Manchester’s travel update

After a snowy start to the week, here is what you need o know about Manchester’s transport links.

Transcript

00:00Well, low and heck, our weather was hardly the kindest welcome into the new year, was

00:05it?

00:06Now, don't get me wrong, I love snow as much as the next person, but it can't be said that

00:10it's particularly conducive to effective transport links, whether you're making your way on the

00:13tracks or via the roads.

00:15Nonetheless, we can hope now that we are past the worst and get into the travel news for

00:19the week beginning the 6th of January 2025.

00:23Now we're going to start with some of the fallout from the snow, with the announcement

00:26coming through that Manchester Airport's runways have finally reopened after the adverse

00:31weather conditions.

00:32Now, they'd initially been closed at around 6.30am on Monday morning, but are now clear.

00:37There are sort of delays expected certainly today and possibly over the next couple of

00:40days as the airport catches up with the backlog of flights, but you can at least be sure that

00:44you'll reach your destination eventually if you are set to fly soon.

00:47On to buses and public transport, and one of the biggest changes to buses in the UK

00:52history took place late last week right here in Greater Manchester.

00:56Last Thursday saw Transport for Greater Manchester take control of services in the southern half

01:00of the region overnight, meaning that every Greater Manchester bus service is now under

01:03public control for the first time since 1986.

01:07This means that you can expect to see a few more yellow buses out on the streets, and

01:11unfortunately a little bit of disruption too as the buses adapt to their slightly altered

01:15timetables.

01:16Owning bus services will allow Transport for Greater Manchester to create a London-style

01:20transport system, where you can use the same payment card to tap in and tap out buses,

01:24trains, trams, all while paying the lowest fare based on the amount of journeys you take.

01:29Systems due to be in place by mid-March, where the tension will shift from buses towards

01:33trains.

01:34And while we're on trains, the electric power lines on a train route between Wigan

01:37and Bolton have been activated ahead of train services operating between the two places.

01:42The cables will be carrying 25,000 volts of electricity, so Network Rail have put out

01:47a warning that safe distance should be kept by anyone in the area just to make sure that

01:51no accidents happen.

01:52Please be sensible, please stay safe, and that's all for now.

01:55Follow Manchester World for more, and we'll have more transport news on our website over

01:59the coming week.