An investigation is currently underway into why train services across the region were thrown into chaos last month.

A new Bee Network report also said Avanti West Coast services were among the worst performing with cancellations doubling in July.

The new report, published ahead of a Bee Network committee meeting on September 24, said transport services 'remained resilient during periods of extreme heat'.

Despite the challenges, the report said it was 'another good month' for punctuality with both bus and Metrolink services above target compared to the previous year.

However rail services, which have not been taken over yet by Transport for Greater Manchester, performed worse. Problems faced included trespassing being 'a major cause of disruption' while crew availability continuing to be a problem.

All operators between June 28 to July 25 saw performance decline. Long distance operators saw the worst performance with only 42.7% of Avanti and 47% of CrossCountry trains running on time.

The report said Avanti was particularly hit with cancellations which more than doubled from 5.8 per cent to 12.1 pc. CrossCountry and Transpennine Express also saw cancellations increase.

Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) officers said Network Rail performance has improved but severe heat waves in July and August increased delays. Trespassing, possible suicide attempts, and lineside fires 'remained a major source of disruption' while crew availability and the summer holidays also had an impact.

On August 6, a power failure led to signalling being lost across the network leaving people stranded and multiple trains being cancelled or delayed. The report said: "Network Rail is undertaking a full review into the cause of the incident, including why back-up systems failed.

"The industry has also been requested to confirm immediate actions to restore resilience, reduce the risk of repeat failure and produce a clear customer response plan, including better support for passengers already travelling during major disruption."

This will be little relief to passengers facing major disruption this morning on September 22 following another signal fault. Network Rail's area director for Manchester Clare Waller said: "I'm sorry for delays to passengers this morning due to a problem with the signalling system at Manchester Piccadilly station."

In December 2026, the Bee Network will be taking over 14 railway stations across Greater Manchester. In March 2027, another 15 will join followed by 43 more stations in December 2028.

By 2030, a further 25 stations are planned to join the Bee Network. GMCA bosses say this takeover will benefit passengers by joining up rail services with buses, trams, and forms of active travel like cycling.

The report said work has already started to upgrade 22 stations with some already ready. This will be followed by the launch of a new daily combined bus, tram, and rail ticket.

More people are using the buses too with 179m people hopping on over the twelve months between August 2025 and July 2026, an increase of 3.1% compared to the year before. Buses began being taken under public control in 2023.

Despite the positive progress with buses, the report said: "The return to school, adverse weather conditions and increased congestion are likely to present a more challenging environment for punctuality over the coming months."

Traffic is also increasingly becoming a problem with levels around 3% above those seen in 2019. Permits for roadworks to take place are also up 10% year on year.