CITYMIRROR

BY DATACORRIDOR

City assessment

How smart is Manchester?

Manchester, United Kingdom, scores 86.5% against the ISO 37120-series aligned smart city framework in 2026, ranked #27 of 386 by smart reach and #15 on the evidence alone, with every finding traceable to a public source.

Each criterion counts in full where the evidence shows it present, half where partial and nothing where absent, weighted by its category. 3 of 86 are not yet assessed and count as nothing until a finding is made either way. Last assessed 22 Oct 2026.

Smart reach rank

#27 / 386

Smart score

86.5%

Evidenced rank

#15 / 387

Criteria present

66 / 86

Evidence coverage

95.3%

Manchester's smart city score by area

Data, Digital & Smart Foundation71%

9 present · 3 partial · 1 absent · 2 not yet assessed

Mobility & Transport84%

8 present · 4 partial · 0 absent

Environment, Energy & Climate100%

13 present · 0 partial · 0 absent

Infrastructure, Water & Waste87%

9 present · 1 partial · 0 absent · 1 not yet assessed

Health, Education, Safety & Inclusion90%

10 present · 3 partial · 0 absent

Economy, Innovation & Employment100%

8 present · 0 partial · 0 absent

Governance, Resilience & Operating Model82%

9 present · 5 partial · 0 absent

Where Manchester is strong

  • ▸Open Data & Transparency
  • ▸Public Transport & Real-Time Information
  • ▸Air Quality & Monitoring
  • ▸Energy & Smart Grid
  • ▸Climate Action & Emissions

Where the evidence shows gaps

  • ▸Smart Traffic & Electric Vehicles · 3 partial
  • ▸Urban Data Platform & Digital Twin · 1 absent
  • ▸Education & Digital Skills · 2 partial
  • ▸Climate Adaptation & Heat · 2 partial
  • ▸Digital Government Services · 2 partial

Not yet assessed

3 of 86 criteria have no finding yet, either way. They count as nothing in the score until one is made, and they are not gaps.

  • Connectivity & ICT Infrastructure2 of 4
  • Solid Waste & Circular Economy1 of 4

Evidence highlights

Digital Government Services · Unified online services portal

The Manchester City Council website (manchester.gov.uk) serves as a portal listing various municipal services, including parking, education, payments, environmental problems, planning, and licenses, and includes a sign-in/registration option for council tax…

https://www.manchester.gov.uk/

Active & Shared Mobility · Cycling network / lanes

Greater Manchester is building the country's largest active travel network as part of the Bee Network, which aims to facilitate seamless journeys by walking, wheeling, or cycling.

https://www.greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk/what-we-do/transport/the-bee-network/

Active & Shared Mobility · Mobility-as-a-Service app

The Bee Network in Greater Manchester is described as a new joined-up travel network that will eventually be a "one-stop-shop for all local journeys" by bus, tram, train, walking, wheeling, or cycling.

https://www.greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk/what-we-do/transport/the-bee-network/

Air Quality & Monitoring · Air-quality monitoring network

A 'Real-time Air Quality Index Visual Map' is available for Manchester, indicating the presence of an air quality monitoring system that collects data to generate this index.

https://aqicn.org/map/manchester/

Funding Manchester can bid for

63 open calls: grants, tenders and innovation competitions Manchester is eligible for, including UK-wide schemes any place can apply to. Every entry links to its source.

Showing 12 of 63; see them all in the explorer.

About this assessment

Manchester was assessed against the 86 criteria of the ISO 37120-series aligned smart city framework on 22 Oct 2026 by AI agents gathering evidence from official public sources. Each criterion is marked present, partial or absent, or left not yet assessed, and every finding links to where it was found. Cities are re-assessed in runs, not continuously: the latest finished on 24 Oct 2026.

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