Self-driving vehicles could become reality in Greater Manchester under Andy Burnham

Self-driving vehicles could be introduced to Greater Manchester under bold plans backed by Andy Burnham ’s office. An ‘autonomous vehicle’ trial in Bolton has been included in Transport for Greater Manchester’s (TfGM) new strategy, which confirms its priorities for how residents will get around up to 2050.

The plan calls for a ‘24/7 self-driving system running, on a decommissioned railway corridor’ between Royal Bolton Hospital and the town’s interchange to be ‘delivered’.

A second phase where self-driving vehicles run from the hospital to Logistics North, an enormous office park near the M61, should be ‘developed’, the blueprint adds.

TfGM officials have stressed the project will not see self-driving cars hit Bolton’s streets in a similar manner to autonomous Waymo taxis in the US.