The Unexpected Walking Hotspot: A Four-Mile Bus Track in Greater Manchester
The Leigh Guided Busway, a purpose-built track for buses stretching across two Greater Manchester boroughs, has become an unexpected haven for walkers. This innovative scheme, now nearly a decade old, was designed to improve public transport and streamline bus commutes between Leigh in Wigan and Manchester city centre. However, its impact has extended far beyond its original intent.
The route, approximately 13 miles long, connects Leigh with Atherton, Tyldesley, and Ellenbrook in Salford before heading to Manchester. Just under five miles of the route, between Leigh and Ellenbrook, features a kerb-guided track—a concrete path with raised kerbs that guide small guide wheels on each bus. This section, the northwest's first guided busway in 2016, was part of the £122 million Greater Manchester Bus Priority Package.
The busway's V-coded services have been a success, but an unexpected bonus has emerged: it's now a popular walking route. A dedicated walking and cycling path runs alongside the full four-and-a-half miles of the route, and councillors report record-breaking usage. Wigan councillor John Vickers highlighted this unexpected benefit at a Bee Network committee meeting, praising the scheme as one of the best public transport initiatives in recent years.
Vickers noted that the guided busway offers a safe and quiet environment, even with buses passing by, making it an ideal recreational walking route. He encouraged the use of safe walking paths, citing the example of Lilford Park in Leigh, where people enjoy walking all the way to Ellenbrook and back.
Greater Manchester's investment in walking and cycling infrastructure has been substantial, securing £328 million since 2018. This has resulted in over 160km of cycling and walking networks, with more than 20km added in 2025. Dame Sarah Storey, the active travel commissioner for Greater Manchester, praised the route as a 'fantastic facility' and confirmed her personal use of the busway. She echoed Vickers' sentiment, emphasizing the importance of providing facilities to encourage active travel.
