First parts of West Yorkshire to benefit from bus franchising are revealed
West Leeds and Kirklees are likely to be the first areas to benefit from bus franchising in 2027, Tracy Brabin has said.
The West Yorkshire Mayor is bringing bus services back under public control, and she will soon be able to set routes and timetables, as well as fares.
Currently, bus services in the region are largely deregulated, with commercial operators deciding their own routes and timetables and retaining control over their revenue and profits.
This has seen Arriva West Yorkshire - which came last out of 55 operators in a survey of passengers in 2024 - axe and reduce a number of routes across the region, particularly around Wakefield.
At a meeting of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) today, Ms Brabin and other regional leaders discussed the latest progress towards bus franchising, including details of how contracts will be awarded.
It was revealed that west Leeds and Kirklees, which has borne the brunt of Arriva’s cuts, are likely to be the pilot areas in 2027, with contract procurement taking place in October.
The rest of the network in West Yorkshire will be taken into public control in 2028.
Ms Brabin said: “It's fantastic to see the progress we're making to take back control of our region's buses.
"Franchising will be a vital part of our Weaver Network which will offer seamless travel for passengers across bus, train, tram and walking and cycling routes.
"There is still plenty to do, but we are well on our way to launching the first franchised bus services by 2027, and a wholly publicly-run network the following year."
West Yorkshire is set to be split into nine zones for the bus contracts.
Companies will be able to bid for both large and small contract bundles, aimed at encouraging competition within the sector and allowing smaller operators to grow.
Bradford Council leader and chair of the WYCA Transport Committee Coun Susan Hinchcliffe said: “For too long, bus passengers in West Yorkshire have suffered from unreliable services and cancellations – and that is just for the routes that haven’t been cut completely.
“A franchised network will allow us to run buses in the interests of the people who use them.
“It's important to give the public a clear picture of how franchising will work, at the same time as giving assurances to us as WYCA members, and helping to build excitement about the future of bus travel for our region.”