MAYOR LEADS COMMUNITY FIGHT FOR A FAIR DEAL ON PUBLIC TRANSPORT
Published 16 August 2023 at 12:00pm
South Yorkshire’s Mayor, Oliver Coppard, is inviting the South Yorkshire community to join his fight for a fair public transport deal, at a roadshow of public meetings taking place across the region.
South Yorkshire’s Mayor will be talking to people across South Yorkshire about how Government bus cuts and rising fares are impacting communities as he continues his fight to ensure South Yorkshire gets a public transport service that works for everyone, is fit for purpose, and takes people to where they need to go.
The roadshow is being launched in the first public meeting on Monday 21st August at Sheffield Hallam University Charles St Building, 133 Charles St, Sheffield City Centre, Sheffield - S1 2ND at 10am. Further events are then taking place throughout the week in some of the communities that have been hardest hit by service cuts and transport connectivity issues:
Monday 21st at 6pm – St John’s Community Centre, Church Street, Penistone – S36 6AR
Tuesday 22nd at 6pm – Auckley Parish Centre St Saviours Church, Main St, Auckley, Doncaster – DN9 3HW
Wednesday 23rd at 6pm – The Consort Hotel, Brampton Rd, Thurcroft, Rotherham – S66 9JA
Further events throughout October and November will be announced over the coming weeks at southyorkshire-ca.gov.uk/fairdeal.
South Yorkshire Mayor, Oliver Coppard, said: “I am not just sorry we are in this position, I’m angry. I’m angry that we have seen South Yorkshire’s bus services get a fraction of the funding given to other places across our country. And while the government promised us levelling-up, in reality the bus network in our region is broken.
“Right now, the way our public transport system operates in South Yorkshire is broken.
“I’m doing everything I can to get the government to give us a fair funding deal, because bus services are vital. Not just for our economy, or so we can see our families, get to school or to work, but as a means of allowing people to access opportunity wherever it might be. That is even more true when we are facing a climate crisis.
“For the last forty years, we have seen services get worse across our region. As fewer people get the bus, and bus companies cut more services, we are forced to step-in and pay for more and more services, and to stop some vital cheaper fares because the government have again cut the money for South Yorkshire’s buses.
“I am determined to fight these cuts, so we can have the public transport system we need and deserve. I am holding these meetings to explain in more detail why we’re in this position and what we can do about it. If you would like to add your voice to our campaign for a fair funding deal for public transport in South Yorkshire, please join me.”
Come and discuss the important issues around public transport in South Yorkshire with Mayor Oliver Coppard at these meetings. You can register for a place at the meeting at Sheffield Hallam University and find out more about the further meetings that are taking place across South Yorkshire at southyorkshire-ca.gov.uk/fairdeal.
NOTES TO EDITORS
Press enquiries:
Email: press.enquiries@southyorkshire-CA.gov.uk
Media are invited to attend Mayor Oliver Coppard’s community meeting on Monday 21 August, 10am, at Sheffield Hallam University Charles St Building, 133 Charles St, Sheffield City Centre, Sheffield - S1 2ND. Interviews are available on request. Please register your attendance by 9am on Monday 21st August at press.enquiries@southyorkshire-CA.gov.uk
South Yorkshire and regions like it were promised a ‘London-style transport network’ by 2030 by the government. In 2022 Government committed over £1bn to Bus Service Improvement Plans (BSIP). South Yorkshire was, however, the only Mayoral Combined Authority that was not awarded funding. Greater Manchester received c. £95m, West Midlands £88m, and West Yorkshire c.£70m.
This level of funding is nowhere near sufficient to protect all services and fare discounts. To try and close the gap, South Yorkshire will take c. £11m from reserves, savings, and locally generated resource to protect as many services as possible.
Since October 2022, South Yorkshire has seen a 15% network loss based on trips. Bus services in the last 10 years have fallen from 588 services to 338 services. That equates to 9.3 million miles of the region’s bus services lost.
At the Mayoral Combined Authority board meeting on 31st July 2023, the mayor and local leaders voted to remove the Zoom Beyond 18-21 concession for bus passengers, effective from November.
From the 1st November, the child concessionary fares will rise from 80p per trip to £1 per trip on bus and tram and the Zoom Beyond concessionary pass will be removed. Child fares are for those under 18 and the Zoom Beyond pass is for 18-21 year olds.
Mayor Oliver Coppard has written to communities across the region to discuss what mitigations can be put in place to reduce the impact.
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Last Updated: 16/08/2023
Published In: Transport, Mayor, Featured
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