From 5 January, buses in Stockport and other parts of South Manchester will come under public control as they join the Bee Network.

The Bee Network will bring some changes to ticketing, which Transport for Greater Manchester says will make travel 'easier and cheaper'.

Single fares

First of all, single fares will remain at £2 for adults and £1 for children.

However, one important change is that single fares will now also serve as 'hopper' tickets. It means you'll be able to hop on any Bee Network bus within one hour of purchasing the ticket.

For example, if you take a bus from Stockport to Ashton with a single ticket, you'll be able to jump on another bus in Ashton using the same 'single / hopper' ticket, so long as it arrives within an hour.

The single fare will be replaced by the 'hopper' fare as part of the Bee Network (Image - Alasdair Perry)

Unlimited travel

There will also be some cost reductions for unlimited travel tickets.

One day bus tickets will remain at £5 for adults and £2.50 for children.

However, seven day bus tickets will now cost £20 for adults and £10 for children (down from £21 and £10.50 respectively).

Similarly, 28-day bus tickets will now cost £80 for adults, and £40 for children (down from £84 and £42.70 respectively).

And finally, a new Bee Network annual ticket will allow unlimited travel on all Bee Network services for a year, for the equivalent of £2.20 a day. People can buy up front or spread the cost weekly and monthly through participating credit unions across Greater Manchester.

(Image - Transport for Greater Manchester)

What else can we expect from the Bee Network?

The Bee Network is often labelled as an 'integrated, London-style' transport network, involving buses, trams, cycle routes, and - in the future - trains.

The aim is to make these travel options more viable and closely linked than they currently are. As a Bee Network spokesperson said: "By giving people a true alternative to the car, we will tackle many of our health, congestion and air quality issues in one go."

The Bee Network launches for buses in Stockport on Sunday 5 January.

As well as the aforementioned ticketing changes, the Bee Network will also introduce a fleet of new electric yellow buses, and some timetabling changes.

Cllr Mark Hunter, Leader of Stockport Council, said: "I welcome the Bee Network arriving in Stockport, bringing our bus services under local control and simplifying fares for our residents.

"We all deserve reliable and efficient public transport, and I'm assured that this new initiative will help to improve routes, schedules, and the overall travel experience for those living in and visiting Stockport.

"Our new Interchange is a real jewel in our ongoing £1billion transformation of our town centre, and the Bee Network's new services will hopefully help to connect our communities across the borough."

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