News
Bus fares across Greater Manchester to be capped at £2 per journey from next year
Andy Burnham has promised an end to the era of passengers paying £4 or more for a single journey
Bus fares for services across Greater Manchester will be capped at £2 from next year, Andy Burnham has announced today.
With the promise of bringing an end to the era of paying £4 or more for a single journey, the mayor took to Twitter this morning to reveal that adult fares will be capped at £2 and child fares at £1.
He wrote: “From next year, as we take control of our buses, we will: cap adult fares at £2. Cap child fares at £1.
“The era of people paying £4 or more for a single journey is coming to an end. Look out for more details later.”
The £2 ticket will serve as a ‘hopper’ fare, meaning the same ticket can be used for any change of bus within an hour of the ticket being bought, regardless of how many times the passenger changes buses within that hour.
Passengers in some parts of the region should be on the road to cheaper fares by Autumn 2023, with Bolton, Wigan and parts of Salford and West Manchester the first to receive the franchised services.
Bury, Rochdale, Oldham and areas of North Manchester will follow in Spring 2024, with Stockport, Trafford, Tameside, south Manchester and other parts of Salford to be up and running by the end of 2024.
The mayor added that Greater Manchester was ‘developing a blueprint’ for other city-regions to follow when it comes to connecting villages, towns and cities.
This comes as part of Burnham’s plans for a ‘London-style’ public transport system for Greater Manchester, which will include an integrated system of buses, trams and trains that will all run in synch.
Under the new proposed system, there will be 830 services run by thirty operators with 150 different ticket types across the region, ten minute service routes, 2,000 more accessible bus stops and an increased number of evening and Sunday services.
Also on the way could be simpler and cheaper fares, ticketing and a ‘tap in’ system with contactless payment.
This is all an opportunity to provide affordable alternatives to driving on the roads, which is at the heart of reducing air pollution.
Burnham has long been calling for a change in the region’s bus system, with him last year pushing for the ‘London-style’ bus fares to be adopted across not only Manchester but the North of England, saying they would be a ‘game changer’.
We’re pleased to announce that Proper Manchester is rebranding as Finest City Guides.
As part of this change, the Proper Manchester brand, including its social media channels, will transition to the Finest City Guides name.
This is a rebrand of the existing platform rather than a new or unrelated business. The same team behind Proper Manchester will continue to operate Finest City Guides as we develop the platform under its new identity.
Previous name: Proper Manchester
New name: Finest City Guides
Our social channels and other brand assets will be updated to reflect the Finest City Guides name as part of this transition.
More from Finest City Guides coming soon.
News
Oasis announce huge reunion tour as Liam and Noel Gallagher ‘make peace’
The news we’ve all been waiting for!
After years of will-they-won’t-they speculation, Oasis are officially BACK together for a reunion tour.
The Gallagher brothers have put aside their differences in the name of music, making thousands of fans extremely happy in the process.
The band teased the news on their socials over the weekend, posting a video on Sunday morning with today’s date (Tuesday, August 27th) and the time 8am.
And now shows have been announced for multiple dates in the UK and Ireland, with tickets going live this Saturday, August 31st.
The legendary Mancunian rockers will take to the stage next summer, with gigs in Cardiff, London, Edinburgh, Dublin and, of course, Manchester.
15 years after splitting, the band confirmed they would be back for 14 shows, saying: “The guns have fallen silent. The stars have aligned. The great wait is over. Come see. It will not be televised”.
The gigs will be Oasis’s ‘only shows in Europe next year’, with tickets on sale this Saturday at 8am in Ireland and 9am in the UK.
The Oasis 2025 tour dates in full:
July
4th – Cardiff, Principality Stadium
5th – Cardiff, Principality Stadium
11th – Manchester, Heaton Park
12th – Manchester, Heaton Park
19th – Manchester, Heaton Park
20th – Manchester, Heaton Park
25th – London, Wembley Stadium
26th – London, Wembley Stadium
August
2nd – London, Wembley Stadium
3rd – London, Wembley Stadium
8th – Edinburgh, Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium
9th – Edinburgh, Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium
16th – Dublin, Croke Park
17th – Dublin, Croke Park
You can grab your tickets HERE.
News
Stagecoach hiring over 100 new bus drivers for Bee Network with £31k salaries
Fancy a career change?
Stagecoach Manchester is hiring over 100 new bus drivers to work from its Oldham depot, following the second phase of the Bee Network launch in March.
You can apply for a range of roles, from positions with no experience required to fully qualified bus drivers.
Successful applicants will receive full training as part of the job, and trainees will get paid to train. Then after only 12 months’ service at Stagecoach, drivers can expect to earn up to £16 per hour, which equates to £31.6K per year, before overtime.
As well as that, drivers that already hold a PCV licence may be eligible to receive a £1,200 joining bonus.
Stagecoach
There’s also a host of other benefits available to all Stagecoach employees, like 28 days paid holiday, generous pension and free Stagecoach bus travel for successful applicants and a companion.
Rob Jones, Managing Director at Stagecoach Manchester said: “Expanding our offering in Oldham means we’ll be investing more in the economy and supporting our local community, as well as strengthening our workforce.
“Whether you’re looking for a career change or you’re a fully qualified, experienced bus driver, there’s a role for everyone here in Oldham.
“We’re looking for personable and dedicated drivers who are ready to help us build on the success of the Bee Network and connect the people of Oldham and Greater Manchester with the places and people that are important to them.”
Stagecoach
Phil Cornwall, bus driver at Stagecoach Manchester, said: “I’ve been a driver at Stagecoach for 25 years and I couldn’t recommend it more.
“From the perks to the people to the passengers, it really is a great place to work.”
To apply, head to the Stagecoach website HERE.
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