Report of the Strategic Director (Growth and Development)

This report provides an update on the current/recent performance of and future plans for public transport in Manchester.

The Committee received a report of the Strategic Director (Growth and Development) which provided an update on the recent performance of and future plans for public transport in Manchester.

Key points and themes within the report included:

• The Bee Network;
• Bus franchising operation and implementation;
• Metrolink performance;
• Bikes on Metrolink;
• Greater Manchester Rail Network;
• Bee Network fares, ticketing and customer experience;
• Transport infrastructure pipeline; and
• Strategy and reform.

Key points and queries that arose from the Committee’s discussions included:

• To broadly welcome the changes being made, including bus franchising, the extension of the £2 cap on bus fares and the introduction of ‘hopper’ fares;
• To welcome the Credit Union offer for season tickets;
• Whether bus franchising would result in bus services which connected local communities, rather than providing journeys into the city centre, being reinstated;
• Concern that bus operators which had not been awarded the new franchises, starting in January, were no longer taking responsibility for service performance in their final months of operating on those routes;
• Overcrowding of trams at peak times;
• The importance of modal shift from cars to public transport to reduce congestion and improve air quality;
• Safety and perceptions of safety when using public transport;
• Promoting the chat function on the Bee Network app, which enabled users to speak directly to the police, as well as the WalkSafe app;
• Issues with Northern Rail and the impact of ‘do not travel’ notices on people’s confidence in public transport;
• Concern about Northern Rail stopping selling advance tickets 15 minutes before travel;
• Aspirations for rail, noting the large population of Wythenshawe that was not served by a train station;
• Serving parts of the city that were not covered by Metrolink;
• Branding of public transport options at Manchester Airport and ensuring a positive experience for people arriving into the city;
• To welcome the number of jobs and apprenticeships being created and to request more information on employment in a future report; and
• Whether the one-hour limit for hopper fares was sufficient.

The Executive Member for Clean Air, Environment and Transport advised that she would take forward the point about making the chat function on the app easier to find.  She informed Members about the partnership with Strut Safe, which provided a phone line with volunteers that a person could talk to if they were walking alone.  She reported that Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, was working hard to raise the issues in relation to Northern Rail and to try to get a better service.

Jonathan Marsh from TfGM reported that funding was being used to purchase more vehicles to provide double trams at peak times and that increasing capacity on the Metrolink system would continue to be a focus for future funding.  He informed Members that next generation trams were also being considered, moving away from double trams to larger single vehicles.  In response to a Member’s question, he informed Members about the draft Rapid Transit Strategy, which included 15 priority projects which were being looked at to determine which would be the forerunners for being taken forward into future funding settlements.  He highlighted TfGM’s work with railway partners to achieve preliminary integration of the ‘8-priority corridors’ into the Bee Network by 2028, stating that more information could be provided in a future report.  In response to a question about Bee Bikes, he reported that the recovery plan had been going well and there was a commitment to ongoing expansion.  In response to a Member’s question about the specific safety concerns that passengers had, he advised that further information could be provided in a future report.  In response to a Member’s question, he advised that the approach to fare evasion was continuing to be monitored and reviewed.

Stephen Rhodes from TfGM informed Members that the initial bus franchising process, which was being rolled out in tranches, was largely based on existing bus routes and focusing on making the services more reliable.  He advised that, following this, network reviews were being undertaken for each area, making use of data from franchised services which had previously not been available for deregulated services, and undertaking consultations and engagement work. He reported that this would include consideration of the introduction of new routes or reinstatement of previously axed services.  He advised that bus operators were working to prepare for the transfer of services, depots and staff in tranche 3 but that he would be happy to discuss any specific concerns outside of the meeting.  In relation to safety and the perception of safety, he reported that TravelSafe officers were being deployed across the network, with numbers being increased in tranche 3.  He also highlighted the Strut Safe partnership and the opportunities that the renewal of the bus shelter contract presented in improving safety, for example, providing better lighting around bus shelters.  A Member advised that it was important that TravelSafe officers had a welcoming approach to interacting with passengers. 

In response to comments about rail tickets, Stephen Rhodes advised that one of the key aims of the Bee Network was trying to simplify the travel network for passengers and this included work which was taking place on rail ticketing.  In response to a question about the £2 cap on bus fares, he advised that ongoing subsidy was likely to be needed and that the case was being made, politically and by officers, for sustainable, long-term funding for the transport network.  He reported that it was recognised that branding at the Airport needed to be changed and that this was being actively looked into, with a meeting having taken place with representatives of the Airport the previous week.  He advised that the time limit for the hopper fares was being reviewed, while clarifying that the time limit related to the point of boarding the service.

The Executive Member for Clean Air, Environment and Transport reported that the Mayor of Greater Manchester had committed to the continuation of the £2 bus fare cap, subject to a mid-term review in 2025.  She reported that the lack of a dedicated railway station for Wythenshawe had been raised as an issue when discussing options for the future and that she would continue to raise this. 

Decision:

To note the report.

[Councillor Johns declared a personal interest as he was undertaking a research project on buses as part of his employment.]

[Councillors Johns, Shilton Godwin, Wills, Taylor and Rawlins declared personal interests as members of the Manchester Credit Union.]