| Year |
Month |
Day |
Event |
| 1824 |
January |
1 |
John Greenwood starts regular
horse bus service from Pendleton, Salford to
Market Street, Manchester |
| 1830 |
September |
15 |
Official opening of the Liverpool and Manchester
Railway |
| 1830 |
September |
16 |
Liverpool and Manchester
Railway public services begin |
| 1830 |
|
|
Start of Manchester - Stockport
horse bus service |
1832
|
|
|
1832
Stage Coach Act: officially recognises the setting down and
picking up of passengers
|
1840
|
|
|
Railway
Regulation Act
|
1847
|
July
|
22
|
Town
Police Clauses Act 1847: provisions for
licensing vehicles and drivers
|
| 1852 |
|
|
Introduction
of a new type of horse bus - a much larger double deck vehicle
drawn by three horses, with a passenger capacity of 42 |
| 1861 |
August |
|
Iron
tramway laid in the Salford area on “Haworth’s Patent
Perambulating Principle” by John Greenwood, Junior |
| 1865 |
March |
1 |
Formation of Manchester Carriage
Company, by merger of a number of coach / omnibus
proprietors, with John Greenwood, Junior, as
first Managing Director. |
1870
|
August
|
9
|
1870 Tramways Act: local authorities
could construct tramways, but not operate them -
the tracks had to be leased to private companies
for 21 years.
|
| 1875 |
|
|
Manchester
and Salford corporations
obtain Tramway Orders under the terms of the 1870 Tramways Act |
| 1877 |
|
|
Manchester
Suburban Tramways Company formed - leases signed to operate
tramways for 21 years |
| 1877 |
May |
17 |
First tramway in Manchester: horse
drawn vehicles of the Manchester & Salford
Tramway Company |
| 1880 |
|
|
Manchester Carriage Company,
Manchester and Salford Tramways Company, and
Manchester Suburban Tramways Company merged and
became Manchester Carriage and Tramways Company.
At its maximum extent, around 1882, this Company
operated services over 140 route miles to
Patricroft, Oldham, Stalybridge and Stockport,
using 500 trams, 5300 horses and had 20 depots. |
| 1880 |
|
|
Wigan
and District Tramways Company commences tramway operation |
| 1882 |
|
|
Steam
tramways commence operation in Wigan |
| 1883 |
|
|
Manchester,
Bury, Rochdale and Oldham Steam Tramways Company opens first
section of tramway |
| 1887 |
|
|
Manchester,
Bury, Rochdale and Oldham Steam Tramways Company bankrupt |
| 1888 |
|
|
Bury,
Rochdale and Oldham Steam Tramways Company formed
to operate the steam tramways formerly operated by the
Manchester, Bury, Rochdale and Oldham Steam Tramways Company |
| 1894 |
January |
1 |
Opening of Manchester Ship Canal |
| 1895 |
|
|
Manchester
Corporation adopts a resolution to take over the tramways and
operate them as an electric system |
| 1896 |
|
|
Formation of Trafford Park Estates
Company |
1896
|
|
|
Light
Railways Act 1896
|
| 1897 |
|
|
British
Gas Traction Company commences tramway operation in Trafford
Park |
| 1899 |
June |
12 |
First electric tramway in Greater
Manchester: the Oldham, Ashton and Hyde Tramway
Company. |
| 1899 |
November |
3 |
Trafford
Park Estates Company takes over tramway operation in Trafford
Park |
| 1899 |
December |
|
First electric tramway in Bolton |
| 1900 |
|
|
South
Lancashire Tramways Company formed |
| 1901 |
June |
7 |
Manchester Corporation commenced
electric tramway operation, the first route being
from Albert Square to Cheetham Hill. |
| 1901 |
|
|
First
electric tramway in Wigan |
| 1902 |
|
|
Rochdale
