ASSESSMENT OF A PROPOSED BUS FRANCHISING SCHEME IN SOUTH YORKSHIRE AUTHORISED

Published 23 March 2022 at 4:34pm

South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) has authorised the assessment of a proposed bus franchising scheme in South Yorkshire.

The notice of intention, confirmed on 4 March 2022, sets in motion the legally-required work to see whether a franchising model – which would bring regulation of routes, frequencies, fares, and tickets under local control – could help efforts to transform the region’s transport.

Read the Notice of Intention to Prepare an Assessment of a Proposed Bus Franchising Scheme for South Yorkshire(PDF, 100KB)

Under a franchising scheme, accountability for bus services would transfer from private operators to SYMCA.

The assessment of bus franchising follows the approval of a formal Enhanced Bus Partnership Schem(PDF 107KB), in response to the government’s National Bus Strategy (Bus Back Better), to deliver the region’s Bus Service Improvement Pla(PDF, 5MB).

The initial Enhanced Bus Partnership agreement between SYMCA and local bus operators will remain in place for an initial period of between 3 and 5 years, allowing progress to be made on bus improvements at the same time as the formal assessment of bus franchising is undertaken.