Commuters across Greater Manchester are being hit by mass disruption due to bus strikes today as drivers take industrial action in a row over a pay deal.

Dozens of buses are off the road, with transport bosses estimating up to two thirds of all the city region's services won't be running, including school buses.

Picket lines, meanwhile, are being manned at depots, with

Bus tickets and passes are being accepted on certain trains and on Metrolink trams. Buses WILL be running in Bolton and Wigan.

The Manchester Evening News has compiled a list of all bus services that will not be running today -

We will have reporters out and about on key bus routes throughout the day on Friday to gauge what impact the action is having and to speak with passengers affected.

The industrial action, the result of a long-running dispute between unions and operators over pay, is set to last until Monday, covering a busy weekend in Manchester.

TfGM said bus services operated under the Bee Network by Metroline, First and Stagecoach won't run from Friday through to Monday. They include numerous services in Bury, Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford, Stockport, Tameside and Trafford - including school services. Buses in Wigan and Bolton won't be affected.

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More than 1,000 drivers at Stagecoach in Greater Manchester, at the Oldham, Stockport and Middleton depots, are walking out. The strikes are part of a co-ordinated series of industrial action with other firms in Manchester's integrated Bee Network.

Drivers at Stagecoach have rejected a pay offer of 3.5 per cent.

Another 1,000 workers at Metroline Manchester - based at the Sharston, Road, and depots - have also turned down an improved 8.8 per cent pay offer over two years. Meanwhile, 110 members at First Bus Rochdale rejected this year's pay offer - of six per cent.

Updates will be available throughout the day in our live blog below.

Key Events

In the shadow of Primark and the Merseyway Shopping Centre sits one of Greater Manchester’s best restaurants

Jenna is the What's On Editor for the Manchester Evening News, covering everything from new restaurant and bar openings to gig reviews and live coverage of major events and festivals across the region. Jenna joined the M.E.N In 2022 having previously worked as a freelance food and travel writer and as editor of Supper magazine.

Growing up in Stockport, a trip to the town centre promised a few things.It wasn’t a glamorous affair but it had its perks.

School holidays meant trying on musty bonnets at the Hat Museum, wandering around the Merseyway Shopping Centre, and scrunching your eyes tight as you propelled yourself down the big slide at Grand Central.

Post swimming baths, the scent of chlorine perfuming the air all the way down the street as the 24-hour McDonald’s came into view, a Happy Meal and a knowing look assuring your dad you wouldn’t tell your mum you may have spoiled your tea, capped it all off.

For me, McDonald’s or a Pizza Hut after the cinema felt like I’d really lucked out - nothing could rival this level of fast food heaven.

Fast forward a couple of decades and I can hardly believe how much has changed - and the burgeoning food scene tells a large part of this incredible story.

In the space of just 10 years the high street has been transformed, from ghost town to thriving food and drink destination.

Foodie Friday, a street food event held on the last Friday of every month, was launched by the Barratt family in 2015, and spans a plethora of food and drink stalls, offering a whole host of cuisines and showcasing the borough’s rich variety of cultures.

It was the catalyst. Stockport is now home to some of Greater Manchester’s best restaurants, cafes and bars and pubs.

There’s Where The Lights Gets In, which was awarded a Green Michelin in 2021; the fabulous Mekong Cat leading down to the historic Underbanks; an overwhelmingly good selection of drinking spots from The Magnet and Arden Arms, to Runaway Brewery and Bohemian Arts Club; and bakeries like Yellowhammer and Sticky Fingers which are making Stockport a more compelling offer than the city centre.

New businesses straddling fine-dining with finesse and humility, all the way to cafes where lunch costs less than a meal deal - and tastes much better - and pubs where a pint of Guinness is yours for under a fiver, give Stockport its edge though.

That said, there are some ambitious openings where you’ll have to fork out a little more for the experience.

Overlooking the back of Primark, and just within earshot of the karaoke echoing out from The Chestergate, sits Cantaloupe, a no-frills bistro with a very simple, but well-executed menu and compelling wine list.

It finds itself, whether intentionally or not, at the heart of this new era for Stockport - ambitious but understated. It doesn’t even have a proper sign but opening times are etched in handsome type to the glass-fronted bar area.

