South Yorkshire residents are being urged to have their say as part of a consultation into how buses should be run in the region. Launched on Wednesday 23 October the 12-week public consultation aims to get the views of residents, businesses and organisations in the region on its proposals to introduce bus franchising.
The South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) reports that subsidised evening and weekend services which are not part of the commercial network operated by the region’s 23 bus operators cost around £24m per year in subsidy.
According to the Authority, over 60% of respondents to a survey said they were dissatisfied or very dissatisfied with the reliability of bus services in the region, with around one in five buses arriving late, whilst recent years have seen cuts to the bus network, which has ‘more than halved’ from 43 million miles run in 2007.
Chief Executive of South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority Martin Swales OBE said: “We’re at a pivotal stage in our journey towards reforming our bus network in South Yorkshire. Before any changes are made to how we run buses, it is vital that we hear from the public, businesses and a range of organisations about what they think of our proposals to take back control of our buses.
“We want as many people as possible to have their say so we can decide the best way forward to a better-connected region that works for everyone who lives and works here. We will listen and consider all opinions before a final decision is made on the future of how bus services are operated.”
There will also be a series of public information drop-in events across the county, and the deadline to respond to the consultation is 23.59hrs on 15 January 2025. A final decision is expected to be made on the future of South Yorkshire’s buses in spring 2025.
South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard said: “Today, we’re taking a big step towards fixing public transport in South Yorkshire as we consider going back to the future. When I was a kid, we had a world-class bus network in South Yorkshire, 2p fares, reliable services and routes that ran right across the region. But after changes were made to how bus networks were managed in the 1980s, we’ve seen our buses go into a spiral of decline. Fewer people get the bus, so services get worse, so fewer people get the bus.
“Buses are a lifeline to opportunity and without a proper bus network, all too many people can’t get to work, to the doctor, to school, or just to see friends and family. So today I’m really pleased that together with the leaders of South Yorkshire’s councils, we’ve agreed to move towards the next phase of the franchising process.
“We’ve already carried out an assessment of the options for changing how our buses are run. That work has determined that if we want to get back to reliable, frequent and more comprehensive services, then public control through a so-called ‘franchised’ model is the best way forward.
“The leaders of South Yorkshire’s Councils and I agree, so we’re now moving towards the next phase of the franchising process.”
