Older and disabled people are celebrating as the phenomenon of the ‘Twirly’ finally comes to an end on the Bee Network – giving passholders free round-the-clock travel on all buses in Greater Manchester. From today (Sunday 1st March), concessionary passholders will no longer have to wait until 9.30am to get on board Bee Network buses for free as the time restriction is permanently lifted.
The move follows two successful trials last year during which hundreds of thousands of older and disabled people were given the freedom to travel by bus at any time of the day, seven days a week.
During the August pilot, more than 100,000 journeys were made by older and disabled people before 9.30am with up to 6,000 people a day taking advantage of the change. In November, the numbers were even higher with nearly 120,000 passholders travelling before 9.30am during the pilot, most of whom got on board at least half an hour earlier.
What does ‘Twirly’ mean?
The ‘Twirlies’ got their nickname by trying to use their concessionary bus passes before 9.30am, but due to a government restriction, they would be told: “Sorry love, yer twirly” (too early). However, older and disabled concessionary passholders will no longer have to wait until 9.30am to get on board a bus in Greater Manchester.
What are the benefits of lifting the 9.30am time restriction on Greater Manchester buses?
During the trials, participating passholders said that removing time restrictions reduces stress and loneliness while also opening up opportunities for work and volunteering. It also means that older and disabled people can attend hospital and GP appointments earlier in the day at no extra cost.
“In Greater Manchester, there’s no more Twirlies!”
Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, said: “Permanent freedom from the 9.30am rule means that older and disabled people can get out and about without any restriction – to hospital appointments, to work or to care for their grandkids. We’re really proud to be doing this and we can do it because we put our buses back under public control.
“The people are in charge again and that’s why we’re making this change – to benefit the people of Greater Manchester. The message from here to the rest of the country is: in Greater Manchester, there’s no more Twirlies!”
“We’re not just passengers. We’re active contributors to the economy.”
Nakib Narat, co-chair of the Greater Manchester Older People’s Equality Panel, said: “It’s a lifechanging move, and it’s not just a win for older and disabled people – it’s a massive boost for the Greater Manchester economy and a genuine lifeline during the cost-of-living crisis.
“We’re not just passengers. We’re active contributors to the economy. By allowing people to travel when they actually need to, we’re putting an end to that notorious 9.30am bus crash and the frustration of being one of the ‘Twirlies’.”
“We get to be out at any time of day doing anything we want – and now we can be.”
Rick Burgess, co-chair of the Greater Manchester Disabled People’s Panel and Campaign Lead at the Greater Manchester Coalition of Disabled People, said: “To have this happen is fantastic. We get to be out at any time of day doing anything we want – and now we can be.
“It’s great that we’ve got our buses back under public control, it means that we can do things like this. It’s a guide for the rest of the country – we are leading. We are moving towards transport justice, to equality in how our public transport works so the whole public is included. That’s what we want.”
The lifting of time restrictions only applies to travel by bus using a concessionary pass issued by Transport for Greater Manchester under the English National Concessionary Travel Scheme.