Easily a contender for one of the town’s best people watching spots, it was quietly opened late last year by chefs Joshua Reed-Cooper and Mike Thomas, whose CVS feature some of the region’s most acclaimed eateries, from the aforementioned wtlgi and Michelin-starred Mana, as well as The French, Hawksmoor and The Creameries.

It’s a good start and little wonder that in less than a year it’s caught the attention of The Michelin Guide, whose inspectors recently named it one of their favourite dining spots.

From this you get a sense of what you might expect, but it's totally understated and its calling card is its unfussy nature.

Anywhere else and its paired-back aesthetic of white washed walls, tiled floors and minimal signs of decoration might seem a little standoffish or pretentious, but look past that and what’s happening here is just a couple of chefs cooking some really beautiful food.

Think lots of European influences, sharing plates and lots of local produce and that should help conjure an image.

It’s not for everyone and that’s perfectly fine, but should you wish to splash out - we’re talking £30 for a main course here - there’s a lot to love, even if my bank balance now says otherwise.

This isn’t my first rodeo and I’m aware that these sorts of concepts don’t go huge on portions, opting instead to source the best local produce and plonk it on a plate surrounded only the oil is was cooked in or a wine reduction, which can sometimes leave you pondering - but crucially not voicing - ‘is this it?’.

Perhaps not very cultured of me, I find myself thinking tactically about what will be the best value for money from the menu - and not lead to sloping off to McDonald’s afterwards to cure the hunger pangs.

After a small but mighty House Negroni (£10), and I really do mean small, but nevertheless with a punch, we ordered some bread and butter (£4.50), a sure-fire way to fill the stomach. Admittedly, this was far better than a stale bread roll and butter sachet, the bread spongy and malty with an impressive crust to boot.

We saved some back for mains, and tucked into two starters - Pate De Campagne (£12) and a Roscoff Onion Tart (£10).

The former, a rustic but decadent style of pate, which is more like terrine, wasn't a looker which may explain why it was somewhat shielded from views by bits of toasting bread and a smudge of French mustard.

Translated as Country pate or country terrine it felt befitting of a posh picnic with its stuffing of various coarsely minced meats, but was at times tough to spread and perhaps a little underwhelming, the mustard doing a lot of heavy lifting.

Hidden under a canopy of Parmesan shavings, the onion tart was punchy and flavoursome. The sort of starter that makes your taste buds jump and stomach leap into action. The small amount of salad accompanying it felt slightly unnecessary though.

From the A5 sheet of paper sat in front of us, the main course was harder to decide, a toss up between duck, two fish courses and Escalivada, the latter a Catalan delicacy of roasted vegetables which I did look up on Google under the table.

Simply labelled Duck, Fig and Mint (£28), and accompanied by Cannellini Beans (£4.50), what arrived literally what was listed on the menu and to some may have not looked like much but was a standout of the meal.

Simply sliced up with a few sprigs of mint, a jus beneath it, the beautiful cooking shone through here. A bit of sliced fig, tender, melt-in-the-mouth duck and spoonfuls of braised beans, it tasted like autumn feels - the crunch of leaves under foot and crisp morning walks.

More filling than you would expect, the back-up trip to McDonalds was swiftly cancelled as we scooped up spoonful after spoonful of beans, and the knife glided through the duck. It was simple, understated, and exactly what Cantaloupe is about - letting the ingredients shine.

A McFlurry off the cards, we treated ourselves to dessert, a mesmerising creme caramel gleaming in the late evening light. Rich and decadent, I’d have preferred my own but the meal - and the bill - which was accompanied by a couple of glasses of crisp Gavi di Gavi, was started to rack up.

The bill, just surpassing £100 was a lot, there's not sugarcoating that. Was it worth it for the experience though? Yes.

Would I be able to do it again anytime soon, probably not.

That's the beauty of Stockport right now though, there are those places like Cantaloupe or Wtlgi where you can go for those anniversary meals or special occasions, but there's also the places with karaoke, crisps and cheap pints - the town can do both.

Stockport has come a long way in ten years, and its food scene is testament to that. I hope over the next decade it continues to push boundaries, intrigue diners, but ultimately retain its roots and offer something for everyone, at every price point.

A vision for the future has been revealed.

Part of Stockport town centre is set to change beyond recognition with a blueprint to build three new neighbourhoods over 15 years.

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Based on land to the east of the A6, the work will focus around Piccadilly, Hillgate, and near the River Mersey.

