'The Bee Network is a game changer': A new era begins for Greater Manchester's buses - with passengers in the driving seat

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

A new era begins in Greater Manchester this weekend - with bus passengers in the driving seat. For the first time in almost 40 years, private operators will have no say over routes, fares, frequencies, timetables and overall standards, giving power back to the paying public.

Franchising - beginning on public services on Sunday - marks the biggest shake-up of bus services here in a generation. It's the first step for the Bee Network - Greater Manchester's bold and much-needed plan for an integrated, London-style transport network – and a drive to reverse the decades-long decline in bus patronage.

The overhaul promises to bring low fares and a more joined up and reliable public transport system to communities. Fully-realised, it promises an end to the days where some routes are starved of transport, while others are overwhelmed with vehicles fighting for passengers.

The way that passengers rate their journeys - via an app - will be used to hold operators to account, with financial consequences if the service isn't up to scratch.