‘Big day’ for South Yorkshire as trams get back to public control for the first time in 27 years

Starting today, South Yorkshire’s tram system is no longer run by Stagecoach and this could result in massive changes in the region’s public transport system for the long term.

Part of the plan is to enhance user experience – to make it a positive experience after all those years of “lack of investment”, ask the public’s opinion on policy changes (a survey is already live asking about things like dogs on trams) and completely refurbish the trams by 2027 with a new fleet being rolled out by 2032.

The South Yorkshire mayor Oliver Coppard told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that this was an investment in the future.

He told the LDRS: “It’s a good day, as the billboard says behind me, it’s one small step for the tram but it’s a big step for our transport network, it’s a down payment on the future and what public transport should be in South Yorkshire which is ours – it’s controlled by us and gives us the opportunity to reinvest in the network, be ambitious with the network to provide better services for people.

“The tram network has always been owned by us, it was controlled by Stagecoach for 27 years. What we’re doing is taking back control today of the network which means we run services.

“Once we run the services, we’re able to make different choices about the future of the services. What we’re going to do is to listen to our communities and then rather than just thinking about how much money we can make the shareholders, it’s about how we can use the transport network to support our wider ambitions for the whole of South Yorkshire.”

However, he added part of this ambition is to better connect up the communities, support the nighttime economy in Sheffield or in Rotherham, finding out “how can we get bikes on trams, dare I say it, dogs on trams”.

“All of those options are back on the table”, he said.

He added the plan is to introduce “integrated ticketing” so you can use one ticket, one fare on buses and trams no matter where you are in South Yorkshire.

“That’s the difference public control makes”, Mr Coppard said.

However, he added it’s a long-term plan, and said “none of this is quick, none of this is easy”.

Cllr Tom Hunt, the leader of Sheffield City Council, said “today is a very big day for South Yorkshire”.

He said that the looming election and a potential change in government could result in Sheffield adding the new Transport Secretary (Sheffield Heeley MP Louise Haigh) for the country so local leaders will be able to work together and make and connect the city’s transport system better.

He told the LDRS that he welcomed the change as that decisions for too long “were taken by companies that are remote from us and remote from the people”.

Cllr Hunt added: “We’ve had to go to London to ask for investment to make things happen – now the power balancing is shifting and it means that local places are able to design and influence the services that they need”.

Louise Haigh MP, the Labour MP for Sheffield Heeley and the Shadow Transport Secretary, said “we finally have control and accountability over our tram network for the first time in 27 years”.

She said this means that every penny that is spent on fares can be reinvested in the network and deliver improved services for passengers.

Ms Haigh added: “Thirty-forty years ago Sheffield had a public transport network that people were incredibly proud of – it was really affordable. Since then we’ve seen a really steady decline, particularly in our bus network.”

She said people were in favour of public transport as they knew it was the way “to deliver better services and a proper network that works for the people”.

However, she also warned that change cannot happen overnight.

“This is the first step forward but it will take time to deliver the kind of public transport network that we expect to see”, she added.

It is reported that a 10 per cent discount on some tram-only fares for the first 100 days of operation had been introduced which would apply on 1, 5, 7 and 28-day adult and child tickets purchased onboard or through the new app.

Also, within the first 100 days of operation, all tram shelters and stops will be deep cleaned.