Corporation introduces electric tram services |
| 1902 |
|
|
Wigan
Corporation takes over operation of tramways formerly operated
by Wigan and District Tramways Company |
| 1903 |
March |
31 |
Last horse trams operate in Manchester |
| 1903 |
July |
14 |
Electric
tramway on the public roads in Trafford Park commences
operation |
| 1904 |
|
|
Stalybridge,
Hyde, Mossley and Dukinfield Tramways and Electricity Board established |
| 1904 |
September |
5 |
First experimental motor buses used,
by Bolton Corporation |
| 1905 |
|
|
Lancashire
United Tramways (later Transport) constituted |
| 1905 |
|
|
Parcel
service launched by Manchester Corporation |
| 1905 |
|
|
Electric
tramway in Trafford Park taken over by Manchester and Salford
corporations |
| 1905 |
May |
8 |
Last steam trams operated by Rochdale Corporation
|
| 1905 |
September |
20 |
Last steam trams operated, by
Heywood Corporation
|
| 1906 |
|
|
Manchester
Corporation operates motor bus services on an experimental
basis |
| 1906 |
|
|
Lancashire
United Transport commences motor bus services |
| 1908 |
May |
1 |
Last gas trams operated, by Trafford
Park Estates Company |
| 1913 |
|
|
Ramsbottom
UDC introduces trolleybus services |
| 1913 |
|
|
Mid
Cheshire Bus Company commences motor bus operation in Urmston
and surrounding areas |
| 1913 |
March |
10 |
First trolleybuses in Greater
Manchester: Stockport Corporation |
| 1920 |
|
|
Leigh
Corporation introduces motor bus services |
| 1923 |
April |
23 |
Formation of North Western Road Car
Company |
| 1925 |
|
|
Trolleybuses
introduced jointly by Ashton-under-Lyne and Oldham
corporations |
| 1927 |
|
|
Express
motor bus services 'co-ordinated services' introduced in
Manchester by tramway operators |
1930
|
August
|
1
|
Road Traffic Act: introduction of
licensing systems for services, vehicles and
personnel
|
| 1930 |
April |
6 |
Manchester's famous 53 tram route
converted to bus operation |
| 1931 |
|
|
North
Western Traffic Commissioners established |
| 1938 |
|
|
Trolleybuses
replace trams in Ashton-under-Lyne, joint trolleybus operation
begins with Manchester Corporation |
| 1938 |
June |
25 |
Manchester Ringway Airport opened |
| 1945 |
|
|
Last
trams operated by SHMD |
| 1946 |
|
|
Last
trams in Oldham |
1947
|
|
|
Transport
Act 1947: railway nationalisation
|
| 1947 |
|
|
Last
trams in Salford and Bolton |
| 1948 |
|
|
Railway
Nationalisation |
| 1949 |
January |
10 |
Operation
of Manchester's last tramcar |
| 1949 |
February |
|
Last
trams in Bury |
| 1951 |
August |
25 |
Last trams in Greater Manchester:
Stockport Corporation |
1962
|
August
|
1
|
Transport Act 1962:
reorganisation of nationalised transport undertakings -
creation of the British Railways Board
|
| 1966 |
December |
|
Last
trolleybuses operated by Ashton and Manchester corporations |
1968
|
October
|
25
|
Transport
Act 1968: designation of Passenger Transport Areas and
establishment and functions of Passenger Transport Authorities
and Executives; reorganisation of passenger transport in
Passenger Transport Areas
|
| 1966 |
December |
31 |
Last trolleybuses in Greater
Manchester: Ashton and Manchester Corporations |
| 1969 |
April |
1 |
Creation of the South East
Lancashire and North East Cheshire (SELNEC)
Passenger Transport Authority (PTA), under the
terms of the Transport Act, 1968. |
| 1969 |
September |
1 |
Creation of the SELNEC Passenger
Transport Executive (PTE) |
| 1969 |
