Hundreds of thousands of local residents to get month of free bus travel

A Bee Network bus. Image courtesy of TfGM

Next month, hundreds of thousands of people can benefit from round-the-clock free bus travel, TfGM has confirmed. 

A ‘hugely successful’ pilot scheme that provided free travel for the elderly and disabled throughout August will be trialed again throughout November.

Currently, older and disabled people can only travel for free on the Bee Network after 9.30am and until midnight on weekdays.

But next month, up to 400,000 eligible people will travel for free at any time of day, including night buses. 

The decision comes after 44 foodbanks, organisations and charities in Greater Manchester called for a permanent extension of the scheme at the end of the first pilot scheme in August. 

Groups including Citizens Advice, Greater Manchester Disabled People’s Panel, Manchester Central Foodbank, Manchester Deaf Centre, Transport for All, and the Trussell Trust sent an open letter to Andy Burnham asking for the trial to be extended.

According to TfGM, people with free bus passes made more than 100,000 trips before 9.30am in August, helping them to get people to medical appointments, social events and retail opportunities. 

Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, said: “The last trial in August was a brilliant success, which saw more than 100,000 journeys made by our older and disabled people before 9.30am.

“We are now carrying out this second trial, at a busier time of year, to see whether we can safely remove the restriction permanently and help our older and disabled people to get to work, go shopping and get to medical appointments such as at the GP.

“We want the Bee Network to be the best public transport system possible and this means it needs to support all of our residents and communities, including our ‘Twirlies’, to make the journeys they need to make and use the bus more.”

Charities have highlighted how crucial free travel is for social inclusion and mental health among the older generation, as well as connecting them to key services like foodbanks and GPs. 

And Lauren McKechnie, CEO of Age UK Bolton and Chair of Age UK Greater Manchester Collective, added: “This pilot isn’t just about feasibility – it’s about accessibility, equality, and ensuring that older people can stay active, connected, and purposeful members of our communities.”

Data from both trial periods will be used to decide whether or not to make the scheme permanent.

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