{"id":615925,"date":"2025-12-06T12:38:33","date_gmt":"2025-12-06T12:38:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/615925\/"},"modified":"2025-12-06T12:38:33","modified_gmt":"2025-12-06T12:38:33","slug":"new-greater-manchester-rail-vision-vows-to-transform-rail-across-the-region","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/615925\/","title":{"rendered":"New Greater Manchester Rail Vision Vows To &#8216;Transform Rail&#8217; Across The Region"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/umair-dingmar-PDM6gEiTdTo-unsplash-1024x823.jpg\" class=\"img-fluid\" alt=\"New Greater Manchester Rail Vision Vows To \u2018Transform Rail\u2019 Across The Region \u2013 With New Trains, Better Stations, More Frequent Services &amp; Seamless Ticketing\" width=\"1024\" height=\"823\"\/><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCredit: Umair Dingmar via Unsplash<\/p>\n<p>    Save<\/p>\n<p>Greater Manchester has set out an ambitious new vision to transform its rail system over the next <strong>thirty years<\/strong>. The plan, named \u2018<strong>On the Right Track for Growth: A 2050 Vision for the Future of Rail in Greater Manchester<\/strong>\u2018, was unveiled by the Mayor of Greater Manchester, <strong>Andy Burnham<\/strong>, during a speech at the Public Transport in the North of England conference in central Manchester.<\/p>\n<p>The plan aims to improve, grow and ultimately transform rail; <strong>doubling passenger numbers, supporting 75,000 new homes <\/strong>and unlocking<strong> \u00a390bn in economic uplift<\/strong> across the North West area of the Northern Arc by 2050.<\/p>\n<p> <img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-61028 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/umair-dingmar-C0BMCQgjt8M-unsplash.jpg\" alt=\"northern-train-commuter-areas-manchester-affordable\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\"  \/>Credit: Umair Dingmar via Unsplash What are the current issues with the rail system? <\/p>\n<p>Greater Manchester\u2019s rail network covers over <strong>318km<\/strong>, across<strong> 96 stations<\/strong> and delivers over <strong>40 million passenger trips<\/strong> into Manchester\u2019s central stations. However, the current system faces significant challenges: <strong>limited local influence and accountability, many inaccessible stations, crowded services<\/strong>, and<strong> issues with reliability<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>Next week the Mayor will join industry leaders to set out a <strong>step-by-step plan<\/strong> of how passengers will benefit from new services, improved stations and simpler fares and ticketing in the months ahead.<\/p>\n<p> What does the Greater Manchester Rail Vision include? <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-82531\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/golborne-train-station.jpg\" alt=\"golborne train station cgi pulled from new video\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\"  \/>Credit: TfGM <\/p>\n<p>This Greater Manchester Rail Vision commits to <strong>new trains, better stations, more frequent services, and seamless ticketing<\/strong> \u2013 connecting intercity, regional, and local rail, Metrolink, and bus services through the Bee Network. It also unlocks new capacity for rail freight to support economic and business growth.<\/p>\n<p>The plan, which follows the government introducing the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/government\/news\/journey-to-great-british-railways-gathers-steam-with-landmark-legislation\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"shortcode-outbound-link\" data-has-ga=\"true\" data-ga-type=\"click\" data-label=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/government\/news\/journey-to-great-british-railways-gathers-steam-with-landmark-legislation\" data-action=\"text_cta_0\" data-category=\"click_non_sales\">Railway Bill<\/a> to Parliament last month, sets out ambitions for:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>New Connections<\/strong>: Several <strong>new stations<\/strong>, including <a href=\"https:\/\/secretmanchester.com\/golborne-train-station\/\" rel=\"follow noopener\" target=\"_self\" class=\"shortcode-outbound-link\" data-has-ga=\"true\" data-ga-type=\"click\" data-label=\"https:\/\/secretmanchester.com\/golborne-train-station\/\" data-action=\"text_cta_1\" data-category=\"click_internal\">Golborne<\/a> and Cheadle, will add 30,000 people to the network.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Accessibility<\/strong>: By 2040, half of all stations will be <strong>upgraded for step-free access<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Regeneration and Growth<\/strong>: Plans include up to <strong>75,000 new homes<\/strong> near the rail network and major regeneration at <strong>Old Trafford<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Manchester Piccadilly Transformation<\/strong>: A <a href=\"https:\/\/secretmanchester.com\/underground-trains-greater-manchester-strategy\/\" rel=\"follow noopener\" target=\"_self\" class=\"shortcode-outbound-link\" data-has-ga=\"true\" data-ga-type=\"click\" data-label=\"https:\/\/secretmanchester.com\/underground-trains-greater-manchester-strategy\/\" data-action=\"text_cta_2\" data-category=\"click_internal\">new underground station<\/a> by 2050 will allow for increased capacity, supporting 40,000 new jobs, thousands of homes, and nearly a million square feet of new commercial space.