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Oldham commuters can now tap a bank card, phone or watch on any Bee Network bus or tram reader and ride without buying a ticket first. The region-wide roll-out means the days of hunting for exact change or a separate smartcard are over for most local journeys.

Transport bosses say the new contactless system calculates the best daily or weekly fare automatically, capping charges so no one pays more than the equivalent travel pass. The change covers every tram and the bright-yellow buses that have replaced former private operators, knitting Oldham into a single ticketing loop with the rest of Greater Manchester.

While the payment upgrade is being welcomed, passengers are being warned to check before they travel. Planned engineering on the Metrolink lines that thread through Oldham could see sections of the tram route replaced by rail-replacement buses on some evenings and weekends. Exact dates have not been released, but the operator has opened a dedicated page listing each closure as it is confirmed.

The same authority that introduced tap-and-go is also asking residents to shape what happens next. A consultation on the wider Bee Network vision, including future tram extensions, bus priority lanes and cycling links, is open until spring. Officials say feedback from Oldham respondents will feed directly into the next five-year delivery plan.

Meanwhile, the network is quietly recruiting. Experienced car drivers are being invited to train as tram or bus crew, with paid placements starting in depots at Oldham and Queens Road, north Manchester. The move is aimed at filling vacancies left by post-pandemic staff shortages and keeping the new contactless service running smoothly.