FOI Requests Submitted: TfGM and GMCA Must Now Reveal Bus Safety Data Plans



On 5 December 2023 (Case 8060113), I received a written assurance from the Mayor of Greater Manchester’s office that Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) would begin publishing Bee Network bus accident and incident data within 12 months.

That commitment was clear. It is now August 2025 — more than 20 months later — and no such data has been published.

Today, I have formally submitted Freedom of Information requests to both Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA). These requests go further than simply asking for the data itself. They demand disclosure of:

Data already collected but not yet published.

Systems and processes used to capture and manage safety data.

Governance records such as meeting minutes, reports, and risk assessments.

Internal communications relating to the December 2023 commitment.

Plans and timetables for publication.


This means both TfGM and GMCA must now reveal what, if anything, has been done to deliver on the promise made nearly two years ago.


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đź“‚ Read the FOI Requests

My FOI to TfGM

https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/subject_foi_request_bee_network

My FOI to GMCA

https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/subject_foi_request_bee_network_2

By law, both authorities must respond by 22 September 2025. Their replies — or refusals — will be publicly available via the links above.


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Why This Matters

TfGM already publishes detailed statistics on bus punctuality and reliability, but nothing on safety — even as serious crashes, bridge strikes, and fatalities continue to make headlines.

The public deserves to know:

How many people are being injured or killed on Bee Network buses.

What steps TfGM and GMCA have actually taken to deliver on their commitments.

Why transparency on safety continues to lag behind operational performance reporting.


This is no longer just about publishing numbers — it’s about accountability, certainty, and public trust.

By putting these FOIs in the public domain, there can be no more excuses or quiet deflections. The record is there for everyone to see.

— Lee Odams
(writing in a personal capacity as a private individual)

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