South Yorkshire's Mayor: Local public transport system in a 'spiral of decline'
Oliver Coppard says he won't stop fighting for more government funding to help with bus services across the region
South Yorkshire's Mayor insists the public transport system across Sheffield, Doncaster, Barnsley & Rotherham is 'broken'.
Since 2013 - the number of bus links in the region has reduced by over 40%.
Oliver Coppard says since he replaced Dan Jarvis in the role 15 months ago - South Yorkshire hasn't been given 'a penny' of the government's bus service improvement funding:
"We're in a spiral of decline where services get worse, so fewer people get on the buses and government funding goes down.
"Then this process just happens over and over again.
"Buses are fundamental, we're in both a cost-of-living and environmental crisis, so if we want people to get out of their cars and have a real alternative, public transport system, like they have in London, then we need more investment into our public transport system.
"It's important as buses allow us to have a functioning economy.
"It enables people to get to work, college, and the doctors, so these routes are essential.
"Other regions have got investment into their public transport systems, and we need it too.
"We're doing everything we can here in South Yorkshire with the resources we have.
"We're using our reserves, to put money into buses, and taking really difficult decisions over things like fares for younger people in an effort to protect routes.
"That's not something we want to have to do, but it's the position we're in right now due to a lack of government funding.
"We used to have a world class public transport system here in South Yorkshire, and over the last 40 years, we've seen it decline to a point where it's broken.
"However, I am determined to fix it."
A Department for Transport spokesperson said: “South Yorkshire has been allocated more than half a billion pounds over five years for its local transport network.
“This comes on top of the Government’s £500 million package of support to cap bus fares at £2 until the end of October 2023, £2.50 until the end of November 2024 and protect bus routes into 2025.”