Two years after Greater Manchester’s first buses came under local control, the Bee Network has now announced the launch of a new bus service and increased frequency on three other bus routes. The new bus route will become the third new Bee Network service, after the 615 Wigan-Middlebrook Retail Park service and the 631 Wigan to Standish.
What is the new Bee Network bus service, and when does it launch?
The new 629 daytime service between Golborne and Platt Bridge is set to launch on Monday 27th October. People living in Abram will be able to board the new 629, which will connect the village and surrounding areas with Platt Bridge. This will allow better access to shopping areas and better connections with other Bee Network services in Platt Bridge—such as 609 into Wigan.
Which bus services will increase in frequency?
The Bee Network is increasing the bus frequency on selected services in Greater Manchester, which include:
- Twice as many 608 buses are running between Wigan and Leigh in the evening from Monday to Saturday, with the hourly service moving to a half-hourly service. Timetable available here.
- The 607 service from Wigan and Bolton will run every 15 minutes (up from every 20 minutes) during the day Monday to Saturday. In the evening the service will run every 30 minutes (up from every hour). Timetable available here.
- The 610 service will run every 20 minutes (up from every 30 minutes) from Wigan to Lowton during the day on Sunday and in the evening Monday to Saturday. Timetable available here.
The addition of a new bus service and increased bus frequency is part of the launch of the Greater Manchester Strategy (GMS), the city region’s vision for the next decade to grow the local economy and ensure everyone can live well. The GMS pledges to continue to develop the Bee Network as a transport system for a global city region, so that by 2030, 90% of the population live within 400m – a five-minute walk or wheeling distance – of a bus or tram that comes at least every 30 minutes, and night buses play a key role in this.
Josh Simon, MP for Makerfield, said: “I heard complaints about the bus service in Abram week in and week out from residents, so I promised I would do something about it. I’m very pleased that by working with Transport for Greater Manchester, we’ve secured this better service and bought the brilliant Bee Network to Abram.
“This is exactly why it’s important we have this locally controlled bus network, that works for the people who use it. It’s about making sure that young people can get home from school, residents can go shopping or get to doctors appointments, and they are not having to suffer from an unreliable and inconvenient service.”
Passengers are encouraged to check any changes to their normal service by visiting a Travelshop or checking the Bee Network app, or website. Information will also be updated on bus stops.