Greater Manchester Combined Authority has announced that the Department for Transport has issued it with £18m in extra funding for regional transport projects and infrastructure.
Andy Burnham, mayor of Greater Manchester, said: “Any extra support for our public transport system as it recovers from the pandemic is of course welcome and we appreciate the Secretary of State’s efforts in securing this.
“This said, the total funding offered, which includes the extra £18m, represents less than half of the shortfall we face and is far less generous in percentage terms than the settlement offered to London.
“If the government is to deliver on its commitment of London-style public transport outside of London, it has to put funding behind it and ensure all parts of the country receive fair and equal treatment.
“We will continue to press ahead with our plans to introduce the Bee Network in September but have asked the Secretary of State for more funding flexibility to deal with the challenges we face.”
Last week, bus manufacturer Alexander Dennis handed over the first five of 100 electric double-deck buses ordered by Transport for Greater Manchester. They will form part of the new Bee Network that will bring buses under local control for the first time in nearly 40 years.
