SYMCA opens consultation on bus franchising

The South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) has opened a bus consultation that will assess the viability of taking back control of its buses through bus franchising.

Bus services in the region have been been deregulated since 1986, with private operators responsible for setting routes, timetables, service standards, fares and tickets and running services to make a profit.

Were SYMCA to take over operations, as a public body, it could reinvest any profit back into improving the system instead of paying dividends to shareholders and funding separate business initiatives. Equally, SYMCA would be responsible for any revenue shortfall should costs exceed the fares revenue.

Similar to the model pioneered in Manchester, under bus franchising private operators would bid for contracts to run bus services and be held to account for running a good quality, punctual and reliable service.

Gaining control of the bus franchises would give SYMCA powers to decide routes, times service quality, ticket options, fare cost, bus improvements and public transport interconnectivity.

The 12 week consultation period closes on 15 January 2025.