Public transport is more than just a way to get from A to B. Done well, it connects people to jobs, schools, healthcare, and leisure opportunities. Effective mobility systems play a major part in what makes cities and regions ‘liveable’. When well-loved and used, they reduce congestion, improve air quality, and support healthier lifestyles. 

We’re far from reaching this ideal in many parts of the UK today, however, with bus and wider transport systems falling short of their potential. Services delivered by multiple operators often feel fragmented, confusing, and difficult to navigate.

That picture is beginning to change. With new franchising powers and advances in technology, local transport authorities (LTAs) have an opportunity to design networks that work for their communities. Central to this transformation is greater integration – building greater connection of multimodal networks with ticketing, real-time data, and digital infrastructure making travel seamless, affordable, and accessible.

So, what exactly makes up the anatomy of an integrated mobility network? And what lessons on connection can local authorities draw from early bus franchising pioneers like Transport for London and Greater Manchester’s Bee Network?

4 features of a healthy mobility ecosystem

Integrated mobility networks depend on a set of interconnected components that work in harmony. Together, they create a healthy mobility ecosystem where efficiency and security is optimal and every journey feels simple and intuitive for the passenger.

1. The brain: real-time information

A reliable transport network lives or dies by the quality of its information. Real-time passenger information (RTPI) systems provide live updates on arrivals, departures, delays, and disruptions through a range of channels – from on-street and on-vehicle displays to mobile apps on passengers’ smart devices.

For passengers, this information builds trust and reduces anxiety, especially when navigating complex journeys that involve multiple modes of transport. For operators and authorities, reliable and timely data improves decision-making, allowing them to respond quickly to issues, optimise services, and maintain high standards of punctuality and reliability.

2. The heart: account-based ticketing

At the centre of every successful integrated network lies account-based ticketing (ABT). Instead of buying a ticket for each journey, passengers simply tap a smartcard, phone, or bank card to travel. The back office system calculates the correct fare and applies any active daily or weekly caps, ensuring people always pay the best price.

This eliminates the confusion of complex fare structures, speeds up boarding, and removes the need for cash or paper tickets. In Greater Manchester, a unified ticketing platform (supplied by Vix) underpins the Bee Network’s multi-modal Tap and Go system, making it easy to pay for a bus or tram ride using the card or device you carry everywhere.

3. The neural network: Data and system integration

Integration is impossible without connectivity. For different parts of the transport ecosystem to work together, they need to share data seamlessly. That means adopting open standards and modular system architectures that allow ticketing, vehicle tracking, performance dashboards, and passenger apps to plug into one another.

This avoids the pitfalls of vendor lock-in, keeps costs manageable, and allows LTAs to upgrade or replace individual components without tearing out the entire system. It’s a more flexible, future-proof approach that keeps innovation alive.

4. The exoskeleton: Cybersecurity and resilience

As systems become more connected, they also become more vulnerable. Protecting networks from cyber attacks and ensuring compliance with payment security and data privacy standards is essential. This “exoskeleton” of resilience gives passengers and authorities confidence that data is safe, systems are reliable, and services won’t collapse under pressure.

Lessons from Greater Manchester’s Bee Network

Few places illustrate the power of integration better than Greater Manchester. In 2023, Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) launched the Bee Network, a franchised system that brought buses and trams under a single ticketing back office provided by Vix.

The results have been compelling:

• Ridership surged past 58 million passengers in the first year.
• 305,000 passenger journeys were made in a single day – a new record.
• Fare revenues exceeded projections by £3 million.
• Passenger satisfaction with fares hit 82%, the highest ever recorded.
• Operating costs per kilometre fell by a third.

The success wasn’t achieved overnight. TfGM took a phased approach: rolling-out the network in stages, with technology supplied in modular lots, with systems from different vendors working together. This strategy built resilience, allowed flexibility, and reduced risk – valuable lessons for any authority considering a similar path.

Why integration matters

The case for integrated mobility networks is about more than convenience and ease for the passenger. At a policy level, integration supports:

• Social equity: Simplified fares and reliable services improve access to education, employment, and healthcare.
• Economic growth: Better transport links make cities and regions more attractive for investment.
• Environmental sustainability: By reducing car dependency, integrated networks help cut emissions and improve air quality.
• Public accountability: Franchising gives LTAs the tools to design networks around community needs, not just commercial interests.

Opening-up networks

For LTAs, the choices made today will shape mobility for decades to come. The message from Greater Manchester is clear: success comes from combining the right bus franchising model with smart, flexible technology that opens-up networks

That means thinking bigger than bus with franchising – focusing on proactive network design, and partnering with technology providers who prioritise open standards, interoperability, and long-term collaboration. With the right vision, planning, and technology, local authorities can leverage bus franchising to create connected mobility networks that are efficient, sustainable, and future-ready.

Get integrated mobility insight

For a more detailed look at Manchester’s journey to franchising – and insight into the technology franchised networks need – get a copy of our white paper: ‘Unlock the potential of bus franchising: a technology roadmap for local transport authorities’.