19/03/2025 - Bus franchising in South Yorkshire

“Getting the best for local people will always be my priority. Today, as part of the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) board, I joined the South Yorkshire Mayor and council leaders in agreeing to bring buses in South Yorkshire back under public control. The government has provided £350 million to SYMCA through the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement to make this happen.

"Bus Franchising for Barnsley and South Yorkshire will give us the control we need to shape our future transport network. It will enable us to design a bus network that works for local people, helping them get to where they need to be, with local decisions made on where buses run and when.

"In Barnsley, we’ve already started on the journey to making sure our people can have better access to bus services. Announced in our budget, we’re investing £5 million in a pilot scheme that provides free bus travel for under-18s living in Barnsley. This is us helping our children, young people and families access education, work, activities and extra learning opportunities while supporting families with the cost-of-living. We will work together with SYMCA and associated partners to ensure the best possible bus services for Barnsley.”