A splash of colour has been added to Bolton Interchange as the launch date of the 'transformational' new transport system approaches.

Bus services in Bolton are coming back under public control as part of Greater Manchester's Bee Network vision.

Buses serving the borough will be operated by Go North West.

The plans to bring buses under public control are set to deliver ‘a higher quality service’, and is the biggest change in public transport since 1986 starts in Bolton.

To celebrate the change a splash of Bee Network yellow has come to bus stations in three of the areas set to launch Greater Manchester’s transformational new transport system.

The emerging high volume, low fare London-style network gets off the ground next month, with buses coming under public control the first time since deregulation in the 1980s.

The first phase of bus franchising will be rolled out in Bolton and Wigan as well as parts of Manchester, Salford and Bury from September 24.

Forming part of the Bee Network, locally controlled bus services aim to deliver a more affordable, accessible and frequent service - as the recently published Greater Manchester Bus Strategy sets out.

And as excitement builds ahead of the launch, customers in Bolton, Wigan and Leigh will begin noticing a few changes to how their bus stations and interchange look.The Bee Network logo – featuring the iconic Manchester bee on a yellow background – can now be seen above the entrances to and around the three stations.

There are also Bee Network signs on window glazing as well as new wayfinding totem graphics on display as franchising rapidly approaches.

Vernon Everitt, Transport Commissioner for Greater Manchester said the arrival of Bee Network signs and colour schemes represented an exciting moment in the countdown to its launch.

“Buses are at the heart of the Bee Network - an integrated public transport and active travel system for the people and businesses of Greater Manchester.

“Our bus stations and interchanges in Wigan, Bolton and Leigh look great with their new splash of yellow and are now ready to welcome the first Bee Network buses in late September."

All other stations and interchanges will progressively see the same changes as we work towards the entire network coming under the control of the Mayor and Greater Manchester’s districts by January 2025.”

The Bolton News: A Bee Network bus in Bolton Image: Newsquest

As a new era draws closer, Transport for Greater Manchester will be donating the M symbol at Wigan Bus Station to the Museum of Transport. The design is adapted from the old GMPTE logo and is a familiar site at bus stops across the city region.

People in tranche one areas may have already some bus stop and shelters have already turned yellow or feature the Bee Network sign.

And people living in Tranche 2 (Rochdale, Oldham and parts of Bury, Salford and north Manchester) will start to see a splash of yellow later this year when Bee Network branding and signage at bus stops and shelters is rolled out in these areas.