New Bee Network monthly and annual tickets for tram and buses as mayoral council tax to rise £11

New monthly and annual tickets will be launched for Bee Network buses and Metrolink trams, Transport for Greater Manchester has announced.

TfGM bosses say the new tickets will allow people to take as many bus and tram journeys in Greater Manchester as they like for as little as £2.75 per day. Passengers can purchase a monthly ‘multi-modal’ ticket, an annual pass in one lump sum for 15 per cent less, or spread the cost by buying a yearly ticket through a Credit Union.

The new ‘multi-modal’ tickets will be available from March 23, the same day as the Bee Network’s ‘tap-in, tap out’ system launches. That will allow passengers to scan a bank card or phone on a Metrolink platform or on-board a Bee Network bus, and be charged the lowest fare at the end of the day.

However, the cost of subsidising transport is increasing. Greater Manchester residents will have to pay more in the Mayoral Precept, a council tax surcharge, from May.

Band D council tax properties will be charged £11 more annually, but as most homes in Greater Manchester are in lower bands, they will pay less. Initially, a £12.20 precept rise was planned.

“We have delivered bus franchising on time and on budget, and with buses across the region now under our control we’re fast approaching our big moment in March when we bring in tap in, tap out payments and capped daily fares across bus and tram,” Andy Burnham said.

“Everyone in Greater Manchester has a stake in it – you have helped to fund it. As more people have got on board our buses we have been able to deliver a lower than planned precept, which we will use to continually fund further improvements to the Bee Network.

“We do not take the decision to increase the precept lightly, but we are building a low-cost,