The Mayor's Big Bus Chat

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This page relates to an engagement that took place between 11th July to 18th September 2022, please note contributions to this engagement are now closed.

You can view a summary of the feedback in the headline report and the 'you said, we will' report below:

Due to the scale of this engagement there are three outcome reports. To view the outcome report of this engagement, please download from the 'Outcome Report' section of this webpage (to the right hand side if viewing on a computer, and below if viewing on a mobile) or follow the links below:

As part of The Mayor's Big Bus Chat, we held a number of Tell Tracy About Buses meetings. For more details about those meetings visit our Tell Tracy Your Voice Page.

Thank you to everyone who contacted us and shared their feedback. Some of the feedback we received needs support from bus companies and other departments to help fully answer, this is causing a delay to responding. Please be assured that if you have contacted us and have yet to hear a response, we haven't forgotten about you, and we will be responding as soon as we can.

The information below was presented during the public engagement.






We have big ambitions for buses in West Yorkshire and know that services don’t currently work well for everyone.  

We want your feedback on our latest plan for better buses. Have your views changed since the pandemic? What are your key priorities? 

We will be using your responses to feed into our ongoing bus improvement plan and ensure we are making changes that local communities want.  


Read The Mayor's Big Bus Chat brochure and FAQs



Do you need any information in a different language?

You can select your language at the top of the page

Możesz wybrać język u góry strony

ਤੁਸੀਂ ਪੰਨੇ ਦੇ ਸਿਖਰ 'ਤੇ ਆਪਣੀ ਭਾਸ਼ਾ ਚੁਣ ਸਕਦੇ ਹੋ

يمكنك اختيار لغتك أعلى الصفحة

آپ صفحے کے اوپری حصے سے اپنی زبان منتخب کر سکتے ہيں

Požadovaný jazyk je možné vybrať v hornej časti stránky




About the Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP)

We published our Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) in October 2021, and in April 2022 we were notified that we had received an indicative £70m in funding to support activities including reducing fares and consulting on new routes to be introduced. Find out more about our plan by reading The Mayor's Big Bus chat Brochure.

Our Key themes for better buses are:

  • A safe and inclusive bus system - meaning we want to get the basics right by ensuring all our buses and supporting services are accessible by all and suited to different people's needs. This includes designing the bus service for more than just the urban commuter and doing our best to make sure everyone - particularly women, girls and other vulnerable groups - feels safe when using the bus.
  • Better connected communities - we want to make sure buses serve all our region's cities, towns and villages to ensure that people living in them have fair reliable access to all the employment, education and leisure opportunities our region has to offer. This means extended services throughout the day, better frequencies and regularity of service, as well as new models like 'Park and Rides' and 'FlexiBus' services to suit different travel needs.
  • Decarbonisation and integrated and sustainable travel - as part of our region's response to the Climate Emergency, we are committed to reducing dependence on private car use and achieving a net-zero carbon economy by 2038. To support this, buses must also be better integrated as part of a multimodal public transport offer so that alongside rail travel, cycling and walking, passengers are able to make sustainable journeys from door to door.

 As well as the key themes, the actions we aim to deliver through the BSIP include:

  • An enhanced, fully inclusive and more cohesive bus network - which takes people where they need to go, when they need to go
  • Clear and simple fare - to make paying for bus travel more affordable, easier, convenient and flexible
  • Improved, more inclusive customer service and support - so passengers have the tools to travel with confidence and help they need if their journey does not go to plan
  • Priority for buses on our road - so journeys by bus are quicker, with less time spent stuck in traffic, and are a viable alternative to the private car
  • More green and better vehicles - to improve the onboard experience and make bus the sustainable choice for travel in West Yorkshire


More information about our BSIP can be found here - Bus Service Improvement Plan information



How can you help?

Having set the foundations for our bus plan, we want your views on how these plans and ideas reflect your ambitions for bus services. We need the opinions of bus users and potential new bus users to make sure any plans we have around buses are fit for purpose and reflect your ideals.

This is just the start – we hope this initial bus conversation will be able to guide the Combined Authority, but we want this to be the start of many bus conversations.


This engagement opportunity is open from 11th July 2022 until 18th September 2022.


If you want to stay up to date about any future bus conversations we have, register to Your Voice to be one of the first to hear about it!