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Council leader Mark Roberts and his cabinet team backed the vision this week, making it a key consideration in future planning applications.

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To see planning applications; traffic and road diversions and layout changes; and more, visit the Public Notices Portal HERE

It is part of a £1bn town-centre regeneration project dubbed ‘the largest in the UK’.

The exciting changes are aiming to build a new riverside community with a public park, and plans to ‘open up’ the water for future residents and visitors.

A new neighbourhood is also planned on the land around Piccadilly, with new homes, areas for businesses, and green space.

The work will see changes come to Hillgate too, which is set to be ‘renewed’ through the uncovering of Hempshaw Brook to make a ‘green, connected’ neighbourhood with links to other parts of the town.

In total, there are 4,000 homes planned to the east of the A6 as part of the vision, and 8,000 planned across the town centre as a whole in the next 15 years.

Bosses leading the work at the council and Stockport Mayoral Development Corporation (MDC) - the borough’s development vehicle - say the new homes will be built along vital social infrastructure, with a new secondary school and health hub planned.

One one of the main ideas behind the changes is not just to build more homes, but to make the town a place where residents and visitors want to hang out and explore.

The future vision for Stockport also includes transport upgrades, with improved walking, cycling and public transport links around the town and to other communities in the borough.

Supporting the huge changes in the town centre, Stockport council this week supported plans to expand the boundary of the MDC to cover the entire town centre.

It was initially set up to support development taking place to the west of the A6, such as the new transport interchange and Stockport Exchange, a business district next to the train station where there are services to both Manchester city centre and London.

A project called Stockport 8 to build 1,300 homes near the arches of the town’s Viaduct was recently given planning permission by the council.

The council said the proposed expansion is expected to be formally recommended by Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham and taken to Parliament in the next few weeks.

Council leader Mark Roberts said: “This gives us the route map for achieving our vision to double the number of new homes to 8,000, making the best use of brownfield land to significantly meet our borough's housing needs while creating well-designed neighbourhoods that revitalise our town.

“We’re investing in infrastructure that matters - a health hub, new secondary school, green spaces and connectivity - while boosting opportunities for local businesses and attracting new investment.

“It’s also about enhancing what we already have - restoring our historic charm, opening up picturesque riverside settings and improving travel routes.

“We’ve made huge progress in town centre west, and now we’re ready to bring that same ambition to the area to the east of the town centre as we shape the next chapter of our town’s story.”

5 min read

Stockport Council has set out its transformative 15-year vision to regenerate the east of the town centre, setting out an ambitious blueprint to unlock thousands of new homes, jobs, and vibrant public spaces - building on the success of its nationally recognised town centre regeneration programme.

The Town Centre East Strategic Regeneration Framework (TCE SRF) outlines how the Council and Stockport Mayoral Development Corporation (MDC) aim to revitalise brownfield land to the east of the A6 into a series of sustainable and vibrant neighbourhoods.

The framework proposes the ambitious delivery of 4,000 new high-quality homes, in addition to the 4,000 already planned for the west of the town centre. These will include a mix of homes to suit different households, including affordable homes.

They will be built alongside new social infrastructure, including a new secondary school and health hub, to support the existing and growing communities. Green and blue spaces are integral to the vision, which features a riverside park, to enhance the well-being of residents and enable healthy lifestyles.

Hempshaw Brook

The development ambitions set out in the SRF will continue to drive economic growth through new employment opportunities for everyone in the borough, and in revitalising the whole of the town centre, will encourage existing and new residents to spend time there.

Connectivity between the east and west of Stockport will be enhanced with improved walking, cycling, and public transport links, as well as to neighbouring communities, improving accessibility for those living in and around the town centre.

Setting a new standard of urban living, the framework identifies three distinctive neighbourhoods that together shape the vision for the east of the town centre. They look to blend characterful architecture in keeping with Stockport’s historic charm with sustainable infrastructure, future-proofing buildings for generations to come.

The SRF, which was shaped following extensive public consultation, builds upon Stockport's decade-long £1 billion town centre regeneration - the largest in the UK.

Station arrival view

At the heart of this transformation, since being established in 2019, the MDC has driven forward landmark projects, including the state-of-the-art Stockport Interchange, the restoration of the listed 18th-century Weir Mill, which has created 253 apartments, and a brand-new business district at Stockport Exchange.

