The companies responsible for running school services as a part of the Bee Network are set in stone ahead of its arrival in areas including in Trafford.

Phase One and Phase Two are in operation in other parts of the region after starting in the autumn of last year and the spring of this year respectively.

Previously Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) announced Metroline, Stagecoach, Diamond Bus North West and Go North West as the companies responsible for running regular services in Phase Three and, last week, it announced Diamond Bus North West and Go North West as the companies responsible for running school services in Phase Three.

These changes come into action from January 5, 2025, but there are no other changes to the school services, including the schools served, and there are penalties for poor performance if any of the school services are unreliable. 

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Bob Dunn, the managing director of Diamond Bus North West, and Nigel Featham, the managing director of Go North West, said they were "pleased" while Stephen Rhodes, TfGM's Director of Bus, said it was a "major milestone".

Mr Rhodes said: "Awarding the last round of contracts for school services is a major milestone towards delivering the Bee Network. We are committed to delivering regular, reliable services to ensure they meet the needs of the pupils who are relying on them to get to and from school.

"We look forward to working with Diamond Bus North West Limited and Go North West Limited over the coming months to deliver the completion of bus franchising on January 5, 2025."

When Phase One and Phase Two started in autumn of last year and spring of this year it was the first time services were brought back under public control since deregulation in the 1980s.

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Here are the schools served in Trafford:

Altrincham College 
Altrincham Grammar School for Boys 
Altrincham Grammar School for Girls 
Blessed Thomas Holford Catholic College 
Flixton Girls School 
Loreto Grammar School 
Sale Grammar School
St Ambrose College 
Urmston Academy 
Wellacre Academy 

For information go to tfgm.com.

This article was written by Jack Tooth. To contact him, email jack.tooth@newsquest.co.uk or follow @JTRTooth on Twitter.