A mum from Droylsden has spoken of her shock after twice being told by Metrolink staff that her baby and toddler were too young to be considered “children” when travelling on a family ticket.
Cassie, whose surname was not provided, was travelling into Manchester city centre earlier this month with her husband and their two young children for a church service. As they have done before, the family purchased a £7.10 off-peak family day travelcard, covering travel for one or two adults and up to three children under 16 (Source: Bee Network Website).
But during the trip, a Metrolink ticket inspector stopped them and claimed their ticket wasn’t valid — because their children were under the age of five (Source: BBC News).
“I felt shocked,” Cassie told reporters. “Obviously we are a family… I do not know how we are not a family” (Source: Manchester Evening News).
According to Cassie, the inspector insisted that because under-fives travel for free on Metrolink, they couldn’t be included on a family ticket, and that she and her husband should instead have bought two individual £4.30 adult day tickets — totalling £8.60 (Source: The Independent).
Feeling confused and concerned about the warning that they could have been fined for travelling without valid tickets, Cassie checked the Bee Network website when she got home.
The site clearly states: “A family travelcard is for group travel on Metrolink trams for one to three children (aged under 16) accompanied by one or two adults. There is no minimum age for children travelling on a family ticket” (Source: Bee Network Website).
Despite this, when Cassie reached out to a Bee Network customer service representative for clarification, she was again told the same thing as the inspector. The representative reiterated that under-fives travel for free and do not count as part of a family ticket — advice that directly contradicted the official information published online (Source: BBC News).
“If you are travelling with two children under five, you would need to purchase two adult tickets as under-fives travel for free,” the representative reportedly told her. “I appreciate that the family ticket is cheaper, but as under-fives do not qualify under this ticket, you need to ensure you have the correct tickets when travelling to avoid a penalty” (Source: Manchester Evening News).
Frustrated and still unclear on the rules, Cassie contacted the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) to share her experience and seek clarity.
Following Cassie’s complaint, Fran Wilkinson, customer and growth director at Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM), which oversees Metrolink and the Bee Network, issued an official statement acknowledging the mistake and apologising for the confusion.
“It appears that the customer who has raised this issue was given the incorrect information by a member of our team,” Ms Wilkinson said. “Bee Network family tickets can be used by a group of one to three children accompanied by one or two adults when travelling together, and there is no minimum age for children travelling on this type of ticket. We’re sorry any confusion this has caused and will be making sure that all staff are aware that there is no minimum age for children travelling on a family ticket” (Source: The Independent).
Cassie’s story has raised wider questions about staff training and public information within Greater Manchester’s Bee Network, especially as Metrolink continues to grow in popularity. In fact, last November marked Metrolink’s busiest month in its 30-year history (Source: Manchester Evening News).
While TfGM has taken steps to address the issue, it highlights how inconsistent or incorrect advice from transport staff can leave everyday families in uncomfortable situations — particularly when they’re simply trying to make the most of public transport options designed for them.
For now, Cassie hopes that the clarification will prevent other families from facing the same frustrating experience.
“I just want them to get it right,” she said (Source: BBC News).
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