Skip to main content

Smarter bus travel comes to Greater Manchester

Millions of bus passengers in Greater Manchester will benefit from cheaper fares with the introduction of new smart multi-operator bus travel. The scheme is one of the largest in the UK outside London and is the result of collaboration between more than 30 bus operators through industry body Greater Manchester Travelcards (GMTL), the organisation behind the System One brand, in partnership with Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM). Passengers can now purchase multi-operator travel, which is store
November 19, 2015 Read time: 2 mins
Millions of bus passengers in Greater Manchester will benefit from cheaper fares with the introduction of new smart multi-operator bus travel.

The scheme is one of the largest in the UK outside London and is the result of collaboration between more than 30 bus operators through industry body Greater Manchester Travelcards (GMTL), the organisation behind the System One brand, in partnership with 817 Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM).  

Passengers can now purchase multi-operator travel, which is stored on a smart card and can be used on buses across Greater Manchester. TfGM say fares will be cut by an average of 10 per cent for the new electronic products compared to the equivalent existing printed products.

The new product range, branded get me there, is an extension of the equivalent existing printed System One multi-operator products. Customers will be able to load the new products onto  widely available smart cards issued by bus operators, including StagecoachSmart or by TfGM, including igo passes for young people, other concessionary passes, and a get me there smart card.  Passengers then touch in at smart readers when they board the bus to validate their travel.  

The scheme has involved joint working between private and public sector organisations and represents a combined multi-million pound investment by Greater Manchester’s major bus operators and TfGM, in partnership with GMTL, to support the regional economy by making it cheaper and easier for people to travel by bus.  

The announcement follows a pledge made last year by the country’s major bus companies, which include 476 Arriva, 6635 First and 805 Stagecoach, to deliver multi-operator smart ticketing to millions of bus customers across England during 2015. It also delivers on a commitment by TfGM to introduce the next stages of its get me there smart ticketing scheme for Greater Manchester before the end of the year.

Transport Minister Andrew Jones said: “Smart ticketing will transform everyday journeys in this great city, making travelling across transport modes easier and saving people money. We’re committed to rolling out smart ticketing across the country through our Smart Cities Partnership, and it’s great that Greater Manchester is leading the way.”

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Parkeon technology partners Northern Ireland transport ticketing investment
    September 8, 2016
    Northern Ireland Infrastructure Minister Chris Hazzard has announced a US$60 million (£45 million) investment programme that will deliver a modernised ticketing system for Northern Ireland which is set to transform travel and lead to an increase in the number of people using public transport.
  • Smartgo Loughborough launches
    October 16, 2014
    A new programme is being launched in Loughborough to help local businesses make commuting and business travel cheaper, easier and more sustainable. Smartgo Loughborough will provide Loughborough employers and their staff with a range of travel benefits and services to save money, improve health and enhance corporate responsibility. The programme also includes transport expertise and collaboration opportunities with other employers and transport providers. Smartgo networks are co-ordinated by sustaina
  • Atlanta ponders Mobility as a Service for seamless transit
    June 29, 2018
    Drivers in Atlanta spent 70 hours in peak-time traffic jams last year. As the MaaS Market conference moves to the US’s fourth most congested city, we ask how Mobility as a Service can help. Colin Sowman winds down his window to listen. It is not by accident that ITS International’s first MaaS Market conference outside London is being hosted in Atlanta. The event is being supported by Georgia State Road & Tollway Authority and the City of Atlanta – and again not without a reason as metro Atlanta is looking
  • No compromise on workzone safety
    January 14, 2022
    The National Work Zone Memorial is a sobering reminder of the dangers of working on US highways. More accurate and timely information can help reduce risks, explains One.network’s Simon Topp