BUSES - the facts
Go to https://tinyurl.com/3ub57uxz and join our campaign today!
For most people in Rother Valley who use public transport it is buses. Yet in South Yorkshire, the Labour Mayor supported by Rotherham Council are pumping more and more money into Sheffield's trams, while threatening cuts to bus services.
At the same time, Labour continues to put out inaccurate statements about bus funding and the responsibilities of the Mayor. It is increasingly obviously in Labour’s interests to pretend that local buses are not the responsibility of the Labour South Yorkshire Mayor!
The facts:
1. The Labour South Yorkshire Mayor is responsible for public transport and buses in South Yorkshire – just like Sadiq Khan is in London and Andy Burnham is in Manchester.
2. Since 2019, the South Yorkshire Mayor has received or been awarded the following funding for buses and local public transport network improvements:
- £570 million CRSTS funding from 2022-27 for local public transport network improvements
- £1.4 billion CRSTS funding from 2027-2032 for local public transport network improvements
- £166 million awarded in 2020 in Transforming Cities Funding to improve public transport and walking infrastructure in South Yorkshire
- £6.2 million in Bus Service Improvement Plan money for 2023 and 2024
- £7.82 million additional Bus Service Improvement Plan provided in October to be used to secure bus routes.
- £1.3 BILLION the core budget for the South Yorkshire Mayor
- tens of millions of pounds spent during the pandemic supporting the routes.
So, when Labour repeatedly tell you the Mayor has received no funding – they aren’t telling you the truth!
3. Since 2017, the Labour South Yorkshire Mayor has had the power to create a London-style bus franchised system. Both the previous Labour Mayor and the current Labour Mayor who served during this time FAILED to do so. We are meant to believe it is being progressed by our Mayor - but our local Labour Party contradict this in their leaflets saying it isn’t happening.
This isn’t about politics – this is about lack of leadership. Labour’s Andy Burnham in Manchester has set up the Bee Network and brought local transport under his direct control. West Yorkshire and Liverpool are set to launch their own public controlled networks. Yet, South Yorkshire Mayor talks a good talk, but lacks action.
The national Labour party’s policy is the same as the Government’s – to bring buses under public control. But here in South Yorkshire, they are failed to make any progress and we have fallen behind the other Northern regions.
If the Labour Mayor and the Labour party don’t want to be responsible for South Yorkshire buses, they should resign the position and let another party take over! With power comes accountability and responsibility.
Join our campaign for Better Buses at https://tinyurl.com/3ub57uxz today!
