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

Plans to make South Yorkshire's buses work for people, not profit, have fallen by the wayside. It’s time our leaders put a foot on the accelerator!

On Thursday, Barnsley Council has the opportunity to do just that by passing our 'better buses' motion calling on the Mayor to take faster action to bring your buses into public control.

Last week, Sheffield Council backed the motion but they can't win this change on their own.

Email the leaders of Barnsley Council to demand public control is at the top of the agenda!

Cllr Stephen Houghton, Council Leader

Cllr Jim Andrews, Deputy Council Leader

Cllr Sharon Howard, Cabinet Spokesperson without Portfolio

Cllr Alan Gardiner, Cabinet Member for Core Services

Cllr Jenny Platts, Adults and Communities Spokesperson

Cllr Trevor Cave, Children's Services Spokesperson

Cllr Chris Lamb, Environment and Transportation Spokesperson

Cllr Tim Cheetham, Regeneration and Culture Spokesperson

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Subject

On Thursday, Barnsley Council will vote on the ‘Better Buses for Barnsley’ motion drafted by local passengers. I am writing to ask you to vote for the motion in full and to encourage the rest of the Labour Group to do the same.
As you know, handing control of our buses over to private companies has been a disaster, isolating my community and <a href="https://inews.co.uk/news/politics/levelling-up-transport-jobs-red-wall-tory-mps-1238491?fbclid=IwAR0g1fDzt8n7MQ51xpG7wtCVEd1FV1v8mCkxf08sHbNCwVZPFITg9Ao5jJA">cutting local people off from the jobs they deserve</a>.
Bringing buses into public control is a popular policy and is being adopted across the North, with the <a href="https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/live-andy-burnham-announces-decision-20254276">support of business</a>, <a href="https://www.centreforcities.org/reader/get-on-board/">think tanks</a> and <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2021/jul/19/uk-bus-privatisation-has-caused-poverty-and-job-losses-says-un">human rights lawyers</a>. Indeed, it formed part of Dan Jarvis’ manifesto to become South Yorkshire Mayor.
That’s why I was delighted that the Mayor’s Bus Review, published last year, recommended that work towards bringing South Yorkshire buses into public control “begin immediately” with a deadline to make a decision set for June 2023.
However, nearly 18 months have passed since the report's release and the work has not yet started. I am concerned that we are running out of time to deliver on the report’s recommendations.
I feel there is a great urgency for bring the local bus network into public control. We are in the middle of a climate crisis, but a third of our emissions come from cars while bus passenger numbers have more than halved under private control.
Furthermore, the decision to prioritise dividends over drivers has led bus companies into a driver shortage, causing massive unreliability and putting all of us, but especially women and girls, at risk when travelling at night.
While the South Yorkshire bus service improvement plan makes some positive steps, the link between driver shortages, unreliability and women’s safety is completely neglected. This is likely because the planned ‘enhanced partnership’ leaves decisions about driver pay and conditions in the hands of operators. I understand that the Labour Group in Barnsley has a policy of voting down or amending motions introduced by other groups but this issue goes beyond party politics.
If you will not encourage your colleagues to vote for the motion, I ask that you make this a free vote so councillors can vote as they see fit.
I want our town to be a leading member of the South Yorkshire region: one that stands up for the needs of residents, even when the Mayor has different priorities.
Last Thursday, Sheffield City Council <a href="https://nowthenmagazine.com/articles/council-urges-mayor-to-consider-public-control-of-buses">did just that</a> when it passed the recommendations of the ‘better buses’ motion.
I hope you will take this opportunity to make Barnsley a leading partner in South Yorkshire, to deliver on the recommendations of the bus review, and to make buses work for local people.
Please vote for the ‘better buses’ motion and encourage your colleagues to do the same. 
Thank you very much for your time.

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