Night buses trial to begin in September

More night buses will run in Greater Manchester as part of a pilot scheme which will begin in autumn.

A 24-hour service will run on the V1 and 36 services across Bolton, Leigh, Salford and Manchester from 1 September.

Buses will run at least every hour in a bid to improve safety for workers and boost the economy, Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) said.

The region’s mayor Andy Burnham said: “Better transport at night is something I know people have been crying out for.”

Some night buses already run to south Manchester and surrounding areas.

About 358,000 people have jobs involving night-time work, making up about a third of Greater Manchester’s workforce.

Mr Burnham said: “Transport should never be a barrier to opportunity and this is a step towards improving things for people who work – or want to work – in our hospitals, care homes, clubs, bars, distribution centres or theatres.”

The V1 and 36 services have been chosen for the pilot due to their proximity to key nighttime employment sites, including hospitality venues, hospitals and distribution centres, a TfGM representative said.

They also serve areas where people are less likely to own a car and more likely to use public transport, including students, they added.

Sacha Lord, night time economy adviser for Greater Manchester, said: “It’s not fair that night workers should face more expensive transport options simply because of the hours they work.”

A team of Travelsafe support and enforcement officers will work on the services, forming part of the region’s new Bee Network, which oversees buses that have come back under local control after deregulation 40 years ago.

Colin Hayden, from the Unite union, said they had several members who worked late or overnight, adding: “Women in particular tell us that they do not feel safe when going to and from work.

“This pilot scheme will hopefully help these women, and all our members working in the night time economy, feel confident.”

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