Buses in Bolton will be the first to be brought under public control ­— with bus fares capped

Buses in Bolton will come under public control from next autumn, Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has announced today as part of a series of major steps to move Greater Manchester towards a London-style public transport system.

It comes after a legal challenge brought by bus operators against the city-region’s bus franchising plans was dismissed.

Under the plans, timetables and routes will be set by local authorities instead of private operators. The first time in more than 30 years.

And Mayor Andy Burnham tweeted: "From next year, as we take control of our buses, we will:cap adult fares at £2; cap child fares at £1.

"The era of people paying £4 or more for a single journey is coming to an end."

Invitations to negotiate will be issued shortly to prospective providers of bus services in Bolton and Wigan, as well as in parts of Salford and west Manchester.

Regulated buses for Bury, Rochdale, Oldham and areas of north Manchester will follow in Spring 2024

And the final tranche covering Stockport, Trafford, Tameside, south Manchester and remaining parts of Salford are set to run by end of 2024.

The levels of interest have been said to be 'extremely strong', bringing a range of organisations from local SMEs through to large bus operators with operational experience throughout the UK, including London, and in some cases internationally.

Mr Burnham, said: “The court ruling means we now have the green light to deliver on our plans to deliver a London-style public transport system.

“We will make travelling by public transport more appealing, easier and, significantly, put our people before profits.

“Government has signalled its intention to support our ambitions many times over and we now need them to work in partnership with us, to help us turn our shared vision into a reality.”

Subject to Government approval £438m will be investing to improve buses, routes and services, including: