Abbreviation | TfGM |
---|---|
Predecessor | Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive |
Formation | 1 April 2011 |
Type | Public body |
Purpose | Transport authority |
Headquarters | 2 Piccadilly Place Manchester M1 3BG |
Region served | Greater Manchester parts of Derbyshire, Cheshire & Lancashire |
Commissioner | Vernon Everitt |
Parent organisation | Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) |
Budget | £280 million (2015–16, excluding capital expenditure) |
Website | www |
Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) is a local government body responsible for co-ordinating transport services throughout Greater Manchester in North West England. It is an executive arm of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), the city region's administrative authority. The strategies and policies of Transport for Greater Manchester are set by the GMCA and its Greater Manchester Transport Committee (GMTC). The committee is made up of 33 councillors appointed from the ten Greater Manchester boroughs (Bolton, Bury, Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford and Wigan), as well as the Mayor of Greater Manchester.[1]
TfGM owns Metrolink – the United Kingdom’s largest light rail network – which is operated and maintained under contract by a Keolis/Amey consortium.[2][3] TfGM also owns Greater Manchester's Cycle Hire scheme, and is responsible for cycling and walking infrastructure. TfGM owns and maintains bus stations, stops & shelters, however bus services are deregulated in Great Britain outside London. Following the passing of the Bus Services Act 2017, Greater Manchester became the first city-region to start the process of bus franchising, returning bus services to public control.[4][5] TfGM does not control National Rail services or infrastructure in Greater Manchester.
TfGM is responsible for developing the Bee Network, an integrated transport network for Greater Manchester. The Bee Network is proposed to include a single transport livery, integrated fares & ticketing, and a fare cap across tram, bus, cycling, walking, and eventually suburban rail. By 2025, Metrolink trams, franchised buses services, and cycle hire are planned to be integrated.[6] Negotiations with central government are ongoing for some commuter rail services to join the network, starting from 2025.[6]
History
editThe organisation traces its origins to the Transport Act 1968, when the SELNEC (South East Lancashire/North East Cheshire) Passenger Transport Executive was established to co-ordinate public transport in and around Manchester. Between 1974 and 2011, it was known as the Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive (GMPTE), until a reform of local government in Greater Manchester granted it more powers and prompted a corporate rebranding.[7] On 1 April 2011, the GMPTE became Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM),[8] a new regional transport body for Greater Manchester[9][10][11] that forms part of the new Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA).
Governance
editTfGM inherited the responsibilities of the Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive established in 1974. As a result, GMITA was abolished,[8] replaced by the Transport for Greater Manchester Committee (TfGMC) which ultimately reports to the Combined Authority. TfGMC and its subcommittees are made up of a nominated pool of 33 councillors from the ten metropolitan boroughs of Greater Manchester who manage TfGM and create transport policy in Greater Manchester.
Although it differs in certain structural forms,[12] on the day of its inauguration TfGM became the second most powerful and influential transport organisation in England after Transport for London because it unites previously splintered governance over transport policy in the boroughs under one body.[13][14] It elects its own Chair and Vice-Chair and assumes the functions previously performed by GMITA as well as the newly devolved transport powers and responsibilities from government and the ten metropolitan councils which make up the area. The 33 councillors have voting rights on most transport issues despite not being members of the GMCA: major decisions still require approval by the GMCA, but the functions that are referred (but not delegated) to the TfGMC include making recommendations in relation to:
- The budget and transport levy
- Borrowing limit
- Major and strategic transport policies
- The local transport plan
- Operation of Greater Manchester Transport Fund and approval of new schemes
- Appointment of Director General/Chief Executive of TfGM
Services
editManchester Metrolink
editThe Manchester Metrolink light rail system launched in 1992. Entirely subsidised by TfGM without a government grant and operated by KeolisAmey.[15] It carries over 43.7 million passengers a year.[16] With 99 stations it is the second largest local transport network in the United Kingdom after the London Underground. Further expansion to Stockport is envisaged.
- Altrincham-Bury line
- Altrincham-Piccadilly line
- Bury-Piccadilly line
- East Didsbury-Rochdale line
- Eccles- Ashton line
- Manchester Airport-Victoria line
- MediaCity- Ashton line
- Crumpsall -Trafford Park Line
Rail services
editRail services are operated by Avanti West Coast, CrossCountry, East Midlands Railway, Northern, TransPennine Express and Transport for Wales.[17] TfGM subsidise fares on certain local services and fund station refurbishments on an ad hoc basis.
Buses
edit- Free Bus and Metroshuttle: launched 2002, free bus service around Manchester city centre. New services were provided in Bolton, Oldham and Stockport after success of the service in Manchester.[18]
- Bus services operated by private operators including Arriva North West, Bullocks Coaches, D&G Bus, Diamond Bus North West, First Greater Manchester, First West Yorkshire, Go North West, Rosso, Stagecoach Manchester & Vision Bus[19]
- Maintenance of bus shelters and stations including Shudehill Interchange
- Ring & Ride – An accessible, low-cost minibus service for people who have difficulty in using public transport
Highways and cycling
edit- Greater Manchester Urban Traffic Control Unit (GMUTC) – responsibility for road management transferred to TfGM in 2009. Entails installation, maintenance and management of traffic signals, limited areas of road safety (2012), incident response and event management via a traffic control centre.
