Following on from the news of trains set to join Greater Manchester’s Bee Network, Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) has now announced it will be launching a new bus route. Kickstarting the new year, the new bus route will launch in the first week of January, connecting the Salford area of Ordsall to the Bee Network.
The route is the latest in a series of Bee Network enhancements that have seen three all-new routes introduced already, alongside improvements to more than 80 other services, including new night buses.
Where will the new bus route stop, and when does it launch?
From Sunday 4th January 2026, a new bus service, the 30, will launch in Salford, replacing the X50. The new 30 will run from the Trafford Centre through Trafford Park, to MediaCity, along Ordsall Lane and to Manchester City Centre, servicing hundreds of new homes and connecting the city region’s fastest growing population with retail and economic hubs.
The new 30 service will be all-electric and run seven days a week, with a half-hourly service Monday to Saturday.
Ordsall in Salford has seen significant regeneration – from new apartments to a new bus route
Ordsall has seen significant regeneration in recent years, with around 1,000 new apartments built along the Ordsall Lane corridor. To support this growth, which mirrors a wider trend across Salford as the area with the biggest population increase in the North West, Salford Council has secured around £2m from local developers to help fund bus improvements for residents.
Salford is the fastest-growing area of the North West, with the population in the area increasing by 15.4%, from around 233,900 to around 269,900 between the last two censuses held in 2011 and 2021. The population of the North West increased by 5.2%, while the population of England rose by 6.6%.
Salford Mayor, Paul Dennett, said: “This new number 30 bus is fantastic news for local people and something we have actively campaigned for here in Salford. Ordsall has seen significant growth and development in recent years, with new apartments being constructed, and this new service will provide vital connectivity for the community.
“Our council officers secured over £2 million from developers to fund the provision of a new section of bus route covering the Quays and Ordsall. And the service will also be provided by a fleet of new electric buses, supporting our commitments for carbon reduction and improved air quality. I look forward to seeing the route in operation and meeting the passengers using it.”
Further investments in the Bee Network
In addition to the announcement of a new bus route, TfGM also revealed further investments in the Bee Network, including the electrification of Middleton bus depot and 284 new Passenger Information Displays (PIDS).
The completion of electrification at Middleton depot earlier this month means 53 new electric buses are operating from the depot, making 18 more services fully electric. It brings the total number of electric buses operating on the Bee Network to 390.
Passengers on the Bee Network are also able to access real-time information about their journeys at bus stops and interchanges, following investment in 284 new Passenger Information Displays (PIDS). The screens, or PIDS, will display departure information and disruption updates across buses, trams and trains at key sites across the city region.
Vernon Everitt, Transport Commissioner for Greater Manchester, said: “It’s great to round off the year with another new service, more electric buses and better customer information to serve the people and businesses of Salford.
“These latest improvements reflect our determination to deliver continuous improvements across Greater Manchester and make the Bee Network – which brings together bus, tram, train and active travel – into a world-class transport network.”