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p> Simpler rail fares across Greater Manchester <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-83242\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/manc-victoria-network-rail.jpg\" alt=\"manchester victoria train station\" width=\"1135\" height=\"839\"  \/>Credit: Network Rail <\/p>\n<p>From Sunday (7 December), the city-region becomes one of the first areas to benefit from <a href=\"https:\/\/secretmanchester.com\/new-simpler-train-fares-greater-manchester\/\" rel=\"follow noopener\" target=\"_self\" class=\"shortcode-outbound-link\" data-has-ga=\"true\" data-ga-type=\"click\" data-label=\"https:\/\/secretmanchester.com\/new-simpler-train-fares-greater-manchester\/\" data-action=\"text_cta_3\" data-category=\"click_internal\">simpler rail fares<\/a>, in a key first step to making train travel across Greater Manchester easier. A confusing range of more than a dozen different fares will be replaced by<strong> two simple options: anytime or off-peak<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>The new fares will be valid on rail services run by all operators and <strong>all single journeys will be half the price of return trips<\/strong>. Critically, it paves the way for <a href=\"https:\/\/secretmanchester.com\/bee-network-touch-in-touch-out\/\" rel=\"follow noopener\" target=\"_self\" class=\"shortcode-outbound-link\" data-has-ga=\"true\" data-ga-type=\"click\" data-label=\"https:\/\/secretmanchester.com\/bee-network-touch-in-touch-out\/\" data-action=\"text_cta_5\" data-category=\"click_internal\">contactless payments<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/secretmanchester.com\/bee-network-train-stations\/\" rel=\"follow noopener\" target=\"_self\" class=\"shortcode-outbound-link\" data-has-ga=\"true\" data-ga-type=\"click\" data-label=\"https:\/\/secretmanchester.com\/bee-network-train-stations\/\" data-action=\"text_cta_6\" data-category=\"click_internal\">integration with the Bee Network<\/a> from December 2026, joining up trains with buses, trams and active travel.<\/p>\n<p> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-81593\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/yellow-tram-to-Bury-sat-at-Manchester-Victoria-Metrolink-stop.jpg\" alt=\"yellow tram to Bury sat at Manchester Victoria Metrolink stop\" width=\"1200\" height=\"798\"  \/>Credit: TfGM <\/p>\n<p><strong>Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester<\/strong>, said: \u201cGreater Manchester\u2019s rail network plays a vital role in supporting our communities, powering our economy, and opening doors to opportunity \u2013 but for long has been held back from its true potential.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe way projects and services are planned and delivered is changing, with long needed reform giving us a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reshape rail for Greater Manchester.<\/p>\n<p> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-57923 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/andy-burnham-bee-network-phase-two.jpg\" alt=\"andy burnham, mayor of greater manchester, stood in front of yellow bee network bus\" width=\"1200\" height=\"799\"  \/>Credit: TfGM <\/p>\n<p>\u201cSimplifying rail fares is a key first step in making train travel easier and more accessible and the key to bringing local rail services into the Bee Network from December 2026.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cGreater Manchester has a proud railway heritage, and our Vision, developed with the industry, is about ensuring that everyone in our city-region can benefit from better connections, more reliable services, and a transport network that meets the needs of future generations.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Credit: Umair Dingmar via Unsplash Save Greater Manchester has set out an ambitious new vision to transform its&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":615926,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8813],"tags":[748,393,4884,17009,2465,10763,16,15],"class_list":{"0":"post-615925","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-manchester","8":"tag-britain","9":"tag-england","10":"tag-great-britain","11":"tag-local-trip","12":"tag-manchester","13":"tag-trip-travel","14":"tag-uk","15":"tag-united-kingdom"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/115672667214137895","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/615925","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=615925"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/615925\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/615926"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=615925"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=615925"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=615925"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}