The new collaboration is aimed to expand access to local flexible transport and is part of Manchester region’s continued leadership in transport innovation

 Via is pleased to announce that it has been chosen by Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) to help modernise its long-standing Ring & Ride and Local Link services. 

This collaboration signifies a step toward Greater Manchester’s bold vision for a fully integrated Bee Network that connects people to new opportunities, essential services and each other. 

Ring & Ride provides accessible, low-cost transport to disabled people and older people with walking difficulties in Greater Manchester, while Local Link offers a flexible minibus service for local journeys in parts of the city-region where public transport services are limited.

The upgraded transport services launched on 26 February. As a result, more than 850 passengers per day – primarily older people, disabled people, or those not well-connected to other transport routes – will enjoy a more convenient and flexible travel experience than ever before. 

Key benefits of the upgraded Ring & Ride and Local Link services include: 

• New booking options: For the first time, passengers can book rides through an intuitive mobile app with real-time information and updates. Passengers can also still book through call centre or web if preferred, ensuring inclusivity for all. 
• Smarter vehicle scheduling: Via’s technology matches passengers travelling in the same direction into shared vehicles, reducing wait times and optimising routes.
• Seamless integration: In the near future, TfGM and Via will integrate journeys with the broader Bee Network, ensuring convenient transfers and helping to service even more passengers efficiently.

Greater Manchester recently became the first area outside of London to fully franchise its bus network, allowing TfGM to directly manage routes, fares, service standards, and technology integration. The revamped Local Link and Ring & Ride offerings advance this vision, and support the ambition to create a greener, fairer, and more prosperous city region. 

Alison Chew, TfGM’s Deputy Director of Bus, said: “The Bee Network is committed to making public transport and active travel more inclusive and accessible for everyone in Greater Manchester, and both Ring & Ride and Local Link play a vital role in providing access to low-cost, accessible and flexible journeys by public transport.

“We have invested significantly in modernising our public transport system to improve accessibility, including fitting our new Bee Network buses with audiovisual announcements, hearing loops and wheelchair bays, and we’re working hard to deliver even more improvements for our passengers.

“We know that these door-to-services are a lifeline for so many people in areas that are often hard to reach by traditional public transport, so we are delighted to be partnering with Via to help bring Ring & Ride and Local Link in line with our wider Bee Network to deliver a truly bespoke, modern and flexible experience for our customers.”

Sam Griffiths, Head of the UK & Nordics at Via, said: “Via is delighted to partner with TfGM to upgrade these services with our tech, and in turn make travel easier for all residents in Greater Manchester. Across the UK, we’ve seen how technology-driven mobility can transform communities, and we’re proud to support Manchester’s vision for a more connected and accessible region.” 

TfGM’s partnership with Via adds to a growing list of transport innovations across the UK as authorities seek solutions to help achieve their local transport goals. Today, Via’s technology powers 35 demand-responsive transport and dial-a-ride schemes across the UK, including those with Transport for London, Transport for West Midlands, and Transport for Wales. Via also offers authorities customised public transport navigation apps through Citymapper, and intuitive transport networking planning tools through its Remix software suite. 

How to use the new services

Local Link 

• This demand-responsive transport service provides local journeys in areas where ordinary, fixed-route public transport services are limited. The service matches passengers headed in the same direction into one shared minibus. 
• Download the new Local Link app (available in the App Store and Google Play) and follow instructions to create an account and book a ride. Or, phone 0161 244 1000. 
• Service will be available in the following areas: Dane Bank, East Manchester, Heald Green, Heywood, Middleton, Saddleworth and Mossley, South Manchester Hospitals Area, Timperley and Sale West, and Wythenshawe. 
• For more information, including fares, hours, and detailed maps, please visit: www.tfgm.com/locallink 

Ring & Ride 

• This “door-to-door” service provides accessible, low-cost transport to disabled people and older people with walking difficulties. Passengers must register through TfGM to use it. 
• Download the new Ring & Ride app (available in the App Store and Google Play) and follow instructions to create an account and book a ride. Or, phone 0161 200 6011. 
• Travel short journeys up to 6 miles anywhere within Greater Manchester.
• For more information, including fares, hours, and detailed maps, please visit:www.tfgm.com/ringandride 

About Via 

Founded in 2012, Via pioneered the TransitTech category by using new technologies to develop public mobility systems — optimising networks of buses, shuttles, wheelchair accessible vehicles, school buses, autonomous vehicles, and electric vehicles around the globe. Building the world’s most efficient, equitable, and sustainable transportation network for all riders — including those with limited mobility, those without smartphones, and unbanked populations — Via works with its partners to lower the costs of public transit while providing transportation options that rival the convenience of a personal car while reducing the environmental impact. At the intersection of transportation and technology, Via is a visionary market leader that combines software innovation with sophisticated service design and operational expertise to fundamentally improve the way the world moves, providing technology in 750 communities and more than 35 countries and counting.

About Transport for Greater Manchester

Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) is working hard to make travel easier through a better-connected, greener city-region which supports a dynamic, diverse population of more than 2.8 million people in 10 local authority areas.

Greater Manchester is the UK’s largest regional economy outside London, and transport is a major enabler driving Greater Manchester’s growth, connecting people to opportunities across the city region like never before. TfGM is doing that by rolling out the Bee Network – a fully integrated, London-style transport network under local control. 

The Bee Network is delivering a joined-up passenger experience with seamless journeys for residents and visitors, by making transport cheaper, simpler, more reliable, cleaner and more accessible.