The 20th anniversary of the deregulation of bus services, Thursday 26 October, will be marked in Barnsley when local politicians throw their support behind a review of the way buses are operated.
Councillors Graham Kyte and Ken Sanderson, who are Barnsley council members for the South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Authority, feel the ‘free for all’ since deregulation has delivered little for the passengers, and led to deterioration in bus services.
Speaking about the issue Councillor Kyte said: “It is appropriate that we note this anniversary not least because of the unprecedented levels of concern being expressed in communities throughout Barnsley about the state of public transport. 20 years of this free for all is enough. In South Yorkshire we have seen 230 million fewer journeys made by bus, and fares increased dramatically. The competition which was supposed to provide passengers with a better service simply has not happened.”
Both Councillors Kyte and Sanderson welcomed the Government’s pledge to review bus services within weeks.
They added: “There is a groundswell of support for major changes in how our buses are run. We look forward to government action hopefully including some desperately needed financial injection towards running this vital service".
Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council and the Transport Authority have been looking at ways of turning around the decline in bus services, including a franchised system of operation known as Quality Contracts.
Fellow councillor Ken Sanderson echoed his colleague’s comments. He said: “We need to bring in high standards that bus companies must adhere to, including some control over the number of timetable changes and fare increases. The bus forms a key part of our public transport network. I look forward to a system that works and provides a bus network that is reliable, affordable and will support the economic revival of South Yorkshire."
He added: “The bus forms such a key part of our public transport network, so why shouldn’t operators be subject to the same quality standards that are applied to bus services in London, across Europe and on our own train services. Passengers deserve better, and I hope they get it.”