Stephen Rhodes, Transport for Greater Manchester’s director of bus highlights Bee Network progress but warns improvements will take time

 
Performance has lagged at the final two tranches of the Bee Network

 
Greater Manchester’s move to the franchised Bee Network has shown early signs of success, with increased passenger numbers and improved punctuality, MPs on the parliamentary Transport Select Committee heard last week.

However, Stephen Rhodes, director of bus at Transport for Greater Manchester, admitted the transition has not been without its difficulties, with performance disparities and long-term funding concerns still in play.

Rhodes outlined the benefits and challenges of the franchised network to committee members, describing the “laser-like focus” on performance and accountability. “There has never been a period in which the level of accountability and focus on day-to-day operation, in any regulatory environment, has been quite as it is now,” he told MPs.

Rhodes reported that punctuality had reached 80% in the first tranche of the franchising rollout, covering Bolton, Wigan, and parts of Salford. “That has come through putting in additional resource to drive up the performance of the network that we inherited, which frankly was not good enough,” he said, adding that improvements in reliability had driven a 13% increase in patronage in these areas.

However, he admitted the transition has been more challenging in the subsequent phases. “Tranche 2 was a year ago last weekend; the last one was the one that started in the snow and ice in January. In those tranches, we have been at about 70% since early February. It was about stabilising what we have inherited,” Rhodes explained.

If the network starts to perform better, more people use it

The success of the franchising model in Greater Manchester is being closely watched by other local authorities considering a similar shift. A major focus has been on network improvement tweaking 70 routes out of the 230 that are part of the Bee Network. “If the network starts to perform better, more people use it,” Rhodes noted.

Another key development has been the introduction of night bus services to improve accessibility for shift workers and the night-time economy. “In this first area – it is the Go-Ahead operation in Bolton – we are trying to do those sorts of things so people can access shift jobs, such as those at the Royal Bolton Hospital,” Rhodes said, adding that such services will require ongoing subsidy to gain traction.

MPs also questioned how the franchising model could improve connectivity between major urban centres and smaller surrounding towns. Rhodes highlighted the importance of cross-boundary services, such as those running into Derbyshire and Cheshire, as well as routes into neighbouring West Yorkshire. TfGM was working closely with the operators of these services and highlighted a positive relationship with Transdev Blazefield on services into Lancashire.

In a big urban area, and perhaps also in London, you would expect services to be running every 15 minutes. We want them to be every 12 or 10 minutes

“Interestingly, there is a Bee Network service to Huddersfield, which you will know is in West Yorkshire. There are some services that are cross-boundary that are part of the Bee Network; there are others, such as those from Burnley, that are not,” he said, noting that maintaining these connections was a priority.

Despite these successes, Rhodes acknowledged that Greater Manchester’s bus network is still evolving and that more work is needed to improve reliability further. “Many of those [frequencies] dropped in the run-up to and during Covid. In a big urban area, and perhaps also in London, you would expect services to be running every 15 minutes. We want them to be every 12 or 10 minutes,” he said.

While challenges remain, Rhodes struck an optimistic note about the future of franchising in Greater Manchester. “There is a real positivity and a real can-do approach, including with franchise operators. They are our partners in this. It is not just about managing a contract, though there is a contract,”
he said.

 
This article appears in the latest issue of Passenger Transport.

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