Our Buses? Our Say!

I am writing to you to express my deep concern that the voices of local people and businesses are being sidelined in the conversation about the future of South Yorkshire’s buses. I call on you to meet your obligations under the National Bus Strategy and create a forum for bus users and other local people to contribute to the development of the Bus Service Improvement Plan, with enough time for our contribution to have a meaningful impact before the submission deadline on the 31st of October. In March, the Government released their National Bus Strategy requiring that all areas of England produce a Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) to highlight the changes local transport authorities would like to see for their bus network. The Government stated that “if a BSIP is to be effective, a forum should exist for the free and frank exchange of views, data and ideas from its members on how to improve bus services.” It also recommends that “bus user groups, representatives of disabled people, and local business groups” make up part of the forum. [National Bus Strategy: Bus Service Improvement Plans, p. 24] Currently no forum has been created, despite campaigners asking for clarification at the Sheffield City Region Combined Authority meeting on the 26th of July. The response of the Mayor simply referred to the public surveys conducted during the Bus Review, conducted well over a year ago, and the up-coming consultation on the Mayor’s proposed Enhanced Partnership. Neither of these consultations, past or future, are an appropriate replacement for the consultation required by the Government on the BSIP - consultation that remains elusive. This is particularly concerning as the deadline for submitting the BSIP (31st of October) is ticking ever closer. Labour Mayors in other regions are delivering the radical change their constituents deserve by starting to bring buses into public control. It seems that, once again, South Yorkshire is the poor relation, not even able to consult local people when told to by Government, let alone making sure their voices, not the whims of shareholders, are at the heart of decision-making. I ask you to meet the requirements of Government and produce a forum, including the groups mentioned above and other interested parties (e.g., unions, women’s safety groups, representatives of older people) to feed into the development of the Bus Service Improvement Plan. I call on you to announce the first date for the forum before the Transport Committee meeting next Thursday 2nd of September. If the BSIP requires the support of a full Combined Authority meeting, I also suggest that an extraordinary meeting is called for the last week of October to provide the forum with enough time to consider the questions at hand.

Can you make your voice heard for better buses in South Yorkshire?

We Own It will hold your data in accordance with our privacy policy and send you carefully chosen information about current and future campaigns, projects and appeals. You can unsubscribe at any time.