Chris Boardman appointed Greater Manchester’s first transport commissioner

Olympic cyclist Chris Boardman has been appointed as Greater Manchester’s first transport commissioner.

Mr Boardman has been tasked with helping to accelerate the delivery of the Bee Network – an £85m cycling project which will bring 55 miles of protected routes and 140 new crossings to roads across Greater Manchester.

Mr Boardman will attend the newly established Bee Network delivery board, which meets weekly, to ensure that the city-region’s plans stay on track.

Transport Commissioner Chris Boardman, said: “Our vision for Greater Manchester was never just about delivering quality cycling and walking routes. While they are essential ingredients in making Greater Manchester a better place to grow up, get on and grow old, they are only a part of the solution.

“If we combine our plan for a world-class active travel network, with trams, buses, trains, taxis and private hire, we can give people everything they need to travel around the region without needing to drive.

“Crucially, that will also help us achieve our goal to be carbon neutral by 2038. Greater Manchester can lead the country in showing how this can be done and I’m excited to play a part in making that happen.”

Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, said: “I am very pleased that Chris Boardman has agreed to become Greater Manchester’s first Transport Commissioner – his work and drive to make our city-region a global player to rival great places such as Copenhagen and New York over the last three years has been inspirational and I know he will apply this same vision in his new job.”

The Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) also revealed it is set to approve the next milestone in getting the first franchised buses on the ground in January 2023.

It will now be asking Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) to start the process to let contracts to run franchised bus services in the North West of the city-region, including Wigan and Bolton.

Andy Burnham

Mr Burnham added: “I said on the very first day of my second term that we urgently need to get our buses working better for people across the city-region.

“That includes making sure that they are much more affordable, reliable and, most importantly, part of one single integrated ticketing system – as already happens in London.

“I want this in place as soon as possible and Greater Manchester’s Leaders and I will be asked next week to approve this important next step in our journey.”