Andy Burnham, the Mayor of Greater Manchester, has announced a new campaign encouraging people to get back to “what you love and support” with a new range of flexible ticketing options also now available on the Metrolink network, or will be in September. “It’s Time” also urges people to remain safe and gives advice on how to do that while providing reassurance at the measures in place across the Greater Manchester transport network.
Ticketing wise the Bee Flex Weekly will be launched in September joining the previously launched Bee Flex Daily. Both these ticketing options mean that passengers on Metrolink simply touch in and out using their contactless card or device for every journey and will then never pay more than a one-day or seven-day travelcard. This is just the latest flexible ticketing option introduced by TfGM including Clipper which provides ten 1-day travelcards for the price of nine and Early Bird, which reduces the cost for people travelling before 0700 or after 0930 on weekdays.
Alongside these new ticketing options, the Mayor’s campaign is reassuring potential passengers that there remains regular cleaning and disinfecting of commonly touched surfaces and that face masks remain compulsory (unless exempt) on all trams amongst other measures.
Mr Burnham said: “Public transport has run throughout the pandemic keeping essential workers moving and it remains clean, safe and reliable. Over the course of the pandemic we have stepped up cleaning on services, placed more staff out on the network to assist passengers and I have also asked that face coverings remain mandatory on Metrolink and in bus stations and Interchanges to help keep people safe. We also know that how and when people travel may have changed and Metrolink, along with other transport operators have introduced a range of ticketing offers to ensure people can travel flexibly and affordably. New products like Bee Flex Weekly – guaranteeing you will never pay more than a seven-day travel pass for your journeys – simplify fares and offer better value for money. I hope the continuing focus on safety and flexible ticketing will encourage more people to leave their car at home and support businesses across Greater Manchester by getting out and enjoying everything the region has to offer. “