Move to get more people on buses

South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive (SYPTE) is responsible for overseeing the delivery of all train, bus and tram travel across the county and marketing it effectively.

But recent figures show that the number of people using cars has been steadily rising for years, while the numbers of those taking the bus, even in the most urban areas, has declined.

In an attempt to reverse that, SYPTE has designed a new bus network for Sheffield and Rotherham which it says "provides new links and improved frequencies in many areas".

Customer services officers said yesterday that the proposed new network would be complemented by the introduction of a fleet of new, environmentally friendly buses.

It is also hoped that a simplified fares system could be introduced, which offers discounts when paying by smartcard, and real-time information is planned for busy bus stops.

David Young, SYPTE director of customer experience, said: "We believe these proposals are achievable and would make a real difference to the quality of bus services in south Rotherham and Sheffield.

"But we want to know what people think about our proposals, so that we can make them as responsive to their needs as possible. We hope people will take the time to take a look at what we are proposing and to give us their views about our plans."

Officers of SYPTE will be holding 18 public consultation exhibitions across affected areas in July including dates at Sheffield's Meadowhall and Crystal Peaks shopping centres and in All Saints Square, Rotherham.

It has been promised that any necessary changes to routes or frequencies will be reduced to once each year and will be agreed through a process of consultation with bus users.

SYPTE officers said they had been working for some time to develop the plans and said they believed their ideas would "build confidence in the bus network, improve passenger satisfaction levels and contribute to a better quality of life".

Officers said the purpose of the July meetings were to explain the proposals to the public and ask for their opinions.

SYPTE will then aim to talk to bus operators, councils and other interested parties including local businesses about the way in which it can deliver its package of improvements.

The Sheffield and Rotherham project follows the announcement of a "bus vision" for Doncaster last year, which the SYPTE said it had drawn up in response to criticism of bus services in the town.

Action was sparked after huge amounts of public money were spent in and around the town on bus infrastructure, including a 250m project to build the new town centre Frenchgate interchange.

The controversial A638 quality bus corridor, which links park and ride sites at Woodlands in the north and Rossington in the south cost 15m, and further work on an east-west route is planned.

Public transport planners believe that to get the best value from these schemes, more people must be encouraged to use buses, and something must be done about quality of services.

Members of the public can look at the SYPTE proposals for Rotherham and Sheffield in more detail by logging onto the website www.busvision.co.uk

Those interested can either email their views to [email protected] or they can call freephone 0800 028 8141 or write to Freepost Bus Vision. No stamp is required.

Details of the 18 public consultation sessions are available on the website or by calling SYPTE. All responses to proposals must be received by September 3.