Victory after demonstration as bus service to return to ‘cut-off’ community

Bus users held a demonstration outside Barnsley Interchange on January 24 to call on Stagecoach to reinstate the 43 and 44 services, which they say have left Kingstone residents with no choice but to use taxis or rely on friends and family to get to town.

The bus company says that the number of customers using the service had fallen, whilst costs increased – meaning the costs of running the route were no longer being met.

However, a new bus route has been proposed to run between Barnsley and Woodland Drive, along Racecommon Road and Broadway, Mondays to Fridays hourly between 10am and 1pm.

The new 33 service will be provided by South Pennine Community Transport, and funded via the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority.

The service will run from April 2024.

Councillor Chris Wray, the Lib Dem councillor for Dodworth, said he was ‘over the moon’ that a new service is being introduced.

“Following the extremely successful group, led by Ronnie Steele, and good communication between SYMCA, the group, and local councillors, I’m over the moon that Woodland Drive and Broadway will get a bus back,” he said.

“I can’t thank SYMCA enough for working with residents and representatives to make this happen. I look forward to productive meetings regarding other underserved areas, such as around Brookdale Heights in Gilroyd.”

South Yorkshire’s mayor Oliver Coppard said: “Our communities both need and deserve better buses.

“Where we have the money we can step in and support services, but we’re stuck in a system that simply doesn’t allow us to create the sort of bus network that I would want, and I know our communities want.

“So I’m pleased we’ve been able to help out here, but if we’re really going to make a difference long-term we need a fair funding deal from government, and we need the private sector operators to match our commitment to listening to bus users, and making change happen.”

Matt Kitchin, Stagecoach Yorkshire managing director, said: “The mayor has highlighted that South Yorkshire needs a fair funding deal and we supportthat ask.

“Many bus routes are already publicly controlled by local authorities.

“Regardless of whether the whole network is franchised or not there are only two ways to fund a bus network – the fare box and government funding from taxation.

“With a decline in patronage since the pandemic and a substantial increase in costs then bus networks require a fair funding deal from government to retain coverage regardless of who manages the network.

“We also support the mayor’s call for an effective bus service. The biggest barrier to effective bus networks comes from delays on the highways and to deliver better buses that we all want, we need local authorities to improve highways management through effective control of road works and highways infrastructure, tackle illegal parking and prioritising buses so passengers can get to their destinations on time.”

Residents can comment on plans for the new service on Travel South Yorkshire’s website