'Why fixing our broken bus system is one of my top priorities'
Fixing our broken bus system is one of my top priorities says David Skaith, Mayor of York and North Yorkshire
LET'S not sugar coat it: our bus system isn't working – and it hasn't for a long time.
Across York and North Yorkshire, people tell me the same thing: they want to use the bus, but it's too unreliable, too infrequent, or simply doesn't turn up. If you live in a rural village, a coastal town, or even some of our suburbs, chances are the bus is no longer a realistic option. In North Yorkshire, the number of miles driven by local buses has dropped by more than 50 per cent since 2010 – the worst fall anywhere in the North.
This isn't just a transport issue. It's a quality-of-life issue. It affects how people get to work, to school, to hospital appointments – or how they see friends and family. It cuts people off from opportunity, and it hits the most isolated the hardest.
That's why I've made buses a top priority as Mayor. They are the backbone of our public transport system – more flexible than trains, more affordable than cars, and absolutely essential for many of our residents.
We're developing a new Local Transport Plan to tackle the decline and set out a better future – but we're also acting now. I've brought bus operators together to improve what passengers experience today: simpler ticketing, safer journeys, and better connections between our park and ride hubs in York.
And now, we've taken an important step forward.
The passage of the Bus Services Bill at its second reading in Parliament this week is fantastic news for our communities. This Bill moves regions like ours one step closer to the powers we've long needed – enabling us to take greater control of our bus services, plan them around local needs, and ensure they deliver for passengers, not just shareholders. It also removes the outdated ban on publicly owned bus companies, giving us more options to build a system that works.
We're exploring all options for York and North Yorkshire. If a franchised network is right for our region, it would give us more control over routes, fares and timetables, and the power to create an affordable, integrated transport network that actually gets people where they need to be, when they need to be there. For example, allowing us to better connect bus and rail services for smoother connections.
We would also be able to set consistent high standards, such as improved bus fleets – low or zero emission vehicles that offer passengers charging facilities, audio and visual announcements, and more space for wheelchairs and pushchairs.
One area I'm especially focused on is cross-border travel. Roads don't stop at regional boundaries, and too many people are let down when services don't connect across council borders. That's bad for everyday life – and bad for our regional economy.
That's why I signed the White Rose Agreement with the Mayors of West and South Yorkshire earlier this year. We're working together to connect services across borders – with shared timetables, common standards, and a joined-up approach that puts passengers first. Hull and East Yorkshire are also set to join us, because they face the same issues and want to be part of the solution.
This is what proper public transport should look like – simple, joined-up, and focused on the people who use it. Whether you live in York or Yeadon, Wigginton or Wakefield, Selby or Sheffield, you should be able to get where you need to go without relying on a car – and without stress.
Without public transport that works, we can't achieve any of our ambitions for the region: we'd be building homes that leave people stranded, creating jobs that people can't access, and excluding our children and young people – and anyone who doesn't drive – from education and training opportunities.
Transport is responsible for nearly a third – 31 per cent – of harmful carbon emissions in York and North Yorkshire, and that's partly because unreliable and infrequent public transport leaves people with no option other than to drive. A bus system that works will offer a genuine alternative to using the car, helping to reduce carbon emissions and meaning we can all live in less polluted and healthier communities.
Of course, buses aren't the whole picture. We need better rail connections, safe walking, wheeling and cycling routes, and well-maintained roads. I'm working on those too – but buses are the fastest, most direct way to reconnect our communities and get people moving again.
The system has been broken for too long. Now we've got a chance to fix it and I intend to make sure we do.
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