Bolton Council highlighted on 19 March 2026 that established Bee Network bus services are continuing to improve connectivity between the town centre and Middlebrook Retail and Leisure Park. This move in Greater Manchester has helped thousands of shoppers and the 7,000 staff on-site travel more easily to one of the largest retail destinations in the country.
The 575, 576, and 615 routes, which were first introduced to the Bee Network in late 2024, are part of the region’s integrated transport system. This system brought all local buses back under public control in January 2025 for the first time in nearly 40 years.
According to Bolton Council, bus use in the area saw an initial growth of 14 per cent during the first year of the network’s operation. These links connect residents to major employment hubs, including the 7,000 workers at Middlebrook.
Shift workers at Logistics North also benefit from the 20, 471, 507, and 511 bus lines. Timetables for these services have been refined to match the working hours of people employed at firms like Amazon, Lidl, and Aldi.
Council leader Cllr Nick Peel stated that residents had been “crying out” for a bus to Middlebrook for a long time before the services were launched. The ongoing improvements are part of a wider plan to expand transport across the region, including the introduction of night buses to every borough in 2026.
