'Queues, delays and elusive yellow buses - my day riding the bus with commuters on the Bee Network'

Commuters faced a whole new world this morning as they arrived at their stations to get the bus to work. The sense of excitement was in the air as media teams, journalists and residents alike all filled the Bolton Interchange to see how the brand spanking new Bee Network would fair on it's first day with commuters.

The network launched to great fanfare on Sunday (September 24) marking the day buses were franchised in Greater Manchester for the first time in 36 years. Andy Burnham and his team’s plan of a one-size-fits-all approach to public transport in the region had started.

However, the real test would be during the week at peak times when the service would have to contend with more passengers and busier roads. I spent my early morning on the buses to see how the Bee Network would manage - and I think it's fair to say that it was a rocky start.

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I arrived at the Bolton Interchange just before 6am where the bus station was already in full flow. Fleets of gleaming bright yellow double decker buses were coming in and out of the station transporting passengers to and fro.

Everything was moving steadily and it seemed like everyone was happy with their service so far. A supporter of all things public transport, Alan Farmer was one of those commuters who found themselves in the interchange at the crack of dawn as he made his way to Leigh for work.

Optimistic about the network he said: “It’s all in one place now. I don’t need several apps for different operators to figure out what bus to take and when. Bolton Interchange