THE SEARCH IS ON: SOUTH YORKSHIRE SEEKS BUS OPERATORS WHO WILL RUN ITS FRANCHISED NETWORK FROM SEPTEMBER 2027 

Published 2 April 2026 at 1:20pm

• Operators invited to help deliver the region’s new ‘People’s Network’ 
• First contracts to cover Doncaster and Sheffield from September 2027
• Follows depot acquisition and £33.4m zero-emission bus funding boost

South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) has launched the first stage of procurement for franchised bus services, opening its Procurement Specific Questionnaire (PSQ) / Invitation to Participate (ITP) to operators. 

The PSQ marks a significant milestone in South Yorkshire's journey towards bus franchising with Phase 1 services due to begin in September 2027 and follows a period of rapid progress for South Yorkshire’s franchising programme.  

The acquisition of six strategic bus depots from existing operators was completed earlier this month, bringing them into public ownership 17 months ahead of franchised services beginning. The Authority also recently secured £33.4m of Government funding to support the introduction of 187 electric buses at Olive Grove in Sheffield, supporting full electrification of the depot and accelerating the region's transition to a zero-emission fleet.  

Matt Goggins, Director of Bus Franchising: 

“This next phase of procurement is where things start to become real. It’s about turning what people have told us into something deliverable, and doing that in a way that’s open, collaborative and rooted in South Yorkshire. 

“Public control means we can make decisions locally, but importantly we’re doing that in partnership with others. We’ve worked closely with operators to shape the contracts we are tendering for, so this isn’t something that’s happening at arm’s length, it’s been informed by the people who understand what works on the ground. 

“At its core, this is about building a better network for the people who rely on it every day and making sure the investment we’re making delivers real value for communities across South Yorkshire.” 

The procurement process, which will take part in two phases, has been developed in collaboration with almost 30 operators which took part in two engagement sessions. 

Phase 1 of the procurement programme will be delivered through two contract lots: 

• Lot 1: Services operating from the Leger Way depot in Doncaster
• Lot 2: Services operating from the Olive Grove depot in Sheffield

To ensure a fair and competitive process, operators will be eligible to win a maximum of one lot. 

Looking ahead, the programme will continue with Phases 2 and 3, which are scheduled to commence in 2028 and 2029 respectively. These phases will include a wider range of contract opportunities, including packages specifically designed to support and encourage participation from smaller operators. 

More than 3,000 comments from passengers and communities have recently helped shape the specification for the region's new buses, with interior decisions including seating, flooring and accessibility features all informed by public input. SYMCA is currently out to market for the manufacturers who will build the new buses which will carry the new People's Network brand, unveiled earlier this year. 

For more information visit: South Yorkshire Bus Franchising Phase One - Find a Tender.