Speculation has already started over who will voice the announcements on Greater Manchester's new buses and whether they'll have Mancunian accents. The new Bee Network buses are set to be launched in Wigan and Bolton in 12 months' time and rolled out across the whole city-region by January 5, 2025.
Unveiling the branding of the new buses today (September 22), mayor Andy Burnham promised the public transport network will be a source of local pride. The first 50 electric buses, which will be in service from September 17, 2023, will have yellow liveries, phone charging points and contactless card readers.
The Alexander Dennis buses, which are used in London, will also have audio-visual announcements advising passengers of the next stop on the journey. However, when asked if the announcements would be made in a Mancunian accent, Mr Burnham and his transport commissioner were taken by surprise.
