Three busy stretches of roads in Rotherham have been given major facelifts in a bid to develop the public transport network and encourage more people to use public transport.
Bus lanes, bus priority measures, new low floor vehicles and upgraded bus stops are just some of the things that have been introduced in Thrybergh, Dearne and in-between Rotherham and the M1 junction to improve public transport.
The package of improvements dubbed 'Smart Routes' has cost over £14m and has been a joint partnership between South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive (SYPTE), Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council and bus operators including Stagecoach and First.
The improvements include:
- Better bus stops - SYPTE has upgraded bus stops along the three corridors to benchmark standards to make waiting more comfortable and safer for passengers. Bus stop clearways (which stop cars parking at bus stops) have been introduced, as well as raised kerbs and tactile paving to help people get on and off the bus more easily.
- Reducing congestion - to tackle this RMBC has introduced a series of highway improvements throughout Rotherham including bus lanes, improved junction layouts and better facilities for cyclists and pedestrians.
- Improving comfort and safety - to ensure passengers have a pleasant journey bus operators Stagecoach and First have introduced new, low-floor vehicles which have CCTV cameras for passenger safety. Drivers have also undertaken NVQ qualifications in customer care.
Together the improvements aim to make the quality, reliability and performance of public transport better and help traffic flow better.
It is an example of how councils, SYPTE and bus operators are working together through the Travel South Yorkshire Partnership to make buses more attractive and encourage more people to leave their cars at home.
David Young, Head of Transport Integration at SYPTE, said: "Our aim is to improve bus services in Rotherham and reduce congestion on the road and this project tackles both issues. Over the last few years we have worked together to improve bus travel in Rotherham and I am delighted that all three projects are now completed."
Rotherham Borough Council Cabinet Member for Environment and Development Services, Councillor Gerald Smith said "We are proud in Rotherham to have developed five Quality Bus Corridors, the greatest number in any of the South Yorkshire districts. The successful partnership between Rotherham Borough Council, SYPTE , First and Stagecoach has been instrumental in the successful delivery of these projects on Rotherham's key routes."
Brandon Jones, Business Development Director and Deputy MD for First in South Yorkshire, said: "First is delighted to be part of this partnership agreement to further improve bus services and bus patronage in Rotherham.
"Our flagship X78 service linking Rotherham with Sheffield and Doncaster has seen a £3.6m investment in 20 new state-of-the-art double deckers. Already we are seeing more than a 10% growth in passenger numbers, which is excellent news."
Sue Hayes, Operations Director Stagecoach Yorkshire, said "Stagecoach are committed to working with partners to deliver a reliable quality service to the public, and have invested close to £2 million pounds in new low floor easy access buses and staff training.
"Achieving modal shift from the car to the bus is not an easy task, however quality corridor schemes of this kind will give priorities to the bus. Hopefully this will help to achieve the passenger growth on public transport we are all looking towards."
The achievements along each corridor include:
1. Rotherham and Dearne corridor
- improved junction layouts to enhance capacity, including new traffic signals
- upgraded bus stops
- pedestrian crossing and cyclist improvements
- more parking spaces near local shops
- new low floor vehicles running along the route, fitted with CCTV cameras.
Rotherham to the M1 motorway
- upgraded bus stops
- five new pedestrian islands along Meadow Bank Road
- widened and resurfaced footways.
Rotherham to Thrybergh
- a new bus lane along Doncaster Road, Dalton and at Mushroom roundabout giving buses priority over cars
- improved landscaping and environmental improvements in Dalton, which local school children helped plant
- upgraded bus stops
- better footways for pedestrians and local residents
- new low floor double decker buses, equipped with CCTV. All vehicles are low emission to meet European standards
- Drivers have been given extra customer service training.
If you would like more information please contact Julia Price, Senior Communications Officer on 0114 221 1413 or email juliap@sypte.co.uk