Back Our Buses: The Star demands funding for Sheffield’s buses as Oliver Coppard fights for South Yorkshire

"I’m glad I’m privileged to have a car," "Shocking," "No longer fit for purpose."

These are just some of the responses we received from our readers when we asked them what they thought about Sheffield’s bus services.

But the truth is, the bus services in South Yorkshire have been repeatedly neglected by the Government.

A national scheme to improve bus services in 2022 saw West Midlands Combined Authority given the equivalent of £30 per head in funding over three years. Greater Manchester CA was given £33 per head over three years. West Yorkshire CA was given £34 per head over three years.

But the Government deemed South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority was only worth £4.50 per head over two years.

Today, The Star, in partnership with South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard, is putting a stop to the continuous overlooking of our authority, and calling on the Government to give us a fair deal of revenue funding for Sheffield and the whole of the county.

Mr Coppard said: "I grew up in South Yorkshire, and I remember a world-class bus network. But it has been a slow puncture since their privatisation to today. Now what we have got is buses that are on average infrequent and unreliable - and yet the Government gives us less money.

"Buses used to be the first choice, but now the vast majority use them because they have no other option, and when that doesn’t work it’s even more frustrating and debilitating. It is a lifeline for all too many communities, and we want public transport working efficiently.

"This is something we can fix, and that’s what we need more revenue funding from the government to do."

Here at the Sheffield Star, we are regularly approached by members of the public who have been let down by the so-called 'public' transport system. Many have been left struggling to navigate their lives around unreliable, infrequent, and at times, non-existent, bus services.

This combined with poor connectivity has become a barrier to employment, education, medical appointments and socialisation. And if the £2 bus fare is already too expensive for you, it’s likely going to rise later this year when Mr Coppard’s fare cap expires without any Government support.

These issues have been blamed on a number of different factors by transport firms and politicians, including a shortage of bus drivers, 'commercially unsustainable' bus services, lack of accountability of operators, and most of all - insufficient funding from the Government.

While these issues are complex to fix, working together to secure better funding is the first step to improving services. 

As well as calling on the Department of Transport for support, our campaign is asking for a round-table with Transport Secretary Mark Harper, MPs, the city council, and representatives from bus firms to negotiate a better service for our city and South Yorkshire.

A DfT spokesperson said:  “South Yorkshire has been allocated more than half a billion pounds over five years to improve local transport, with almost one and a half billion pounds to follow from 2027, including an extra £543m from reallocated HS2 funding. Reallocated HS2 funding has also already provided an extra £7.8m for South Yorkshire specifically to improve bus services, with more to come as part of a long-term plan to improve bus services across the North and Midlands.

“This comes on top of the Government’s £300m package to protect bus routes into 2025, and nearly £600m spent to single cap bus fares at £2 until the end of 2024."

Do you have a story about Sheffield buses? Please share your story if you are 18 or over, anonymously if you wish. Email: [email protected] with your name, phone number and a summary of your experience.