Greater Manchester’s Bee Network has brought the buzz to Wigan, launching the brand-new 615 route and reconnecting the town with Middlebrook retail park – just in time for some festive shopping. Plus, the 132’s had a boost too, now running every half hour between Wigan and the Trafford Centre instead of just once an hour.
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| Transport for Greater Manchester |
These changes? All thanks to Greater Manchester’s trailblazing shift to a franchised bus network, putting local transport back in community hands. This week, the Bee Network rolled out its very first new service, taking shoppers (and anyone keen to avoid the car) right to their favourite retail haunts.
For the Wigan crowd, the 615 reconnects the town with Middlebrook for the first time in four years, giving people a brand-new way to zip over to the shops. Meanwhile, the popular 132 is doubling its trips between Wigan and the Trafford Centre, so you can forget about long waits.
These upgrades are a direct result of bus franchising – putting Greater Manchester’s transport vision in local hands, with the Bee Network aiming for a smooth, ‘London-style’ integrated transport system.
Early passengers were already jumping on board Monday. Fellow bus enthusiast, Maxson Goh, was one of the first to try the new service, said,
“I'm sure for the people who work at Middlebrook retail park and live in Wigan, this could definitely be a very attractive option for them.”
Over at Wigan Bus Station, Lewis Hall described the new Middlebrook link as a “fantastic opportunity,” while Edith Bennison welcomed the extra transport choice, pointing out that the 615 now means you can leave the car at home.
Even more Bee Network upgrades are rolling out soon. Routes 36, 37 and 471 are getting smoother and more efficient with zero-tailpipe-emission buses and from the 17th of November, the 59, 83 and 84 will be seeing more buses to help with punctuality and reliability.
Greater Manchester’s Mayor Andy Burnham celebrated the upgrades, saying:
“This is a great moment for the Bee Network and the people of Wigan, who are the first in our city-region to get a new, bespoke bus service thanks to our pioneering move to take back control of the network.
“With new and enhanced services connecting Wigan with the Trafford Centre and Middlebrook, we are boosting access to jobs, retail and leisure opportunities. With capped bus fares, people can also ensure they’re getting the best value for money when they’re travelling to work, the shops, or to meet up with friends and family – which is especially welcome in the lead-up to Christmas.
“This is yet another demonstration of how moving to a locally controlled and more accountable bus network is delivering huge improvements for our communities and there is so much more we want to do to unlock more opportunities for people across Greater Manchester.
“I’d encourage everyone to get onboard the new 615 and the enhanced 132 and enjoy our cleaner, cheaper, and more reliable bus service.”
Before franchising, the buses were all private and commercial, meaning operators called the shots on routes, frequency, fares – the whole lot. But with franchising kicking off in September 2023, the first Bee Network routes across Wigan, Bolton, Bury, Manchester and Salford now give passengers cheaper, greener and far more reliable journeys.
TfGM is also reviewing routes across the network, making sure residents can connect to jobs, shopping and leisure across the city-region.
Councillor David Molyneux MBE, Leader of Wigan Council, added:
“It is great to see these improvements to our bus services, with the Bee Network back under local control. Wigan borough was one of the first places in Greater Manchester to get Bee Network buses, and last month saw the V1 start trialling a 24-hour service between Leigh and Manchester Royal Infirmary.
“With the new 615 service restoring a previously scrapped route and more buses running from our borough to the Trafford Centre, these first 12 months have seen some great improvements in our local network.”
To stay in the know on any updates to routes, head to a Travelshop or check the Bee Network app or website. We're reliably informed that information will be posted at bus stops too.
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