TfGM Modern Slavery Statement 2024 Affects Oldham Transport

Transport for Greater Manchester has published its seventh modern-slavery statement, setting out how it will check that the £444 million it spent last year on buses, trams, cycle lanes and construction did not rely on forced labour. The pledge covers every Oldham supplier, from the firms pouring concrete at new Bee Network interchanges to the cleaning crews on Metrolink platforms.

Before any company is hired, TfGM now tests bidders for proof they meet the Modern Slavery Act, pay the Real Living Wage and can show their own sub-contractors do the same. Contracts are worded so that a breach can end the deal immediately, and finance staff have been told to pay invoices faster so that wages reach workers without delay.

The authority admits the pandemic made people more vulnerable to exploitation; it responded by running extra checks through a Covid-scenario forecast tool and by speeding up payments to keep cash flowing down the chain. From now on, any tender judged 'high risk' for hidden labour abuse will face deeper scrutiny of second-tier suppliers, the firms rarely seen by the public but often responsible for site security, catering or temporary recruitment.

For passengers the practical result is meant to be cleaner, safer travel: 270 electric buses on order, lower fares that have already lifted patronage by 12%, and upgraded stops across Oldham. Behind the scenes, every one of those improvements now comes with a paper trail showing the people who built, drive and clean them are there by choice and paid at least the Real Living Wage.