Greater Manchester has reached 500 battery-electric buses in its Bee Network public transport system following the delivery of another vehicle from manufacturer Wrightbus. The milestone comes as 99 routes across the network are now operated entirely by electric buses.
Launched in 2023, the Bee Network is Greater Manchester’s initiative to integrate buses, trams, cycling and, eventually, rail into a connected transport system. Its fleet currently includes 500 electric buses, representing nearly 30% of the total.
Fleet Expansion and Depot Upgrades
Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) is continuing to expand its electric bus fleet and upgrade the infrastructure required to support it.
At the end of 2025, TfGM secured £59.1 million, approximately €67.3 million, to support the purchase of 220 additional electric buses. The authority also reports that around 160 more electric buses have been ordered and are expected to enter service in the region.
Depot electrification is progressing alongside vehicle procurement. Work at the Hyde Road and Oldham depots has been completed, while new energy and charging infrastructure has been installed at facilities in Ashton, Bolton and Middleton.
Design work is underway to modernise the remaining depots, with electrification work scheduled to begin next year.
Targeting a Fully Electric Fleet by 2030
TfGM aims to transition the Bee Network to a fully electric bus fleet by 2030. According to the authority, the transition is expected to reduce annual emissions by more than 76,000 tonnes of CO₂ and 280 tonnes of nitrogen oxides.
The current fleet represents a substantial increase from three years ago, before TfGM began bringing bus services under public control, when just 35 electric buses operated in and around Manchester.
Vernon Everitt, transport commissioner for Greater Manchester, said the programme was contributing to the region’s air-quality objectives.
“This electrification work is a crucial part of our investment-led approach to improving air quality which is working. By taking old buses off our streets and keeping fares on the Bee Network affordable, we’re improving the experience of getting on board the bus for communities right across the city region”
Renewable Electricity to Support Operations
As the electric fleet grows, TfGM is also addressing the energy requirements of operating the network. The authority has signed a long-term clean-energy agreement that it says will provide renewable electricity at a fixed price, helping protect against sudden increases in energy costs.
The agreement complements investment in buses and depot charging infrastructure by addressing the electricity supply needed to operate the expanding fleet.
With 500 electric buses now in service, additional vehicles on order and further depot upgrades planned, Greater Manchester is continuing its transition toward the Bee Network’s 2030 electrification target.