- Cycling – promotion of the Greater Manchester Cycling Strategy and delivery of Cycle Hubs and regional cycle routes
Fares, ticketing and information
edit- Subsidised fares on certain services
- System One travelcards
- Get me there
- Public transport maps and timetables
- Website
- Route Explorer application
-
Manchester Metrolink
TfGM owns Greater Manchester's light rail system, which includes over 64 miles of track and 99 stops across seven of the ten Greater Manchester boroughs. -
Commuter rail services
Commuter rail services are provided by train operating companies (TOCs). TfGM subsidises local rail services and helps to fund station improvements across Greater Manchester. -
Bus services
Bus services in Greater Manchester are deregulated. TfGM owns and maintains bus stations, stops & shelters. It implements the System One multi-operator and multi-modal travelcards, and subsidises some fares. -
Road management
TfGM is responsible for managing the Key Route Network of major roads, as well as maintenance of traffic signals.
Bee Network
editThe Bee Network is a proposed integrated transport network for Greater Manchester, composed of bus, tram, cycling, and walking routes. TfGM's vision is for the network to be operational by 2024, with commuter rail services joining the network by 2030.[20]
Originally devised in 2018 as a network of active travel routes,[21] the vision for the Bee Network was expanded following the Greater Manchester Combined Authority's decision to use the powers given to it under the Bus Services Act 2017 to introduce a bus franchising scheme for the city region.[22] The active travel subset of the Bee Network was then renamed the Bee Active Network.[23]
Corporate identity
editTfGM uses a corporate identity designed in-house. The black and white "M" logo is adapted from the GMPTE logo and is used on bus stops across Greater Manchester.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "New Greater Manchester Transport Committee meets for the first time". tfgm.com. Transport for Greater Manchester. 6 August 2019. Archived from the original on 19 February 2022. Retrieved 19 February 2022.
- ^ "Salford Infrastructure Delivery Plan" (PDF). Salford City Council. February 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 May 2013. Retrieved 22 January 2013.
- ^ "RATP buys Manchester Metrolink operator". Railway Gazette International. London. 2 August 2011. Archived from the original on 17 September 2011. Retrieved 2 August 2011.
- ^ Burnham, Andy (13 December 2017). Mayor sets out major transport overhaul (Speech). Urban Transport Group. Leeds. Retrieved 12 December 2021.
- ^ "Greater Manchester appoints first bus operators for new system". BBC. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
- ^ a b "Details of the first buses under public control in Greater Manchester revealed". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
- ^ All change: Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive becomes Transport for Greater Manchester – with a new logo of course Archived 4 April 2011 at the Wayback Machine Manchester Evening News 1 April 2011
- ^ a b "Arrangements for Establishing the Combined Authority" (PDF). Association of Greater Manchester Authorities (AGMA). p. 4. Retrieved 8 February 2011.
- ^ "Draft LTP3 Consultation Proposals". Greater Manchester Integrated Transport Authority (GMITA). p. 9. Retrieved 3 December 2010.
- ^ "City Region Pilot and Governance" (PDF). Manchester City Council. p. 14. Retrieved 3 December 2010.
- ^ "Greater Manchester Local Enterprise Partnership – A Proposal To Government" (PDF). Association of Greater Manchester Authorities (AGMA). p. 18. Retrieved 3 December 2010.
- ^ "City Region Pilot and Governance" (PDF). Manchester City Council. Retrieved 3 December 2010.
- ^ "City Region Governance – Consultation on Future Arrangements for Greater Manchester" (PDF). Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 March 2012. Retrieved 3 December 2010.
- ^ "Review of City Region Governance in Greater Manchester" (Word). Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council. Retrieved 3 December 2010.
- ^ RATP buys Manchester Metrolink operator Railway Gazette International 2 August 2011
- ^ Light Rail and Tram Statistics: England 2018/19 Department for Transport (Retrieved 26 July 2020)
- ^ Operators Transport for Greater Manchester
- ^ Metroshuttle Archived 2 November 2012 at the Wayback Machine Transport for Greater Manchester
- ^ Bus Operators Transport for Greater Manchester
- ^ "Destination: Bee Network". Transport for Greater Manchester. Retrieved 24 April 2022.
- ^ "Bee Network - Greater Manchester's cycling and walking infrastructure proposal" (PDF). Retrieved 24 April 2022.
- ^ Fifield, Jack (14 February 2022). "WATCH: What is the Bee Network?". Retrieved 24 April 2022.
- ^ "MCF Financial Approvals and Active Travel Funding Additions" (PDF). 27 May 2022. Retrieved 28 May 2022.
The fund is being used to deliver the first phase of the Bee Active Network, which is the walking and cycling element of the wider Bee Network
External links
edit- Media related to SELNEC at Wikimedia Commons
- Media related to ChiZeroOne/Sandbox2 at Wikimedia Commons
- Official website of Transport for Greater Manchester
- Greater Manchester Integrated Transport Authority
- Greater Manchester Transportation Unit
- SELNEC plans for urban rapid transport
- Greater Manchester Congestion Charge Proposals
- The SELNEC Preservation Society