November |
1 |
All local authority transport
undertakings in the SELNEC Area were transferred
to SELNEC PTE |
| 1970 |
|
|
SELNEC
introduces new orange and white bus livery |
1972
|
October
|
26
|
Local
Government Act 1972: local government reorganisation -
formation of metropolitan counties and districts
|
| 1972 |
|
|
North
Western Road Car Company operations in SELNEC area absorbed
into SELNEC |
| 1972 |
|
|
First bus lane in Greater Manchester becomes operational on a small stretch of London Road |
| 1972 |
|
|
SELNEC becomes first PTE to sign an agreement with British Rail |
| 1974 |
April |
1 |
Local
Government Reorganisation |
| 1974 |
April |
1 |
Greater
Manchester Council (GMC) established and Greater Manchester
Metropolitan County formed under the terms of the Local
Government Act 1972 |
| 1974 |
April |
1 |
The
role of the Passenger Transport Authority was transferred to
Greater Manchester County Council |
| 1974 |
April |
1 |
SELNEC Passenger Transport Executive (SELNEC) becomes Greater Manchester
Passenger Transport Executive (Greater Manchester Transport),
responsible for the whole GMC area incorporating Wigan Corporation
Transport |
| 1974 |
|
|
'M'
logo introduced |
| 1974 |
July |
|
Centreline
midibus service linking Manchester Victoria with Manchester
Piccadilly is introduced |
| 1975 |
|
|
SaverSeven weekly ticket introduced |
| 1976 |
January |
1 |
Greater
Manchester Transport acquires Lancashire
United Transport |
| 1976 |
|
|
Altrincham Interchange opens |
| 1976 |
|
|
GMPTE moves to 9 Portland Street (Magnum House) |
| 1976 |
|
|
David Graham becomes Director General |
| 1976 |
|
|
Charterplan coach unit launched |
| 1976 |
|
|
SaverSeven tickets extended to include rail travel |
| 1976 |
November |
1 |
Greater
Manchester Transport acquires Godfrey Abbott |
| 1977 |
|
|
Whitefield Bus Station opens |
| 1977 |
|
|
Brinnington rail station opens, the first rail station opened by GMPTE |
| 1978 |
|
|
Rochdale Bus Station opens |
| 1978 |
|
|
Hattersley rail station opens |
| 1979 |
May |
4 |
Official opening of the Museum of
Transport |
| 1979 |
|
|
Arndale Bus Station opens |
| 1979 |
|
|
ClipperCard ticket launched |
| 1980 |
July |
9 |
Bury Interchange opened
by HRH Princess Alexandra |
| 1980 |
|
|
Stockport Bus Station opens |
1981
|
April
|
15
|
Public Passenger Vehicles Act
1981: traffic areas and traffic commissioners; fitness of
public service vehicles; public service vehicle operators'
licences; road service licences
|
| 1981 |
|
|
Lancashire United Transport
absorbed into Greater Manchester Transport |
| 1981 |
|
|
Greater
Manchester Transport's livery changes to white, orange and
brown |
| 1981 |
|
|
Oldham Town Square Bus Station opens |
| 1981 |
|
|
Southern Cemetery Bus Station opens |
| 1982 |
|
|
Pope John Paul II visits Manchester - 1,000 buses used to transport people to Heaton Park |
| 1983 |
|
|
New bus station at Manchester Airport opens |
1983
|
|
|
Transport
Act 1983: Passenger Transport Executive financial plans
|
|
1984
|
|
|
Radcliffe bus station opens
|
|
1984
|
|
|
Humphrey Park rail station opens
|
|
1984
|
|
|
Mills Hill rail station opens
|
|
1984
|
|
|
First Bill seeking permission to build Metrolink submitted to Parliament
|
1984
|
|
|
Road Traffic Regulation Act
1984 - tramcars and trolley vehicles
|
1985
|
July
|
16
|
Local Government Act 1985: abolition of metropolitan county councils
