Manchester faces significant transport challenges, including congestion, air pollution, and a lack of sustainable travel options. Over the last few years improvements have been made to public transport, and measures have been implemented to reduce traffic and emissions in the city centre.

Issues with transport in Manchester

Manchester's motorway network

There are a number of motorways that serve Manchester, including...

• M60 – Manchester Outer Ring Road - a 36.1-mile orbital motorway encircling most of Greater Manchester, connecting various boroughs and serving as a key route for local and through traffic
• M56 – North Cheshire Motorway - connecting Manchester to Chester and North Wales, providing access to Manchester Airport and serving southern suburbs
• M62 – Trans-Pennine Motorway - major east-west route stretching linking Liverpool (on the west coast) and Hull (on the east coast) via Manchester
• A57(M) – Mancunian Way - an elevated urban motorway running through the city centre, forming part of the inner ring road (pictured below)

These, and the other 4 motorways that are part of Manchester's motorway network, make the city very accessible. However, because they encourage more cars into the city centre, this leads to more congestion there. In addition, traffic is at a standstill most days at rush hour on the motorways surrounding the city, leading to increased travel times in and around the city.

Air quality

The level of traffic and congestion means that there are high emissions of CO2 and other particulate matter. Transport accounts for nearly 30% of Manchester's CO₂ emissions, making it a major contributor to the city's carbon footprint. The city has some of the UK's worst air pollution levels, with high rates of asthma-related hospitalisations among children.

Improvements to public transport in Manchester

Bee Network

Greater Manchester is developing the Bee Network, aiming to create the UK's first fully integrated, zero-emission public transport system by 2030. This includes:

• Great coverage - a fleet of approximately 1,600 buses operating across 577 routes (such as that pictured below)

• Bus franchising - reintroducing public control over buses, with services branded under the Bee Network and operated by various providers

• New and upgraded buses - half of the buses in the Bee Network are new, with 75% of the fleet being less than four years old

• Electric buses - deployment of hundreds of electric buses, with the first all-electric depot established in Ashton - with the aim of 100% zero-emission buses by 2030

• Enhanced services - approximately 75 routes have been modified to offer earlier, later, and more frequent services, and a pilot program has introduced 24/7 bus services on select routes

• Contactless payments - introduction of a unified tap-in/tap-out system across buses and trams, with capped daily and weekly fares (similar to that in London)

Metrolink tram network

The Metrolink (pictured below) was launched in 1992 and is integral to Manchester's Bee Network. It was the country's first modern street-running tram network. It is now the UK's largest light rail system, serving Greater Manchester with 99 stops across 103 km (64 miles) of track, linking the city centre to key destinations. All lines intersect in the city centre, with major hubs at St Peter’s Square, Deansgate-Castlefield, Piccadilly Gardens, and Victoria.

In 2020 the Metrolink tram system was extended, including the Trafford Park Line, enhancing connectivity to key areas like Salford Quays, MediaCity UK and the Trafford Centre.

Trams run every 12 minutes on each line, running from 6am to midnight (or 1am at weekends). In central areas, where lines overlap, trams arrive every 3–6 minutes during peak times. Metrolink uses a zone-based fare system and passengers can tap in and out using contactless bank cards or mobile devices. They are also fully accessible - all 99 stops offer step-free access, with shelters, ticket machines, real-time displays, and CCTV.

Cycle hire schemes

Manchester's cycle hire scheme is the Starling Bank Bikes and was launched in November 2021, as part of the broader Bee Network. The bikes are available 24/7, and can be hired and returned at various docking stations throughout the city, including boroughs right on the edge like Trafford, and the separate city of Salford. People can hire both standard pedal bikes and electric bikes (e-bikes), which are all bright yellow and adorned with the bee symbol, reflecting Manchester's emblem.

Dedicated cycle lanes - in addition, there has been implementation of segregated cycle lanes on major routes to improve safety and encourage cycling.

Other strategies to reduce congestion and improve air quality in the city centre

Manchester's City Centre Transport Strategy aims for 90% of peak morning trips into the city centre to be made by walking, cycling, or public transport by 2040, and has brought in infrastructure changes, such as...

• Pedestrianisation - sections of Deansgate have been pedestrianised to reduce vehicle traffic and promote walking

• Bus gates - implementation of bus-only routes on roads like Oxford Road and Portland Street to prioritise public transport

Clear Air Plan

Greater Manchester initially planned to implement a charging Clean Air Zone (CAZ) to reduce nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) levels on local roads, and even installed signage and Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras (as pictured below). However, in January 2025, the UK government approved an alternative, investment-led clean air planthat does not involve charging vehicles. This decision was based on evidence that the investment-led approach would achieve legal air quality standards more effectively and without imposing financial burdens on residents and businesses - which has been a criticism of London's Ultra Low Emissions Zone (ULEZ) .

Rather than implementing a charging Clean Air Zone, Manchester has focused on incentives such as...

• Upgrading the Bee Network (see above)
• Electric vehicle grants - an £8 million fund is designated to assist taxi and private hire vehicle owners in transitioning to cleaner vehicles

• Low-carbon mobility hubs - introducing hubs to support electric vehicle use, such as car charging points