By Charlotte Hall

Bus passengers can now get help accessing discounted travel on the Bee Network.

A new partnership between Transport for Greater Manchester and ten Credit Unions across the region means bus users can pay for an annual ticket in instalments – resulting in a discount of up to £250 a year compared to other fares. 

The deal means the ticket can be paid for in £67 monthly or £15 weekly installments – cheaper than the 28-day and 7-day bus passes. 

Announcing the scheme at Hoot Credit Union in Bolton earlier today (November 29), Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham said: "This is going to save people a lot of money. Instead of paying £20 for a weekly, people can spend £15. It works out as £2.20 a day.

"And they're committing to being long-term bus users, so it's good for us as well." 

Mr Burnham added that he saw wider benefits to the scheme – including encouraging people to make more use of credit unions and helping people into work by bringing down the cost of commuting. 

Bee Network buses ready to be rolled out across Stockport and South Manchester (Image - TfGM)

CEO of Hoots Chris Canham added: "Our job is to help people financially. And this is just another way we can help people in the community access services that otherwise they might not be able to afford. 

"The upfront cost of an annual ticket is expensive – especially at this time of year." 

Anyone can apply for the tickets at a credit union or online from December 5. The annual tickets will be activated from January 5, 2025. 

Transport bosses also revealed more plans for the Bee Network at a Greater Manchester Combined Authority meeting in Bolton earlier today. As well as introducing the £2 'hopper fee' – meaning passengers can use as many buses as they like within an hour for the same ticket price – weekly bus tickets are being discounted by a pound to £20. 

The lowered fares are at odds with the rest of the country, which is seeing the bus price cap increase to £3, and is only possible because of Greater Manchester's devolved powers. But in a GMCA update, transport bosses did note that TfGM would once again be relying on reserves to plug a gap in their books – and would need to increase public transport usage and other sources of income in the next year.

Mr Burnham appealed to the city-region to 'make 2025 the year that you move to the Bee Network'. "The more people use it, the more we'll be able to keep these low fare offers in place," he said.

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