|
1985
|
October
|
30
|
Transport
Act 1985 - abolition of road service licensing; registration
of local bus services; traffic regulation conditions; transfer
of bus undertakings of Executives to companies owned by
Authorities; passenger transport areas; subsidised services;
traffic commissioners
|
| 1985 |
|
|
Shadow
joint board Passenger Transport Authority established for
Greater Manchester |
| 1985 |
|
|
Television advertising used for the first time to promote Saver Tickets & ClipperCards |
| 1985 |
|
|
Flowery
Field rail station opens |
| 1985 |
|
|
Smithy
Bridge rail station opens |
| 1985 |
|
|
Derker
rail station opens |
| 1985 |
|
|
Ryder Brow rail
station opens |
| 1985 |
September |
|
First
Ring and Ride service established in Manchester |
| 1986 |
February |
27 |
Greater
Manchester Buses Limited formed to take over the operational
aspects of Greater Manchester Transport in preparation for
Deregulation |
| 1986 |
March |
31 |
Greater
Manchester Council abolished |
| 1986 |
April |
1 |
Responsibility
for public transport passed to Greater Manchester Passenger
Transport Authority |
| 1986 |
October |
26 |
Deregulation of bus services:
Greater Manchester Transport's bus operation
becomes Greater Manchester Buses |
| 1986 |
|
|
Hall
i'th' Wood rail station opens |
| 1986 |
|
|
Godley rail
station opens |
| 1986 |
|
|
Hazel Grove rail chord opens to allow new TransPennine service |
| 1987 |
|
|
Bolton Interchange opens |
| 1987 |
|
|
Wigan Bus Station opens |
| 1987 |
|
|
Salford Crescent rail station opens |
1988
|
February
|
9
|
Greater Manchester (Light
Rapid Transit System) Act 1988: works, land acquisition and
powers for GMPTE
|
1988
|
November
|
15
|
Road Traffic Act 1988: exemptions for tramcars and trolley vehicles
|
| 1988 |
|
|
Lostock rail station opens |
| 1988 |
|
|
The Windsor Rail Link in Salford becomes operational |
| 1989 |
|
|
Lever Street Bus Station opens |
| 1989 |
|
|
'Network North West'
rail brand launched |
| 1989 |
|
|
Construction of Metrolink begins |
1990
|
April
|
26
|
Greater Manchester (Light
Rapid Transit System) Act 1990: works, land acquisition and
powers for GMPTE
|
| 1990 |
|
|
Woodsmoor rail station opens |
1991
|
October
|
22
|
Greater Manchester (Light
Rapid Transit System) Act 1991: works, land acquisition and
powers for GMPTE
|
1991
|
July
|
25
|
Road Traffic Act 1991:
tramcars and trolley vehicles
|
| 1991 |
|
|
Chris Mulligan appointed as Director General |
| 1991 |
|
|
Contract to replace 3,500 shelters signed with JCDecaux |
| 1992 |
July |
17 |
Metrolink officially opened by Her Majesty The Queen
First services run between Bury & Victoria, later continuing to Altrincham and then Piccadilly |
1992
|
November
|
12
|
Greater Manchester (Light
Rapid Transit System) Act 1992: works, land acquisition and
powers for GMPTE
|
| 1992 |
|
|
Leigh Bus Station opens |
| 1992 |
November |
|
Forced
split of GM Buses announced by Government, using powers from
the Transport Act 1985 |
1993
|
November
|
5
|
Railways Act 1993: rail
franchising, re-organisation and privatisation
|
| 1993 |
December |
13 |
Greater
Manchester Buses Limited split into two separate companies
ready for disposal - both become operational, still in public
sector ownership: Greater Manchester Buses North Limited and
Greater Manchester Buses South Limited |
| 1993 |
|
|
First
Travelshop opens in Leigh |
| 1993 |
|
|
