SOUTH YORKSHIRE’S MAYOR HAILS DECISION TO MOVE TO PUBLIC CONSULTATION ON BUS REFORM

Published 8 October 2024 at 1:00pm

South Yorkshire’s Mayor, Oliver Coppard, has hailed the decision to move forward to public consultation on bus franchising, in a process that could bring the region’s buses back under public control.

At the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) board meeting today (Tuesday 8 October), the Mayor and South Yorkshire leaders considered the independent review of the Bus Franchising Assessment and agreed to progress to a 12-week public consultation on the proposed franchising scheme.

Mayor Coppard has been committed to improving buses in South Yorkshire since his election, with feedback from over 30 public meetings on bus services across all four boroughs in South Yorkshire making clear that the current system is not working for them.

South Yorkshire’s 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.

“So now we need you to help us decide if that’s the right way forward, and if you want us to bring buses back under public control, like they were before the changes of the 1980s. From October 23rd we will be launching a public consultation so people can have their say on how buses should be run here. I will listen carefully and consider all options before making a final decision.”

After the decision by leaders today, a 12-week public consultation will run from Wednesday 23 October to Wednesday 15 January 2025, ensuring people are at the heart of the process, with local passengers, businesses and transport providers able to have their say.

Mayor Coppard will then listen to and consider all consultation responses before making a final decision.

More information on the public consultation will be released in due course with details on how you can get involved.