All the big Greater Manchester transport announcements of 2024

Buses overhauled, new train stations announced, and the Metrolink system extended.

It’s been a big year for transport in Greater Manchester, also write Declan Carey, George Lythgoe, Chris Gee, Nick Jackson, and Charlotte Hall.

There’s also been the usual issues of road works, street upgrades, and controversy about how Greater Mancunians get around.

Transport was a hot-button issue in May’s mayoral election, but voters appeared to back Andy Burnham’s vision for the Bee Network as he won 63 per cent of the vote.

But it hasn’t all been plain-sailing for the Labour mayor. 

Teething problems hit the roll-out of Bee Network buses in northern parts of the city-region in spring, and he’s faced a Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) strike this Christmas, just weeks before more Bee Network buses take to the roads.

To review Greater Manchester’s year in transport, the LDRS have compiled a list of all the major announcements which hit the boroughs in 2024.

On the buses

The introduction of yellow Bee Network buses is perhaps the biggest transport overhaul Greater Manchester has seen in a long time.

TfGM took over privately-run services in Wigan and Bolton in September 2023, the first of a three-phase roll-out.

The second phase launched in Oldham, Rochdale, Salford, Bury and north Manchester in late March, with the final ‘tranche’ being completed on January 5, 2025.

After that date, Bee Network buses will run to the new Stockport Interchange, which also opened in March.

It’s already handling bus passengers - but will one day be a Metrolink stop.

More on that later.

Ticketing is also going to be overhauled in the new year, with an integrated tap-in, tap-out system being installed across buses and trams by spring 2025.

But regular passengers will be able to take advantage of a new annual ticket which works out at £2.20 per day, purchased from a credit union.

Effectively, it means more people can get the cheapest ticket overall, as they won’t have to stump up a big annual pass fee at the start of the year, and instead pay in installments.

Riding the trams

The seemingly unending saga of Metrolink’s march towards Stockport continued this year, after work began on writing the formal business case for the extension.

That will be sent to the government, effectively outlining why TfGM wants cash required to extend the line.

That wasn’t the only mooted Metrolink expansion, however.

The other long-talked-about new line, for Heywood and Middleton, also moved forward in becoming a reality.

New stations have also been proposed for Sandhills in north Manchester’s Victoria North housing development, and Oldham has reportedly been promised a new Cop Road stop on the existing line between Derker and Shaw.

Most of these were contained in TfGM’s updated ‘Greater Manchester Transport Strategy 2040’, published in July. 
It outlined TfGM’s infrastructure priorities for the next 15-or-so years.

Other notable developments include tram extensions to Port Salford, and a link between Salford Quays and Salford Crescent.

But 2024 also saw major closures of the tram network, after a land slip suspended trams between Rochdale town centre and Oldham mumps in the summer.

Although that issue has been fixed, Andy Burnham has warned tram infrastructure will soon need significant maintenance, as ageing kit is now being subject to the system’s busiest-ever periods.

In November, 4.28 million journeys were made on Greater Manchester trams, a record since it opened in the 90s.

All aboard the trains

New railway stations are finally going to become a reality, with formal plans confirmed last month for Golborne’s reconnection to the rail network.

The Wigan town will see a two-platform halt constructed on the site of its former station, which closed down 60 years ago.

Trains stopping there will run between Wigan and Staylybridge via Manchester Victoria, subject to government approval.

If the plans get the go-ahead, the £32m build should start in 2026, with the new station scheduled to open in 2027.

The borough will see its new Bolton-Wigan electrified line switch-on on New Year’s Day.

Cheadle is also in line for a new railway stop, with work ongoing to finish the station by the end of 2025.

It was confirmed in November that trains will stop there on the Chester-Stockport-Manchester Piccadilly line.

Stockport and Wigan aren’t the only boroughs gaining new stations, as rail bosses launched a project to relocate Tameside’s Mossley station 300 metres down the line last month.

They also mooted an upgrade to Oldham’s Greenfield station.

But it’s Trafford which is set for the biggest rail shake-up.

Moves are being made to relocate a major freight rail depot behind Manchester United’s Old Trafford stadium to allow the club to regenerate the area, and the council to encourage new housing development nearby.

While no public money will go to United’s new stadium or suggested sporting campus neighbour, Andy Burnham has hinted public cash could be spent on providing transport links for the new homes that are eyed up in that part of the city.

Enjoying the open roads

It’s been another year of new cycle lanes.

Work began in autumn to extend Deansgate’s bike lanes, meaning more ‘wand orca’ bollards will soon be in town.

In Castleton, newly-opened segregated bike lanes created controversy in May, but the scheme will one day connect the village to neighbouring Rochdale town centre for those using pedal power.

However, the major road upgrade of 2024 came in Tameside, when a 50-year-long saga finally came to an end in July.

That’s because the Mottram bypass was eventually given the green light, effectively improving the route between Manchester and Sheffield.

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