New hope for better buses in Rotherham

The board of South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority formally voted on Friday to begin the process of assessing whether the region should switch to a franchising system for buses.

The hope is this would take power back from bus companies and give councils more control over routes and fares, but South Yorkshire mayor said the model was not a “silver bullet” to solve all problems.

Matthew Topham, campaigner at Better Buses for South Yorkshire, said:

“This decision could be the start of something transformational”.

“Bringing buses into public control unlocks new opportunities for our services that are illegal with private companies in control.

“We can remove the complex and competing fares of the different companies.

“We can cross-subsidise quieter routes with the profits from busy corridors, and we can ensure that buses, trams, and trains all align.”

South Yorkshire mayor Dan Jarvis said: “The shortcomings of the current free-for-all bus system have become painfully clear to everyone in South Yorkshire, and we need to establish whether greater public control would deliver the transformation we are working to achieve.

“This assessment will let us test that case and create the foundation to move to franchising if it is confirmed.

“There are no silver bullets — most of all, there will still be an urgent need for more investment whatever we do.

“But I promised to make strengthening our buses a top priority — and by putting all the options on the table, that is exactly what we are doing.

“In the short term, we face serious and urgent challenges, with Covid adding to already-significant pressures on our buses.

“Now we need the Government to belatedly fulfil their own promise of transformative investment, so we can bring passengers back, build a bus network our people can be proud of.”

Under a franchising scheme, which could take years to introduce, accountability for bus services would transfer from private operators to SYMCA.

Rotherham council leader Cllr Chris Read, who is also co-chair of the MCA’s transport and environment board, said: “For too long when people have complained about bus services, there has been almost nothing councils could do — that must change.

“We’re determined to do all that we can to improve our bus services and I’m glad that we’ve now got to a position where we can formally begin the legal exploration of franchising, and taking on some of the new legal powers of regulation.

“This is only the beginning of the process and nowhere in the country outside London yet operates a franchising model.

“We’ve got to work our way through all the options, scope and cost over the next few years.

“In the meantime, we need the government to ensure services aren’t lost before passenger numbers have fully recovered from Covid.”

The assessment of bus franchising follows plans to develop an enhanced bus partnership — a legally binding agreement between SYMCA and local bus operators includes proposals for free travel for under-18s, capped fares for all passengers, bus priority measures to make journeys quicker, better journey planning information and zero emission buses.