Latest news with #Brabin
BBC News
24-07-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Plans to axe six West Yorkshire school bus routes moves ahead
Plans to axe six school bus routes in West Yorkshire have been confirmed, prompting criticism from councillors. West Yorkshire Combined Authority said last week it was considering cutting three buses in Bradford, one in Calderdale and two in Leeds from September each case, the authority said there were either alternate public transport services available, or that most children would be able to walk or cycle to a meeting on Thursday, members of the Combined Authority voted to approve the cuts but said they would "engage with affected schools to plan for proposed changes to services". The proposals came after a review of the school routes the authority subsidises, with West Yorkshire mayor Tracy Brabin stating: "As we look to improve transport across West Yorkshire, we want to ensure services are equitable for all."Leeds Lib Dem councillor Stewart Golton said: "The primary driver behind this is presented as it being an issue of equity – that some parts are getting more than others."I believe instead of negotiating down, we should try to life everyone up to an equal benefit."According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Brabin said the planned franchised bus service – the Weaver Network - would improve buses across the board when it is introduced in 2027 and "connect young people to places they have never been connected to before". The services facing the axe include: B50 Eldwick to Beckfoot SchoolB99 Bradford city centre to Appleton AcademyS64 Baildon to Titus Salt School or S66 Baildon Primary to Titus Salt SchoolC6 Crossley Heath GrammarS62 Cockburn SchoolSM25 Ilkley to St Mary's MenstonThe WYCA has previously said it currently has arrangements in place for 328 buses carrying up to 20,000 pupils per day at a cost of £18.99m a year, of which 45% is funded by the combined remaining costs are funded by income from fares, council's across West Yorkshire and schools. 'Attacking choice' Tim Taylor, director of transport services, said Leeds and Bradford currently received higher subsidies for school buses than areas like Lamb, a Conservative councillor representing Wetherby, described the cuts as "an attack on choice".Pointing out that the authority had said some families would be able to walk and cycle to school if the routes were cut, he said: "If walking and cycling was the best option for children they'd already be doing it."It is not for this authority to make that decision for them."Ms Brabin acknowledged the changes could prove "stressful" but said the WYCA would work with schools between now and September 2026 to mitigate the changes. Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Mayor calls for tougher crossbow laws
The mayor of West Yorkshire has said she supports calls for tougher rules around the sale of crossbows following an attack in Leeds. Labour's Tracy Brabin has been answering questions on Message the Mayor on BBC Radio Leeds. She also spoke about the local election results and a recent Supreme Court ruling that legally the term "woman" means a biological woman. Read our takeaways from the show below or listen to the full interview here. [BBC] 'Shocked and appalled' at crossbow attack "I'm absolutely shocked and appalled that someone would take it upon themselves to attack two women," Brabin said. "Obviously he was unwell himself and he's lost his life as well. But I would want to reassure members of the public that this was an isolated incident." Brabin praised the police for how they responded to a recent attack on two women in Headingley, and said the investigation was continuing. [BBC] [BBC] 'Clarify' plan for new crossbow laws "It's quite easy to purchase one. We need to clampdown on that. "Let's work together to clarify where government are, to make the case, press for clarity on when we are going to hear." Following the Headingley attack, the government said it was committed to bringing in tougher rules on the sale of crossbows, but the mayor said creating new laws would take time. Currently, it is legal to buy and own crossbows under certain circumstances. [BBC] [BBC] Clearer legal position on trans women "Legally we now understand what the position is. My role as mayor is to lead an organisation that is fully inclusive and nothing has changed from where I sit. "But we also now have a legal clarity and understanding particularly around shared spaces, toilets, in my organisation. And I am looking forward to further guidance coming out." Brabin was asked for her reaction to last month's Supreme Court ruling stating that the term "woman" means a biological woman. [BBC] [BBC] 'Different' to work with Reform UK mayors "Its going to be different. I've always said being a mayor is place over politics. So I really hope they want to work with us as a group of mayors. "I would suggest being a mayor is not about party political campaigning its about delivery." Reform UK won two northern mayoral elections, in Greater Lincolnshire and Hull and East Yorkshire, on 1 May 2025.
