More Bee Network Bus Strikes Are Set To Hit Greater Manchester This Week, Despite A Pay Deal Being Accepted – All Dates & Full List Of Routes Affected

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Passengers in Greater Manchester have been plagued with bus strikes over the past few weeks and we have some good news and some bad news. Strikes by drivers working for First Bus in Greater Manchester have been called off after Unite members voted to accept a much-improved pay deal worth 20% – but this doesn’t mean we’re without imminent strike action.

What does the First Bus pay deal include?

The two-year pay deal will see Unite members who were on £15 per hour for all days worked go up to £16 immediately backdated to 1 April 2025. Then from October, this will rise again to £16.50 followed by further increments in Jan 2026 to £17 Monday to Friday, £18 Saturday and £19 Sunday.

They will then receive a further increase in April 2026 to £18 for working Monday to Friday, £19 for Saturday and £20 for Sunday working. This is a 20% pay rise on working weekdays within six months and goes a long way to addressing the fact that these workers were the lowest paid drivers in the region.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “This is an exceptional pay deal, which was only won by workers standing firmly together in the face of their very profitable employer.

“It is proof once again that being a member of Unite pays for itself. We will always support every member in their fight for better pay – and we deliver.”

What is the situation with the other bus companies in Greater Manchester?

At Metroline, strikes finished on 2nd October, by 1,000 Metroline Manchester members at the following depots: Sharston, Hyde Road, Ashton and Wythenshawe.

The other affected firm in the Bee Network dispute is Stagecoach. Around 1,000 drivers based across the Oldham, Stockport and Middleton depots paused strike action to be balloted on a new pay deal, but it was overwhelmingly rejected by members.

Unite regional officer Colin Hayden said: “We are very pleased to have had such an excellent win at First, which is thanks to the hard work of reps and members throughout the dispute.

“Unite remains open to negotiations with the other firms involved in the dispute, but unless new offers acceptable to our members are brought to the table more disruptive strike action will go ahead.”

Rob Jones, Managing Director of Stagecoach Manchester, said: “We are disappointed that Unite members have chosen to reject the latest pay proposal, which would have provided an almost 9% pay increase by April 2026 and improved pay for our newest drivers.

“Had this offer, which significantly exceeds inflation, been accepted it would have ended the dispute; while also ensuring that our drivers in Manchester remain some of the highest paid in the country.

“We remain committed to ensuring that drivers do receive an affordable pay increase and want to avoid any further strike action, which will cause unnecessary disruption across our Manchester-based communities.”

When will the further Greater Manchester Stagecoach and Metroline bus strikes be?

Over 1,900 workers at Metroline and Stagecoach will walk out on 10, 11, 13, 18, 23 and 24 October.

With the exception of some early morning and late-night services, buses will operate as normal on Sunday 12 October.

Routes affected by the bus strikes:

Bus services in Wigan and Bolton will not be affected. Ring and Ride and Local Link services will also not be affected and will operate as normal.

Bury

• 469 – Bury – Tottington

Manchester

• 7 – Ashton-under-Lyne – Reddish – Heaton Chapel – Stockport
• 11 – Altrincham – Gatley – Cheadle – Edgeley – Stockport
• 15 – Flixton – Davyhulme – Urmston – Manchester
• 17 – Manchester – Blackley – Middleton – Rochdale
• 17/17A/17B – Rochdale – Stakehill – Middleton – Manchester
• 18 – Langley – Middleton – Manchester – Manchester Royal Infirmary
• 23 – Trafford Centre – Didsbury – Stockport
• 25 – Stockport – Chorlton – Trafford Centre
• 38 – Logistics Nth – Walkden – Swinton – Manchester
• 42 – Manchester – Rusholme – East Didsbury – Stockport
• 42A – Reddish – East Didsbury – Rusholme – Manchester
• 42B – Woodford – Bramhall – East Didsbury – Manchester
• 42C – Handforth – Cheadle – East Didsbury – Manchester
• 43 – Manchester – Wythenshawe – Manchester Airport
• 50 – East Didsbury – Manchester – Salford Quays
• 51 – East Didsbury – Manchester – Salford Quays
• 56 – Manchester – North Manchester General Hospital – Manchester Circular
• 59 – Oldham – Middleton – Manchester
• 76- Manchester – Failsworth – Limeside – Oldham
• 76A – Manchester – Oldham
• 76B – Manchester – Newton Heath – Woodhouses
• 81 – Manchester – Moston – Oldham
• 83 – Manchester – Hollinwood – Oldham – Sholver
• 84 – Uppermill – Oldham – Manchester
• 85 – Chorlton – Alexandra Park – Manchester
• 85A – Manchester – Alexandra Park – Chorlton
• 86 – Manchester – Brooks’s Bar – Chorlton
• 86N – Manchester – Chorlton
• 101 – Manchester – Northenden – Baguley – Wythenshawe
• 102 – Southern Cemetery – Manchester
• 103 – Manchester Airport – Wythenshawe – Manchester
• 111 – Southern Cemetery – Withington – Manchester
• 112 – Middleton – Moston – Collyhurst – Manchester
• 113 – Middleton – Moston – Collyhurst – Manchester
• 114 – Manchester – Collyhurst – Moston – Alkrington
• 115 – Middleton – Moston Circular
• 116 – Middleton – Moston Circular
• 117 – Manchester – Moston – Greengate
• 118 – Manchester – Moston – North Manchester General Hospital
• 119 – Higher Blackley – Moston – Manchester
• 142 – Manchester – University – East Didsbury
• 143 – West Didsbury – Rusholme – University – Manchester
• 147 – Piccadilly Rail Station – West Didsbury
• 150 – Trafford Centre – Chorlton – Gorton
• 156 – Manchester – North Manchester General Hospital – Higher Blackley – Middleton
• 171 – Newton Heath – Gorton – East Didsbury
• 172 – Southern Cemetery – Gorton – Newton Heath
• 181 – Shaw – Chadderton – Moston – Manchester
• 182 – Manchester – Chadderton – Shaw
• 191 – Hazel Grove – Stockport – Manchester
• 192 – Hazel Grove – Stockport – Manchester
• 192 – Stepping Hill – Hazel Grove – Stockport – Manchester
• 197 – Manchester – Longsight – Green End – Stockport
• 201 – Hattersley – Hyde – Denton – Manchester
• 202 – Gee Cross – Hyde – Haughton Green – Manchester
• 203 – Stockport – Reddish – Belle Vue – Manchester
• 205 – Manchester – West Gorton – Dane Bank
• 216 – Manchester – Clayton – Droylsden – Ashton
• 219 – Stalybridge – Ashton – Openshaw – Manchester
• 219N – Stalybridge – Ashton – Openshaw – Manchester
• 220 – Manchester – Dukinfield – Stalybridge
• 221 – Dukinfield – Audenshaw – Openshaw – Manchester
• 230 – Manchester – Littlemoss – Ashton
• 231 – Manchester – Clayton – Droylsden – Ashton
• 248 – Eccles – Trafford Park – Sale – Manchester Airport
• 249 – Altrincham – Wythenshawe
• 250 – Trafford Centre – Old Trafford – Manchester
• 253 – Partington – Flixton – Urmston – Manchester
• 255 – Manchester – Stretford – Urmston – Partington
• 256 – Flixton – Stretford – Hulme – Manchester
• 263 – Manchester – Hulme – Sale – Altrincham
• 313 – Manchester Airport – Cheadle Hulme – Adswood – Stockport
• 368 – Wythenshawe – Stockport
• X50 – Trafford Centre – Manchester
• X92 – Hazel Grove – Stockport – Manchester

