Key Points
- Tameside is set to lead Greater Manchester’s rail revolution, unlocking area growth, according to Mayor Andy Burnham.
- Two lines through Tameside—Manchester Piccadilly to Glossop and Manchester Victoria to Stalybridge—join the Bee Network on December 13.
- A third line, Manchester Piccadilly to Rose Hill via Tameside, is likely to be included, with Denton and Mossley stations targeted by 2030.
- Greater Manchester Combined Authority documents outline accessibility improvements at Tameside stations.
- Design work for Flowery Field and Newton for Hyde stations completes by October, construction by Spring 2028.
- Broadbottom and Hattersley stations: expression of interest issued, tenders early this year, completion Autumn 2029.
- Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) takes delivery from rail industry, citing slow progress and lack of accessibility priority.
- TfGM claims industry pace would delay stations until 2080.
- Pay as you go facilities launch December at Tameside stations on Glossop and Stalybridge lines, including Guide Bridge, Godley, and Ashton-under-Lyne, aiming for full Greater Manchester rollout by 2030.
- Mayor Andy Burnham highlights rail woes, links transport to growth for people and places.
- Tameside Council’s Cllr Jacqueline Owen excited about station-area development, pleads for semi-rural bus links like Hyde to Hollingworth.
- New accessible Mossley station part of Transpennine Route Upgrade, electrifying Manchester Victoria to York via Tameside.
- Mayor Burnham blames Government’s Department for Transport for accessibility failures, calls it a first-order issue.
- Cllr Owen shares personal disability struggles at Broadbottom and Godley stations.
Inverted Pyramid Story
Tameside (Tameside Chronicle) January 19, 2026 – Tameside stands at the forefront of Greater Manchester’s rail revolution, with Mayor Andy Burnham asserting this leadership will unlock vital growth for the borough. Two key lines—the Manchester Piccadilly to Glossop and Manchester Victoria to Stalybridge routes running through Tameside—will integrate into the Bee Network on December 13. A third line, Manchester Piccadilly to Rose Hill also traversing Tameside, appears poised for inclusion, with official documents targeting Denton and Mossley stations by 2030.
Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) paperwork details sweeping accessibility enhancements across Tameside stations, addressing long-standing barriers for passengers. Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) has assumed responsibility for these upgrades, wresting control from the traditional rail industry due to its sluggish pace.
What Rail Lines Are Joining the Bee Network First?
The Bee Network expansion marks a pivotal shift for Tameside’s transport landscape. As per GMCA documents, the Manchester Piccadilly to Glossop line and Manchester Victoria to Stalybridge line, both threading through the borough, pioneer the integration starting December 13. Stations along these routes, including Guide Bridge, Godley, Ashton-under-Lyne, and others, will introduce pay as you go facilities from that date, with ambitions for borough-wide and Greater Manchester rollout by 2030.
The Manchester Piccadilly to Rose Hill service, equally vital for Tameside commuters, looms on the horizon. Official plans explicitly aim to incorporate Denton and Mossley stations by 2030, bolstering connectivity.
Mayor Andy Burnham, speaking at a GMCA Bee Network committee meeting, framed this as a broader crusade. “We all know, because we all use the railways, the last decade has been pretty miserable – across the country, but particularly in the north,” stated Mayor Burnham. “We’ve drawn a line and said, ‘Right, can we get into the business of having a big solution to what we’re all experiencing?’”
How Will Accessibility Improvements Transform Stations?
Accessibility emerges as a cornerstone of the revolution. GMCA paperwork specifies upgrades at multiple Tameside stations. For Flowery Field and Newton for Hyde, design work concludes by October, with construction wrapping by Spring 2028. Broadbottom and Hattersley follow suit: an expression of interest has been issued, tenders slated for early this year, targeting Autumn 2029 completion.
TfGM underscores the urgency, explaining their intervention. “We’ve taken delivery away from the rail industry because they have, in the last, been too slow and have not prioritised accessibility,” stated Transport for Greater Manchester. They further warned, working at the industry’s rate would mean stations would not be complete until 2080.
A new Mossley station, fully accessible from both platforms, forms part of the Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU). This £16 billion project will electrify the track from Manchester Victoria to York, passing through Tameside, enhancing speed and capacity.
Why Has the Rail Industry Fallen Short?
Mayor Burnham laid bare the frustrations at the GMCA meeting. “It’s ridiculous where we’re not in a position where we have simple accessibility and decent lighting and good safety features at all our stations,” he remarked. “It’s a failure of the Department for Transport to prioritise the whole question of accessibility.”
He emphasised equity: “To me, it’s a first order issue. If some of our residents cannot use a railway station, you fix that before you fix anything else because it’s not public transport if it’s not available to all of the public.” Burnham noted about half of stations lack step-free access, urging heightened urgency as Bee Network Rail evolves. “When’s the rail industry going to prioritise accessibility? I still don’t see it. This is a battle we’re going to have to win in 2026.”
Cllr Jacqueline Owen of Tameside Council echoed these sentiments, drawing from personal experience. “I have a disability, and I went to Broadbottom. I really struggled to get up and over to get the train,” shared Cllr Owen. “I could’ve gone to Glossop and back, but I shouldn’t have to do that and there are a number of stations. At Godley, there are 27 steps up to the station, so it’s a non-starter for me and several other people. I really welcome anything around disability access.”
What Growth Opportunities Does This Unlock?
Mayor Burnham tied the rail overhaul directly to prosperity. “Remember, transport is a means to an end and the end is growth. Growth of people in terms of the connections they have to be able to live a good life, but also the growth of places,” he declared. “If you’ve got the right infrastructure and the right services, that growth becomes possible. If you don’t have that, you’re limiting the possibilities for people and places.”
He invoked the Bee Network’s symbolism: “The yellow and the bee is the symbol we’re now taking control of. It’s what should’ve been ours all along in my view – a service that works for us and works for people here.”
Cllr Owen expressed borough enthusiasm. “In Tameside, we’re all really excited about having the development and the things that could come from using the land around our stations,” said Cllr Owen. She added a call for balance:
“I wanted to reiterate my plea for semi-rural communities and their transport links. I’m still fighting for that bus from Hyde to Hollingworth.”
Who Is Driving This Rail Transformation?
Leadership rests with GMCA and TfGM, but local voices amplify the push. Mayor Burnham’s vision positions Tameside as a vanguard. The TRU’s Mossley investment signals national-scale commitment, while pay as you go taps modern ticketing trends.
Challenges persist—government accountability, industry inertia—but 2026 looms as a turning point. As Bee Network Rail materialises, Tameside’s stations promise not just tracks, but gateways to opportunity. With precise timelines and bold rhetoric, stakeholders eye a connected, inclusive future.
