RE-ELECTED Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham has put a transport revolution in the region at the centre of plans for his second term.

In advance of the first meeting of the mayor’s new Bee Network Delivery Board, he has unveiled measures to improve Greater Manchester’s transport system, making it more "integrated, affordable and easier to use".

Mr Burnham wants immediate talks with the government to ask for support for powers and funding to speed up bus franchising so all parts of Greater Manchester have better buses and integrated with Metrolink by May 2024.

He also wants to roll out 85 electric vehicle charging points by the end of the year with plans more 200 more next year.

The metro mayor has promised to complete 100km of cycling and walking routes by the end of the year too, with a bike hire scheme set to be launched in November.

And he plans to open negotiations with Network Rail to agree on plans to make all railways stations accessible by 2025 or to give Greater Manchester the funding and power required.

Mr Burnham said: “Across the world, the most successful city-regions have one thing in common – an affordable, integrated and accessible transport network.

"People in Greater Manchester have made clear that they won’t settle for second best any longer – that is why on day one of my second term as mayor I’m vowing to accelerate the delivery of a world-class transport network for our city-region and its people.

"It is absolutely critical to our future economic and social prosperity.

“People here deserve a transport network where you can seamlessly travel across our city-region on buses, trams and trains – without spending a fortune each time.

"We will deliver this alongside hundreds of new electric vehicle charging points, a bike hire scheme and world-class cycling and walking corridors which will make everyday trips to school, to work and to the shops safe, easy and fun.

"This will benefit our people and our planet as we step up our plans for carbon neutrality.”

The mayor has also written to Rochdale Council to offer his support for the creation of a new partnership to drive the regeneration of Middleton town centre, and is asking Transport for Greater Manchester to accelerate the development of a business case to bring Metrolink to Middleton.

The mayor’s plans, endorsed by Co-Operatives UK, will build on the borough’s co-operative heritage, as well as Middleton’s proud industrial past, supporting people to work together to revitalise their area through new investment, businesses and housing.

The new partnership will be tasked with preparing a masterplan for the town centre, including funding proposals to bring Metrolink to Middleton.

This follows the Stockport Mayoral Development Corporation, which is on track to deliver 1,000 new homes in the town centre by 2023.

Ahead of the first official day of his second term, the mayor travelled via bus and tram from Middleton to MediaCityUK via Piccadilly Gardens and then back into the city centre – journeys similar to the commutes of many people across Greater Manchester.

The journey cost £5.30 as below:

• £2.50 single bus fare from Middleton to Piccadilly Gardens

• £2.80 single tram fare from Piccadilly Gardens to MediaCityUK

A single bus journey in London costs £1.55, while a single tube journey over a distance of around two miles costs £2.40.

There is also a daily cap of £7.40 for travel across bus and tube journeys for Zones 1 and 2.

The Bee Network is the new name for Greater Manchester’s entire transport network, inspired by the name used for the city-region’s cycling and walking network.

The mayor will chair the inaugural meeting of the Network’s delivery board today, Monday.