in Greater Manchester and one intended to boost passenger numbers, drive growth and deliver new homes.
We have already seen how buses have improved under the Bee Network, with services in Greater Manchester now more reliable than under the old deregulated system and standards uplifted with newer, cleaner and more accessible vehicles.
Our pioneering approach has seen us take control of our entire bus network and bring it together with Metrolink – the country’s largest light rail network – and our growing active travel infrastructure to create the basis for seamless, multi-modal journeys.
But rail is the final piece of the puzzle if we want to create a truly integrated experience for everyone that lives or works in Greater Manchester – as well as for those who visit us to make the most of everything we have to offer.
I believe our city-region deserves no less.
By working in partnership with the government and the rail industry, we want to build on what we’ve already achieved and bring Bee Network standards to rail in Greater Manchester, to join-up our trains, buses, trams and active travel routes.
Whilst our ambitions to integrate the eight lines will signal a significant change for passengers, fundamental reform is still needed to give the city-region further powers to realise its plan in full.
I make no secret of the fact that in the longer term we would like a statutory role for mayors and city regions over rail, and look forward to working with the government to rewire the country’s railways through its landmark reform bill, which is now under consultation. This will help us move from a fragmented system to one that is more accountable to our residents.
Early integration
By 2028, our plan is for eight commuter rail lines, covering 64 stations, to be brought into the Bee Network in three phases, delivering major improvements to the city-region’s train stations and services.
The step-by-step plan will start with lines between the city centre and Glossop and Stalybridge, scheduled to complete by December 2026, and then expand each year until 2028. A further 32 stations and all lines within Greater Manchester are scheduled to join by 2030.
When it comes to ticketing, we will first work with the government to roll out contactless tap and go ticketing across 17 stations on the first two lines, before expanding across our remaining commuter rail lines.
We then want to simplify the complex rail fare structure that can put people off travelling so that, rather than worrying about having the right ticket, people will have the best fare calculated for them automatically.
This would be done by expanding the daily and weekly fare caps on Bee Network buses and trams to include train travel.
Our railway stations also need to look and feel like they are part of an integrated network.
They will be brought up to a Greater Manchester exemplar standard – including Bee Network branding, new safety and accessibility features, upgraded toilet and waiting facilities and improved passenger information.
Flagship stations at Manchester Piccadilly and Stalybridge will showcase this integrated approach in action, with the second phase introducing a flagship station at Manchester Airport, creating an international travel hub as the gateway to the city-region.
Our commitment to improving local rail services also includes the delivery of modern new stations at Golborne and Cheadle, the first in Greater Manchester for nearly 20 years.
And it’s also worth noting that we are seeing a ‘step change’ in accessibility, with 60% of stations on the eight lines due to have step-free access by 2028, compared to 43% at the end of last year.
We will also work with the government to improve the reliability of services, with a real focus on joining them up with Bee Network buses, trams and bikes to create a more seamless experience for people.
Our plan – developed in partnership with the rail industry, Department for Transport and Shadow Great British Railways – is expected to boost the number of trips by train by 1.3 million each year, as more people choose public transport and more services running later and at the weekend.
But it’s not only aimed at improving transport.
Wider impact and opportunity
Our rail system today is acting as a brake on growth. As the UK’s fastest growing city-region, we need a reliable railway that is fully integrated with the rest of the Bee Network to drive growth and deliver new homes with rail connections right on the doorstep, connecting residents to even more opportunities.
The integration programme will put the city-region’s rail stations at the heart of connected communities, with underused land around them identified for employment and regeneration opportunities. This will include a delivery plan to unlock an initial 750 new homes close to rail stations by 2028.
Only by making travel by train more reliable, simpler, flexible and accessible to everyone, will we convince more people to leave the car at home and make the switch to the Bee Network.
Getting more people onto public transport will also make rail services more financially sustainable and play a major role in reaching net zero targets. Integrating the first eight rail lines alone is expected to take over seven million cars off the road, saving around 700 tonnes of carbon.
I am also committed to moving more freight journeys out of the city centre – using opportunities such as the regeneration of Old Trafford – to support our ambitions to optimise the frequency of passenger trains.
In Greater Manchester our ambitions for rail also extend to a new Liverpool to Manchester rail line – to maximise connectivity and economic growth across the Liverpool-Manchester Growth Zone and wider North West.
The Liverpool-Manchester Railway Board (which I co-chair with Steve Rotheram, mayor of the Liverpool City Region) last year published a report that found the right scheme could be worth an additional £7bn per year and create 40,000 additional jobs by 2050, as well supporting the construction of 300,000 new homes.
The preferred options include transformational investment in city centre stations in Liverpool and a modern, underground station at Manchester Piccadilly. The new high-speed line would run through new stations at Warrington Bank Quay and Manchester Airport, connecting the Investment Zones in Liverpool City Region and Greater Manchester via prime development sites.
We have since appointed former rail minister and chair of the Transport Select Committee Huw Merriman to lead a new Partnership Board tasked with supporting the development and delivery of the new railway. This brings together the private sector and industry leaders, to provide expertise and strategic advice to the Railway Board, helping to build the business case for the most ambitious line possible.
I also continue to push for a replacement for the northern leg of HS2 – connecting Birmingham with Manchester – following the decision to cancel it.
Last year a private consortium I sponsored with the mayor of the West Midlands found there was a viable option to build a new 80km rail line between Lichfield and High Legh – the Midlands-Northwest Rail Link.
This would connect HS2 to Northern Powerhouse Rail, with almost all the benefits of HS2 delivered quickly and crucially at a lower cost.
We desperately need capacity on this part of the network. The Department for Transport acknowledges there is no room on the West Coast Main Line and I’m committed to working with the government to find a solution to this long-term issue.
I am passionately committed to driving improvement and investment to deliver the rail system that Greater Manchester deserves in the short, medium and long-term. It is fundamental to our wider ambitions – and key to unlocking growth not just in Greater Manchester and the North but the country as a whole.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Andy Burnham has served as mayor of Greater Manchester since 2017.
This story appears inside the latest issue of Passenger Transport.
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