Tag: Public Transport

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Fair Deal South Yorkshire Bus Campaign

Oliver Coppard

You may have heard that our South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard has launched a new region-wide campaign for a Fair Bus Deal.

Due to persistent under-investment from the central government and a lack of a national strategy that prioritises public transport, we have seen a 42% reduction in services over the last 10 years – some routes cut altogether; others seeing reduced timetables.

Oliver and his team are visiting communities across South Yorkshire where people have been hard-hit by cuts and a decline in the quality of bus services – and they want to hear from as many members of the public as possible, to raise a huge campaign that he can take to Westminster to try to convince government ministers that they must invest in South Yorkshire’s public transport.

KEY DATES FOR OUR AREA

Thursday 26 October, 5pm (doors open for registration at 4.30pm) – Public meeting at St Columba’s church, Manchester Road.

Friday 27 October, 10am – Virtual meeting online (sign up to receive Zoom link)

Tuesday 31 October, 12 noon – Virtual meeting online (sign up to receive Zoom link)

All the details of the campaign are here: https://southyorkshire-ca.gov.uk/fair-deal, including sign-up for the virtual meetings, and a feedback form where people can relate their experiences of public transport to help Oliver build the case for a Fair Deal.

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Electric Bus Trials

If you travel by bus in Crosspool, you may have seen a new addition to the 51 route.
An electric vehicle has been operating on this route since last week, as part of a trial to reduce emissions and noise pollution. The electric bus is quieter, cleaner and more efficient than the diesel ones, and it also has a modern design and features. The trial is expected to last for several months, and if successful, more electric buses could be introduced on other routes in the city.

First Bus, a UK bus operator, is running a pilot project to test electric and hydrogen buses in Sheffield. The company chose Sheffield, and especially the 51 route, as a challenging environment to measure the performance and range of the vehicles on steep hills and gradients. The project aims to demonstrate that if the buses can run efficiently in Sheffield, they can do so anywhere.

This is part of a trial of different models from various manufacturers, starting with the Volvo BZL double-decker going (from Lodge Moor 0716, 0935, 1152, 1414, 1645, 1924, 2120, and 2320) on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The trial schedule may change, but the aim is to keep the electric vehicles on the 51 route as much as possible.

It has parallels with trials going back to the 1970s (see below image of the ‘famous five trials’) as well as the far more recent trials up to and including 2014.

First Bus would appreciate people offering some feedback where possible on things like comfort, ride quality, noise, layout, etc.   Email: andy.metcalfe@firstbus.co.uk