BBC News
01-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Funding boost expected for delayed Leeds White Rose rail station
Extra funds are expected to be ploughed into the construction of a delayed railway station project, meaning it could finally be completed almost three years later than White Rose Station scheme, between Cottingley and Morley, near Leeds, is about 70% finished, but its entire £26.5m budget has been on the new station, which was originally due to open in 2024, was halted in the same year due to rising of West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) are expected to agree extra cash for the scheme, the sum yet to be disclosed, at a meeting next week, which could see the new station opened by January 2027. According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, a report to members of WYCA stated that £22m of investment had so far come from the combined authority, with landowner Munroe K, the operator of the White Rose Park, providing £ report said: "Construction has been assessed as approximately 70% complete. The current project spend is £26.5m."Therefore, 100% of funding allocated to this project is now spent." 'Catalyst for regeneration' The report also warned of the potential impact further delays to the construction of the White Rose Station would have on the separate TransPennine Route Upgrade (TRU), designed to provide better rail links between towns and cities in the north of England."It is understood that the current status of the station and the potential timescales associated with project completion represent a significant risk to the TRU scheme in the area of Cottingley Station," the report ensuring the White Rose Station was open by 2027 "would mitigate any impacts on the TRU operational timescale", it Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin said: "I want to see the station open to passengers as soon as possible as it will improve connectivity to South Leeds, attract significant investment and act as a catalyst for the area's regeneration."Ms Brabin said if the extra funding for the scheme was agreed, it would "represent a major step towards resuming construction as we work with both the Department for Transport and Network Rail to confirm funding and put in place a delivery partnership".Members of WYCA are expected to discuss the White Rose Station scheme and the next steps at a meeting on Thursday 8 May. Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Yahoo
Parents urged to help shape future of school buses
Parents and carers are being asked to share their views on the future of school bus services. At present, support for school buses varies across West Yorkshire's five local authorities. The West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) is running a public consultation until 11 June, with any changes set to come into force from September 2026. Mayor Tracy Brabin urged parents, schools and students to take part in a bid to develop a "new region-wide travel-to-school strategy that best serves West Yorkshire". The WYCA has arrangements in place for about 328 buses which carry on average up to 20,000 pupils per day. This includes 28 services that carry about 1,000 children to primary schools, the majority of which were introduced under the government-backed Mybus scheme. These costs typically increase year on year, having risen from £15.96m in 2022/23 to £16.50m in 2023/24 and £18.99m in 2024/25. In February, two school bus services which faced being scrapped as part of Bradford Council's efforts to cut costs were given funding to keep them running well into 2026. Bradford Council had proposed ending the routes to Bingley Grammar School and St Bede's and St Joseph's Catholic College in September in a bid to save about £500,000 a year. But following criticism from parents, the council and the WYCA confirmed they would continue to fund the services until "at least the summer of 2026". School bus services in West Yorkshire were last reviewed by the WYCA Transport Committee in July 2019. Since then, the WYCA said there had been "significant change", including the impact of Covid-19 on the bus network and the decision taken in March 2024 by Brabin to implement bus franchising across the region. The programme for the implementation of bus franchising will see the first bus services through this new operating model start at the end of March 2027. This will include school bus services, and the contracts for delivery of the first phase of services will be issued for operators to bid against in October 2025. Transport Committee chair Susan Hinchcliffe said: "The region's school bus policy is currently a mix of various agreements with different council areas – the result has been that parts of our region have differing levels of support from the Combined Authority. "That is why it is important to create a new school bus strategy for the whole of West Yorkshire, which will help us with our plans to create a better-connected region." Brabin said: "It is vital for us to make sure our children and young people have safe, secure and prompt routes to and from school. "That is why I am urging as many parents, students and schools as possible to get in touch and take part in the consultation when it starts at the end of April – so we can create a new, region-wide travel to school strategy that best serves West Yorkshire." Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North. Council U-turn on scrapping school bus services School buses could be swapped for train travel West Yorkshire Combined Authority
BBC News
23-04-2025
- BBC News
West Yorkshire parents urged to help shape future of school buses
Parents and carers are being asked to share their views on the future of school bus present, support for school buses varies across West Yorkshire's five local West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) is running a public consultation until 11 June, with any changes set to come into force from September Tracy Brabin urged parents, schools and students to take part in a bid to develop a "new region-wide travel-to-school strategy that best serves West Yorkshire". The WYCA has arrangements in place for about 328 buses which carry on average up to 20,000 pupils per includes 28 services that carry about 1,000 children to primary schools, the majority of which were introduced under the government-backed Mybus costs typically increase year on year, having risen from £15.96m in 2022/23 to £16.50m in 2023/24 and £18.99m in 2024/25. In February, two school bus services which faced being scrapped as part of Bradford Council's efforts to cut costs were given funding to keep them running well into Council had proposed ending the routes to Bingley Grammar School and St Bede's and St Joseph's Catholic College in September in a bid to save about £500,000 a following criticism from parents, the council and the WYCA confirmed they would continue to fund the services until "at least the summer of 2026". School bus services in West Yorkshire were last reviewed by the WYCA Transport Committee in July 2019. Since then, the WYCA said there had been "significant change", including the impact of Covid-19 on the bus network and the decision taken in March 2024 by Brabin to implement bus franchising across the programme for the implementation of bus franchising will see the first bus services through this new operating model start at the end of March 2027. This will include school bus services, and the contracts for delivery of the first phase of services will be issued for operators to bid against in October 2025. 'Better-connected region' Transport Committee chair Susan Hinchcliffe said: "The region's school bus policy is currently a mix of various agreements with different council areas – the result has been that parts of our region have differing levels of support from the Combined Authority."That is why it is important to create a new school bus strategy for the whole of West Yorkshire, which will help us with our plans to create a better-connected region."Brabin said: "It is vital for us to make sure our children and young people have safe, secure and prompt routes to and from school."That is why I am urging as many parents, students and schools as possible to get in touch and take part in the consultation when it starts at the end of April – so we can create a new, region-wide travel to school strategy that best serves West Yorkshire." Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