To date, £600m private sector investment has been secured, 175,000 sq ft of employment space generated, and 1,200 new homes completed and on site, with a further 1,300 in the pipeline to start on site in the next five years. Affordable housing is an integral part of the pipeline, with 73 affordable homes delivered at Platform, 148 on site at Chestergate, and 82 more to be delivered within phase one of the new Stockport 8 neighbourhood. Elsewhere in the town centre, there are 131 (63 affordable rent and 68 social rent) available at Edward Street, further strengthening Stockport's affordable offer.

To supercharge delivery of the ambitions set out in the TCE SRF, the Council this week endorsed plans to expand the boundary of the MDC to cover the entire town centre. This expansion is expected to be formally recommended by Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham and taken to Parliament in the coming weeks.

With Cabinet approval now secured, the SRF will become a material consideration in future planning decisions, guiding development proposals to align with the Council’s ambitions for a vibrant, inclusive, and sustainable town centre.

Cllr Mark Roberts, Leader of Stockport Council, said: “We’ve already seen the huge difference made to our town centre under the UK’s largest town centre regeneration, and the Strategic Regeneration Framework (SRF) sets out how we can go even further to benefit residents across the whole borough. This gives us the route map for achieving our vision to double the number of new homes to 8,000, making the best use of brownfield land to significantly meet our borough's housing needs while creating well-designed neighbourhoods that revitalise our town.

“We’re investing in infrastructure that matters – a health hub, new secondary school, green spaces and connectivity – while boosting opportunities for local businesses and attracting new investment. It’s also about enhancing what we already have – restoring our historic charm, opening up picturesque riverside settings and improving travel routes. We’ve made huge progress in Town Centre West, and now we’re ready to bring that same ambition to the area to the east of the town centre as we shape the next chapter of our town’s story.”

The SRF supports Stockport’s wider One Future Vision to make the borough the best place to live a happy, healthy life in the UK. To view the full Strategic Regeneration Framework and learn more about the plans, visit: https://www.stockport.gov.uk/srftce

Stockport Council has set out its transformative 15-year vision to regenerate the east of the town centre, setting out an ambitious blueprint to unlock thousands of new homes, jobs, and vibrant public spaces – building on the success of its nationally recognised town centre regeneration programme.

The Town Centre East Strategic Regeneration Framework (TCE SRF) outlines how the Council and Stockport Mayoral Development Corporation (MDC) aim to revitalise brownfield land to the east of the A6 into a series of sustainable and vibrant neighbourhoods.

The framework proposes the ambitious delivery of 4,000 new high-quality homes, in addition to the 4,000 already planned for the west of the town centre. These will include a mix of homes to suit different households, including affordable homes.

They will be built alongside new social infrastructure, including a new secondary school and health hub, to support the existing and growing communities. Green and blue spaces are integral to the vision, which features a riverside park, to enhance the well-being of residents and enable healthy lifestyles.

The plans will see Goyt Riverside transform the riverside corridor into a lively residential community anchored by a new riverside park, opening up access to the water and providing high-quality new homes.

The beauty of the river will be revealed, allowing for an interactive waterside landscape for active and passive leisure, alongside nature and flood resilience.

The Civic and historic heart focuses regeneration around Piccadilly, where sensitive design will complement Stockport’s rich heritage while introducing new homes, employment space, and green space at the town’s core.

Hillgate will be renewed through the uncovering of Hempshaw Brook and the creation of a green, connected neighbourhood that strengthens links with surrounding communities.

Cllr Mark Roberts, Leader of Stockport Council, said: “We’ve already seen the huge difference made to our town centre under the UK’s largest town centre regeneration, and the Strategic Regeneration Framework (SRF) sets out how we can go even further to benefit residents across the whole borough.

“This gives us the route map for achieving our vision to double the number of new homes to 8,000, making the best use of brownfield land to significantly meet our borough’s housing needs while creating well-designed neighbourhoods that revitalise our town.

“We’re investing in infrastructure that matters – a health hub, new secondary school, green spaces and connectivity – while boosting opportunities for local businesses and attracting new investment. It’s also about enhancing what we already have – restoring our historic charm, opening up picturesque riverside settings and improving travel routes.

“We’ve made huge progress in Town Centre West, and now we’re ready to bring that same ambition to the area to the east of the town centre as we shape the next chapter of our town’s story.”