Failure to Deliver on Commitment to Publish Bee Network Bus Safety Performance Data

Dear Mayor Burnham,

Re: Still No Publication of Bee Network Bus Safety Performance Data

On 5 December 2023, I received a reply from your office (Case 8060113) assuring me that Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) intended to publish “all accident and incident data for Bee Network services” within up to 12 months. You stated that work was underway to develop consistent reporting and determine the best presentation format for this data.

Today is 14 August 2025 — more than 20 months since that commitment — and there is still no published bus safety performance data on TfGM’s website. This is despite TfGM routinely publishing detailed bus performance data covering punctuality, reliability, and other operational metrics.

The contrast is stark — the public can easily find statistics on whether a bus was on time, yet cannot access any official record of how many people have been injured or killed on the network, or the circumstances of serious incidents. News reports have documented numerous recent bus crashes, fatalities, and high-profile incidents — including those involving serious vehicle damage and driver misconduct — yet none of this is formally collated or published by TfGM for public scrutiny.

The absence of this data directly undermines the transparency and “world class safety standards” that were promised to passengers, bus workers, and the public when the Bee Network was launched. Without regular, accessible reporting of bus safety incidents — including collisions, injuries, and fatalities — neither the public nor the workforce can properly hold operators and authorities accountable.

I therefore request the following:

1. A clear explanation as to why the promised safety data has not been published.

2. A confirmed date by which TfGM will begin quarterly publication of Bee Network Bus Safety Incident Data, as per the format outlined in my original FOI request of 3 May 2019.

3. An interim release of all available incident data collected since Bee Network operations began, in the interest of public safety and accountability.

You have now had the same “TfL-style” powers for buses that allow London to publish such data every quarter. There is no reason why Greater Manchester cannot — and should not — be leading the way in transparency and safety culture.

The public deserves to know the safety record of the buses they use and the people who operate them. I urge you to act immediately to fulfil the commitment made by your office.

For clarity, I am writing in a personal capacity as a private individual. I reference my background only to provide context: I am Vice Secretary of the Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire Bus Branch of the RMT and Secretary of the RMT National Industrial Organising Conference of Busworkers. This letter does not represent the views or position of the RMT, but draws on my own professional experience and long-standing commitment to bus safety.

Yours sincerely,

Lee Odams