• 8 months ago
A night bus trial is going ahead later this year and Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has said he hopes hourly all-night services on certain city-region bus routes will go ahead by the end of summer.

One hundred and thirty five thousand people in Salford, Wigan and Bolton who live within a quarter of a mile of a V1 or 36 stop will be able to get to and from the city centre at all hours of the day.

The trial is to focus primarily on supporting people working in Manchester's nighttime economy, serving areas with high numbers of people less likely to own a car and more likely to use public transport.

We asked people on the streets of Manchester what they think about night buses returning to Greater Manchester.
Transcript
00:00 A night bus trial is going ahead later this year and Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham
00:05 has said he hopes hourly all-night services on certain city region bus routes will go
00:10 ahead by the end of summer.
00:12 135,000 people in Salford, Wigan and Bolton, who live within a quarter of a mile of a V1
00:18 or 36 stop, will be able to get to and from the city centre at all hours of the day.
00:23 The trial is to focus primarily on supporting people working in Manchester's night-time
00:27 economy, serving areas with high numbers of people less likely to own a car and more likely
00:33 to use public transport.
00:35 We asked people on the streets of Manchester what they think about night buses returning
00:39 to the city region.
00:40 "I think we do need to move with the times and have night buses.
00:43 I mean, it doesn't affect me, I don't go out at that time of night, but I do think we do
00:47 need night buses, yeah."
00:49 "I think it's a good idea.
00:50 There's plenty of nightlife, there's a lot of young people who want to stay out late
00:53 and why not put the buses on for them instead of paying for expensive taxis?"
00:57 "When I was younger, yeah, we were always on night buses.
01:04 I don't, you know, obviously I don't go out to clubs anymore and see what's going on in
01:08 Manchester in the evening, but yeah, maybe night-time buses are needed."
01:14 "If it gets people home safely, then absolutely.
01:18 I personally probably won't use the night buses, but yeah, you know, if people are coming
01:22 out into town and they need to get back safely, it's a cheaper alternative to taxis, public
01:27 transport and increasing the option is a good thing."
01:30 We asked if they thought there might be any safety concerns to consider on the night buses.
01:34 "You don't know the kind of people you're getting on these buses, do you?
01:37 I mean, if you just, you know, if it was my son or daughter, I'd rather them jump in a
01:42 cab to be safe."
01:44 "Probably, and that's why I wouldn't use them.
01:47 But yeah, I think it may be an additional burden on the police.
01:52 That depends who uses them, I suppose."
01:54 "Only for the drivers, but I'm sure they'll be boxed in and kept safe.
01:58 Yeah, can't really see why there would be an issue."
02:01 "I think they need to be patrolled by at least a conductor or a guard or whatever they call
02:07 them now, yeah."

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