Through, to and around the city
Manchester city centre is growing, evolving and innovating. But being able to get here and get around is key to our success. We’ve already made great progress, but there’s more to come.
We have the best public transport system outside London. It's a bold claim, but we stand by it. Our trailblazing approach to public transport - our Bee Network - is already making getting to the city centre easier, more reliable and affordable. We have the first fully franchised bus network outside of London and are delivering a range of improvements to make public transport the natural choice for travelling to the city centre. We're expanding our Metrolink network too - the UK's largest light rail system - to connect even more neighbourhoods across Greater Manchester to the city centre.
Getting more and more people walking and cycling is key to our ambitions as a sustainable city. In fact, Manchester City Council’s aim is for Manchester to be recognised as the most accessible city in Europe. Making walking and cycling a realistic choice is going to make our streets safer, cleaner, greener and fully accessible for people with disabilities. Proposals for the pedestrianisation of Deansgate and the Beeways City Centre Triangle are going to help make this a reality.
Our bike hire scheme, Starling Bikes, is growing in popularity, with 140,000 active users and rising, with 541,000 rides over the past 12 months.
That’s getting around our city centre in hand, but what about getting to our city? Our global connectivity is getting a massive boost thanks to Manchester Airport’s £1.3bn Transformation Programme. Now in its second phase, and close to completion, this work is set to deliver huge improvements to the passenger experience and cater for the growing network of airlines operating from Manchester. The new Private Terminal – aether – is open to all passengers offering a seamless experience with dining, security and chauffeur services to and from the airport terminals. The first parts of the new-look Terminal 3 will be open to the public early in 2026, including a 470-capacity sports bar.
With existing rail links across the UK – to London, Birmingham, Glasgow, Leeds, Newcastle and beyond – there are also plans for an extra Liverpool to Manchester rail line, via Warrington Bank Quay and Manchester Airport. A new line will bring major investment into several stations, including plans for an underground station at Manchester Piccadilly and improvements to Liverpool Central. This is part of plans to improve east-west links across the north of England (as part of Northern Powerhouse Rail and Transpennine Route Upgrade), which will also improve connections between Manchester and West and South Yorkshire.
Manchester is home to a vibrant and thriving digital sector, and we’re aiming high – to be the first responsible tech hub in the UK. Our Digital Strategy lays the foundations to elevate the digital ecosystem, outlining the steps we will take to realise our ambitious goals for the future of our city. We’re mapping our 5G connectivity to improve it even further and supporting tech hubs for start ups and scale ups. Manchester is also a key partner in the Connected Homes Inclusive Places project – part of a national 5G Innovations Region programme – supporting residents with lower tariffs and greener energy in social housing. And we’re looking at ethical advances in AI through our People's Panel for AI project. Through this, we want to build a more healthy, prosperous, and sustainable future for Manchester.
Getting more and more people walking and cycling is key to our ambitions as a sustainable city. In fact, Manchester City Council’s aim is for Manchester to be recognised as the most accessible city in Europe.