School services

Burnage Academy

• 728 (AM only) – Gorton – Ryder Brow – Levenshulme – Burnage Academy
• 751 – Burnage Academy – Manchester City Centre

Co-op Failsworth

• 76 – Co-op Failsworth – Manchester

Levenshulme High School

• 171 – Gorton Tesco – Levenshulme High School
• 727 – Levenshulme High School – Ryder Brow – Gorton – Hyde Road

Loreto College

• 86 – Chorlton – Manchester, PM extras from Loreto College
• 742 – Burnage – Levenshulme – Loreto College
• 743 – Heald Green – Gatley – Northenden – Didsbury – Loreto College

Loreto High School

• 720 – Hulme – Moss Side – Loreto High School

Trinity High School

• 724 – New Moston – Moston – Newton Heath – Trinity High School
• 725 – Ryder Brow – Trinity High School

Whalley Range High School

• 150 – Gorton – Whalley Range

Wright Robinson College

• 150 – Trafford Centre – Whalley Range – Gorton – Wright Robinson
• 172 – Levenshulme – Wright Robinson
• 703 – Monsall – Miles Platting – Clayton – Wright Robinson College
• 704 – Harpurhey – Wright Robinson College
• 706 – Wright Robinson College – Ryder Brow – Levenshulme

Oldham

• 57 – Oldham – Rushcroft Circular
• 59 – Oldham – Middleton – Manchester
• 76 – Manchester – Failsworth – Limeside – Oldham
• 76A – Manchester – Oldham
• 76B – Manchester – Newton Heath – Woodhouses
• 81 – Manchester – Moston – Oldham
• 82 – Oldham – Sholver
• 83 – Manchester – Hollinwood – Oldham – Sholver
• 84 – Uppermill – Oldham – Manchester
• 129 – Middleton – Hollin – Boarshaw circular
• 180 – Oldham – Lees – Greenfield
• 181 – Shaw – Chadderton – Moston – Manchester182 – Manchester – Chadderton – Shaw
• 183 – Royal Oldham Hospital – Oldham – Limeside
• 184 – Oldham – Diggle – Huddersfield
• 350 – Ashton – Tameside Hospital – Uppermill – Oldham
• 402 – Buckstones – Oldham
• 403 – Oldham – Shaw – Buckstones – High Crompton Circular
• 409 – Rochdale – Royton – Oldham – Ashton
• 411 – Oldham – Derker Circular
• 415 – Oldham – Middleton
• 425 – Oldham – Alt – Holts circular
• 426 – Oldham – Fitton Hill Circular

School services

Crompton House

• 402 – Oldham – Royton – Crompton House School

North Chadderton High School

• 402 – Shaw – Royton – North Chadderton School

Royton & Crompton High School

• 402 – High Crompton – Royton Middleton Rd (Royton & Crompton High School)

Saddleworth High School

• 184 – Saddleworth High School – Oldham

Rochdale

• 17/17A/17B – Rochdale – Middleton – Blackley – Manchester
• 125 – Middleton – Birch – Heywood
• 129 – Middleton – Hollins – Stanycliffe – Boarshaw circular
• 156 – Middleton – NMGH – Manchester City Centre
• 409 – Rochdale – Royton – Oldham – Ashton

School services