Tomorrow, Oliver Coppard is expected to approve plans to franchise Sheffield’s bus network, after declining services have left residents feeling “isolated”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In recent years the bus services in South Yorkshire have declined while fares have risen, leading to a growing number of people calling for the service to be publicly funded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Liberal Democrats Councillor Rob Reiss said residents in High Green have complained of an irregular and unreliable service which leaves them waiting for hours, sometimes even stranded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He said: “Even though it\u2019s a service that goes to High Green on paper, it stops at Chapeltown with no warning, stranding communities.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
High Green resident Frances Haigh said residents are sometimes left waiting in the cold for an hour and a half, and it has got so bad that some people avoid going into to town all together, leaving them isolated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At the moment, private companies such as First Bus and Stagecoach operate the buses across South Yorkshire but if the mayor decides to approve the franchising tomorrow, routes, timetables and fares could be set by the the South Yorkshire Combined Mayoral Authority (SYMCA) instead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The public consultation for the scheme showed “overwhelming support”, as it could mean that money from the more profitable routes is reinvested in more isolated areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Better Buses<\/a> campaign have argued that a lack of good, reliable public transport means the 26 percent of people who do not have access to a car cannot lead normal, predictable lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The meeting will take place at 11am tomorrow, and can be watched live here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n