Seven-step plan solution to be outlined for tackling county’s ‘broken’ bus system

POLITICIANS AND transport bosses will outline a seven-step plan in order to finally alleviate South Yorkshire’s ‘‘broken’’ bus system.

Council leaders and Sheffield City Region (SCR) mayor Dan Jarvis will lay out short-term steps in the coming months to attempt to make bus services better.

The seven-point plan will start with integrating South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive (SYPTE) into the SCR.

Mr Jarvis has previously said the body is “no longer fit for purpose” and its operations were “more about the executive than the passenger”.

SCR bosses will then undertake a full analysis of the South Yorkshire bus network to ensure buses run where people want them to go.

This will take a so-called ‘‘bottom up’’ approach focusing on each area of South Yorkshire and the need for integrated routes across the county. Analysis will look at volume, timings, amount of passengers and speed of journey.

Quality analysis will come next and transport chiefs will look to identify the investment required to improve the quality of service and experience for passengers.

Bosses are also looking at a potential overhaul of the pricing system across the county.

Consideration will be given to the cost of using the region’s bus services and developing a new pricing and ticketing framework to drive up passenger numbers and make it ‘‘affordable, flexible and attractive’’. This will include a review of concessions to ensure they meet passenger needs.

Chloe Shepherd, senior programme manager for transport at SCR, said: “It is recognised that there is a need for real change to happen as soon as possible to meet the expectations of passengers.”

Work will begin now on the seven-point plan and Mr Jarvis will receive a report outlining the proposed approach to integrating SYPTE within the MCA in September.