Manchester Airport rail link & new airport rail station open |
1994
|
May
|
26
|
Greater Manchester (Light
Rapid Transit System) Act 1994: works, land acquisition and
powers for GMPTE
|
| 1994 |
March |
31 |
GM
Buses North and South sold to employee buy out teams |
| 1994 |
|
|
Ashton Bus Station relocated to facilitate town centre expansion |
| 1996 |
February |
|
GM
Buses South sold to Stagecoach |
| 1996 |
March |
|
GM
Buses North sold to FirstBus |
| 1996 |
June |
15 |
Bombing of
Manchester city centre
Public transport disruption: buses diverted and permanent
closure of Arndale Bus Station |
| 1996 |
|
|
Special Nightbus services for Euro '96 |
| 1996 |
|
|
Manchester Airport southern rail chord opens |
| 1997 |
|
|
Local railways privatised |
| 1998 |
|
|
GMPTE website launched |
| 1999 |
February |
|
Telephone Information Bureau
officially launched by Deputy Prime Minister, the Rt Hon John
Prescott MP |
| 1999 |
|
|
Farnworth Bus Station opens |
| 1999 |
|
|
Horwich Parkway rail station opens |
| 1999 |
December |
|
Metrolink extended to Salford Quays, officially opened by
The Prime Minister, the Rt Hon Tony Blair MP |
| 1999 |
|
|
Museum of Transport website launched |
2000
|
November
|
30
|
Transport Act 2000:
introduction of local transport plans and bus strategies to be
produced by Passenger Transport Authorities jointly with
metropolitan districts; quality partnership schemes and
quality contracts for bus services; bus service ticketing
schemes; bus service information; concessionary fares
|
|
2000
|
|
|
First Local Transport Plan submitted to Government
|
|
2001
|
|
|
Nightbus network launched in Manchester
|
|
2001
|
|
|
Eccles Bus Station opens
|
|
2001
|
|
|
New Oldham Bus Station opens
|
|
2001
|
January
|
|
Metrolink extension to Eccles officially opened by HRH The Princess Royal
|
|
2001
|
|
|
Ladywell Park & Ride opens
|
|
2002
|
|
|
Metroshuttle introduced,
replacing Centreline
|
|
2002
|
|
|
XVII Commonwealth Games - over 60,000 spectators a day use public transport
|
|
2003
|
|
|
Concessionary travel eligibility lowered to 60 for men
|
|
2003
|
|
|
DingDing website launched
|
|
2003
|
|
|
Yellow School Bus starts at Werneth High School
|
|
2004
|
October
|
19
|
HRH The Earl of Wessex visits the Museum of Transport to mark its 25th anniversary
|
2005
|
April
|
7
|
Railways Act 2005: railway
functions of Passenger Transport Executives
|
|
2005
|
|
|
Government approves funding for improvements to existing Metrolink network Phases 1 & 2
|
|
2005
|
|
|
New Piccadilly Travelshop opens
|
|
2005
|
|
|
New Hyde Bus Station opens
|
|
2005
|
|
|
New Middleton Bus Station opens
|
|
2006
|
|
|
Government approves funding for future Metrolink routes Phase 3a
|
|
2006
|
|
|
Free travel extended to people over 60
& provided to more groups of disabled people
|
|
2006
|
|
|
Shudehill Interchange opens
|
|
2007
|
|
|
GMPTE moves to new headquarters (2 Piccadilly Place)
|
| 2008 |
January |
21 |
Local
bus services of A Mayne & Son acquired by Stagecoach
Manchester |
2008
|
November
|
26
|
Local
Transport Act 2008: introduction of Integrated
Transport Authorities to replace existing Passenger Transport
Authorities in England with sole responsibility for local
transport plans and new powers
|
| 2009 |
February |
9 |
Greater
Manchester Passenger Transport Authority (GMPTA) renamed
Greater Manchester Integrated Transport Authority (GMITA) |
