News
Manchester is the UK’s best connected city, according to new data
With so much to see and do, it’s no wonder our city came out on top
From high-speed internet accessibility to transportation infrastructure – new data reveals Manchester is the best connected city in the UK.
With concerts to attend, sporting events, an excellent culinary scene, top nightlife and surrounding rural beauty spots, it’s no wonder Manchester keeps on top of being connected.
Data collected by Transport for Wales has uncovered the top cities fostering seamless connectivity nationwide, along with the worst connected, too.
After experts reviewed 30 cities and analysed data including bus stops per capita, train stations per capita, 5G coverage and full fibre availability, Manchester was crowned the best connected city in the UK.
Reviewing the UK transport system, many would have probably predicted that the capital London would be the most connected city across the nation.
Instead, it was our city that took the top spot thanks to having two train stations per 10,00 of the population, while 99% of the outdoor premises had full 5G coverage.
According to TfW, this is so important to the UK population who often rely on UK trains to get them places, whether that’s for work, to visit friends or for weekends away.
And of course it probably comes as no surprise as Manchester has so many things to do, making it an amazing place to book a staycation.
Visitors come to the city to sample its amazing food offerings, rich culture, and bustling nightlife – not to mention its excellent connectivity to the rest of the UK, including the coveted Peak District.
Surprisingly, the analysis also reveals Brighton is the worst-connected city in the UK. Despite being renowned for its arts, culture and nightlife, it scores low in terms of train stations per 10,000 of population and 5G coverage which is something to bear in mind if travelling via rail or bus.
London, the capital city, is also quite low down considering the size of the city, scoring extremely low on bus stops per capita.
Wales also got a few mentions on the index, with Wrexham having the most bus stops per capita, with a huge 341 bus stops per 10,000 of the population. Cardiff also came in 8th on the most connected cities in the UK index, with an overall score of 77.6.
Speaking on the importance of connectivity throughout the UK, transport expert Colin Lea from Transport for Wales, said: “Connectivity throughout the UK is increasingly more important, especially given changing ways of life post-pandemic.
“For the UK public, knowing that they can get somewhere quickly and easily with excellent reliability across all modes of transport including rail and bus services, is of the utmost importance. Especially as we are hoping we all adopt more sustainable travel habits.
“Seeing destinations like Manchester and Cardiff make the top 10 most connected cities in the UK is important to us, as it shows we are making a difference with the services that we offer, such as our premier trains. “
“These run every two hours between Cardiff and Manchester with an excellent experience in standard class and a chef on board for first-class dining,” he added.
The best connected cities in the UK are:
- Manchester
- Nottingham
- Glasgow
- Southampton
- Hull
- Belfast
- Coventry
- Cardiff
- Leeds
- Wrexham
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News
Oasis announce huge reunion tour as Liam and Noel Gallagher ‘make peace’
The news we’ve all been waiting for!
After years of will-they-won’t-they speculation, Oasis are officially BACK together for a reunion tour.
The Gallagher brothers have put aside their differences in the name of music, making thousands of fans extremely happy in the process.
The band teased the news on their socials over the weekend, posting a video on Sunday morning with today’s date (Tuesday, August 27th) and the time 8am.
And now shows have been announced for multiple dates in the UK and Ireland, with tickets going live this Saturday, August 31st.
The legendary Mancunian rockers will take to the stage next summer, with gigs in Cardiff, London, Edinburgh, Dublin and, of course, Manchester.
15 years after splitting, the band confirmed they would be back for 14 shows, saying: “The guns have fallen silent. The stars have aligned. The great wait is over. Come see. It will not be televised”.
The gigs will be Oasis’s ‘only shows in Europe next year’, with tickets on sale this Saturday at 8am in Ireland and 9am in the UK.
The Oasis 2025 tour dates in full:
July
4th – Cardiff, Principality Stadium
5th – Cardiff, Principality Stadium
11th – Manchester, Heaton Park
12th – Manchester, Heaton Park
19th – Manchester, Heaton Park
20th – Manchester, Heaton Park
25th – London, Wembley Stadium
26th – London, Wembley Stadium
August
2nd – London, Wembley Stadium
3rd – London, Wembley Stadium
8th – Edinburgh, Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium
9th – Edinburgh, Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium
16th – Dublin, Croke Park
17th – Dublin, Croke Park
You can grab your tickets HERE.
News
Stagecoach hiring over 100 new bus drivers for Bee Network with £31k salaries
Fancy a career change?
Stagecoach Manchester is hiring over 100 new bus drivers to work from its Oldham depot, following the second phase of the Bee Network launch in March.
You can apply for a range of roles, from positions with no experience required to fully qualified bus drivers.
Successful applicants will receive full training as part of the job, and trainees will get paid to train. Then after only 12 months’ service at Stagecoach, drivers can expect to earn up to £16 per hour, which equates to £31.6K per year, before overtime.
As well as that, drivers that already hold a PCV licence may be eligible to receive a £1,200 joining bonus.
Stagecoach
There’s also a host of other benefits available to all Stagecoach employees, like 28 days paid holiday, generous pension and free Stagecoach bus travel for successful applicants and a companion.
Rob Jones, Managing Director at Stagecoach Manchester said: “Expanding our offering in Oldham means we’ll be investing more in the economy and supporting our local community, as well as strengthening our workforce.
“Whether you’re looking for a career change or you’re a fully qualified, experienced bus driver, there’s a role for everyone here in Oldham.
“We’re looking for personable and dedicated drivers who are ready to help us build on the success of the Bee Network and connect the people of Oldham and Greater Manchester with the places and people that are important to them.”
Stagecoach
Phil Cornwall, bus driver at Stagecoach Manchester, said: “I’ve been a driver at Stagecoach for 25 years and I couldn’t recommend it more.
“From the perks to the people to the passengers, it really is a great place to work.”
To apply, head to the Stagecoach website HERE.
Two men have now been charged with murder, following the discovery of a human torso in Kersal Dale.
As well as that, more suspected human remains were also discovered this morning, Monday April 29th, in an alleyway close to the railway lines off Worsley Road, Eccles.
This follows earlier discoveries of human remains over the past three weeks, at Kersal Dale, Blackleach Reservoir and Colliery Wood, all in Salford.
Greater Manchester Police
Michal Jaroslaw Polchowski (25/04/1956) and Marcin Majerkiewicz (10/04/1982) both of Worsley Road, Eccles, have been charged with murder.
They are set to appear at Tameside Magistrates Court this afternoon.
While formal identification is still ongoing, the remains found at Kersal Dale are believed to be of a local man in his 60s. The remains found at the other three locations are still to be tested, but police are confident they belong to the same victim.
ACC Sarah Jackson said: “We have had large numbers of officers, staff and specialists working diligently on this investigation over the last three weeks. It has been very much a large, collective effort, with the victim and family at the heart of it from the outset.
“We have specially trained officers deployed to support the family as they come to terms with this tragic news. They are aware of this morning’s further discovery and will continue to be kept up to date with how we are progressing.
“Despite the charges brought today, our work is far from over.
“The scenes we already have established in Bury and Salford will remain in place for much of this week whilst our searches and enquiries continue. Local officers will continue to patrol the impacted areas to provide reassurance.
“We will continue following every line of enquiry to recover and reunite the victim with his family, bringing a dignified end to this terrible scenario.
“I’d like to thank the communities of Salford and beyond for their cooperation throughout this investigation. I know this incident has come as a shock, and the support we’ve had from those in the area is very much appreciated.”
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