Buses from Manchester to Leigh to run every hour during the night

As revealed last month, night buses will run on the V1 and the 36 routes, which go from Manchester to Leigh and Bolton respectively.

Further details – included in a report to the Bee Network committee – confirm the pilot will launch later this year.

It will run for a year, with a review point planned to allow councillors to consider the performance and cost of the scheme, and whether the frequency can be increased.

Buses will run at least once per hour in each direction on both routes, 24 hours a day.

The night buses will use the same capped bus fares introduced in 2022.

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As part of the pilot’s development over the coming months, Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) will work with the TravelSafe Partnership to look at the level of support at key interchanges and onboard buses, including in-person patrols.

The rollout will be supported by TravelSafe Live Chat, which people will be able to access via the Bee Network app to discreetly report crime and anti-social behaviour to Greater Manchester Police call handlers.

Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, said: “Greater Manchester is a 24-hour city and should have a public transport system to match, so I’m delighted that we’re introducing a night bus pilot in the next few months that will support workers – whether that’s in health and social care, bars and clubs, distribution centres or anywhere else – as well as those wanting to get home after a night out.

“We know how important it is that people feel safe when using public transport at any time of day, but especially at night.

"As we develop our plans for the pilot, we’ll be working closely with the TravelSafe Partnership, Greater Manchester Police and voluntary organisations to make sure the right level of support is available so people can travel at all times of day with confidence.

“This pilot gives us the chance to see how people use transport at night and take the first step towards an improved, around-the-clock transport service for the people of Greater Manchester.”

The pilot will focus primarily on supporting people working in Greater Manchester’s night-time economy, in which up to a third of the region’s workforce is employed. This includes the culture and leisure sectors, health and social care, manufacturing and logistics.

The pilot will also support people working shifts that start or end in the early hours of the morning.

The V1 and 36 have been chosen due to the limited existing night-time transport in the north west of Greater Manchester, as well as their proximity to key employment sites, such as hospitals and distribution centres, and the number of people on the routes who are less likely to own a car, including students.

Rob Bellingham, chief officer for commissioning and population health at NHS Greater Manchester, said: “Improving public transport through the night is so important. As our staff provide high-quality healthcare for the people of Greater Manchester, getting to and from their shifts at all hours using reliable, safe and good value public transport could be transformative.”