The history of public transport authorities in Manchester details the various organisations that have been responsible for the public transport network in and around Manchester, England, since 1824.

Timeline

• On 1 January 1824, the first horse bus service started by John Greenwood, the proprietor of the Pendleton Toll Gates
• On 1 March 1865, the Manchester Carriage Company was formed which brought together a number of horse-bus operators in the Manchester area.
• In 1880 this became the Manchester Carriage and Tramways Company with some further consolidation, including the Manchester Suburban Tramways Company.
• On 7 June 1901, Manchester Corporation Tramways Department started electric tram operations, as the public operation. The former Carriage Company was wound up in 1903
• In 1906 the first motor buses were bought. ^[1]
• In 1929 the name was changed to Manchester Corporation Transport Department to reflect the changing to motor buses
• In 1938 the first trolleybus routes are opened, replacing trams ^[1]
• In 1949, the last tram routes (to Stockport) were closed ^[1]
• In mid-1966 the name of this public operation was changed to Manchester City Transport.
• At the end of 1966, the last trolleybus routes (to Ashton-under-Lyne) were turned over to motor bus operation ^[1]
• The 24 hour clock was adopted in 1967. ^[2]
• On 1 November 1969, control of Manchester City Transport and other surrounding council transport departments were transferred to South East Lancashire North East Cheshire Passenger Transport Executive (SELNEC PTE). ^[3]
• On 1 April 1974, SELNEC'S operating name became Greater Manchester Transport, and its coverage was expanded. Its operations were directed from three divisional offices (central east, central north west and central south); and eight district offices: Bolton, Bury, Leigh, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside and Wigan. ^[4]
• During 1974 Greater Manchester Transport was rebranded as the Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive (GMPTE). This lasted until 2011.
  • On 27 February 1986, Greater Manchester Transport's bus operation was transferred to a separate entity, Greater Manchester Buses Limited, ^[5] to comply with the Transport Act 1985, adopting the GM Buses trading name. ^[6]
  • On 13 December 1993, GM Buses was further split into GMB North ^[7] and GMB South ^[8] on an approximate geographic basis. Just under four months later they were sold to employee buy out teams.
  • In February 1996, GMB South was sold to Stagecoach Group, becoming Stagecoach Manchester.
  • In March 1996, GMB North was sold to First Bus, eventually becoming First Greater Manchester. ^[9]
• In April 2011. GMPTE became Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM). ^[10]

References