Come and speak to the Your Voice Team

Throughout the Mayor's Big Bus Chat we will be holding drop-in events where you can come and speak to the Your Voice Team.

Take at look at the list below to find your nearest event.

AreaAddressDateTime
Keighley Bus StationBow Street, Keighley, BD21 3PBThursday 21 July2pm - 5pm
Dewsbury Bus Station

Aldams Road, Dewsbury. WF12 8AR

Wednesday 27 July10:30am - 1:30pm
Leeds Rail StationNew Street, Leeds, LS1 4DYTuesday 2nd August7am - 9:30am
Hebden Bridge Town Hall


St. George's Street, Hebden Bridge, HX7 7BY

Thursday 4 August10:30am - 1:30pm
White Rose Shopping CentreDewsbury Road, Leeds, LS11 8LUSaturday 6 August11am - 2pm
Wakefield Bus StationUnion Street, Wakefield, WF1 3AQFriday 12 August8am - 11am
Bradford InterchangeBridge Street, Bradford, BD1 1GYTuesday 16 August10:30am - 1:30pm
Huddersfield Bus Station

Upperhead Row, Huddersfield, HD1 2JN

Thursday 18 August10am - 1pm
The Piece Hall HalifaxBlackledge, Halifax,
HX1 1RE
Tuesday 23 August10am - 2pm
Pontefract Bus StationHorsefair, Pontefract, WF8 1EZWednesday 24 August10:30am - 1:30pm
Heckmondwike Bus HubHeckmondwike, WF16 0HRFriday 26 August3pm - 5pm
Castleford Bus StationAlbion Street, Castleford, WF10 1EGMonday 5 September10:30am - 1:30pm
Leeds Bus StationYork Street, Leeds, LS2 7HUTuesday 6 September10:30am - 1:30pm


We also hosted two online webinars (24th and 30th August at 6pm) for those that were unable to attend a drop in. 

Recordings of the sessions can be found here: 24th August webinar recording and 30th August subtitled webinar recording.




Need any extra support?

If you need any extra support to access any of the information on this topic, or want to share your views by email, telephone or in writing, please find the details below:

Email

yourvoice@westyorks-ca.gov.uk

Telephone

0113 2457676 (MetroLine)

In writing 

Freepost CONSULTATION TEAM (WYCA)

(no stamp is required)





This page relates to an engagement that took place between 11th July to 18th September 2022, please note contributions to this engagement are now closed.

You can view a summary of the feedback in the headline report and the 'you said, we will' report below:

Due to the scale of this engagement there are three outcome reports. To view the outcome report of this engagement, please download from the 'Outcome Report' section of this webpage (to the right hand side if viewing on a computer, and below if viewing on a mobile) or follow the links below:

As part of The Mayor's Big Bus Chat, we held a number of Tell Tracy About Buses meetings. For more details about those meetings visit our Tell Tracy Your Voice Page.

Thank you to everyone who contacted us and shared their feedback. Some of the feedback we received needs support from bus companies and other departments to help fully answer, this is causing a delay to responding. Please be assured that if you have contacted us and have yet to hear a response, we haven't forgotten about you, and we will be responding as soon as we can.

The information below was presented during the public engagement.






We have big ambitions for buses in West Yorkshire and know that services don’t currently work well for everyone.  

We want your feedback on our latest plan for better buses. Have your views changed since the pandemic? What are your key priorities? 

We will be using your responses to feed into our ongoing bus improvement plan and ensure we are making changes that local communities want.  


Read The Mayor's Big Bus Chat brochure and FAQs



Do you need any information in a different language?

You can select your language at the top of the page

Możesz wybrać język u góry strony

ਤੁਸੀਂ ਪੰਨੇ ਦੇ ਸਿਖਰ 'ਤੇ ਆਪਣੀ ਭਾਸ਼ਾ ਚੁਣ ਸਕਦੇ ਹੋ

يمكنك اختيار لغتك أعلى الصفحة

آپ صفحے کے اوپری حصے سے اپنی زبان منتخب کر سکتے ہيں

Požadovaný jazyk je možné vybrať v hornej časti stránky




About the Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP)

We published our Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) in October 2021, and in April 2022 we were notified that we had received an indicative £70m in funding to support activities including reducing fares and consulting on new routes to be introduced. Find out more about our plan by reading The Mayor's Big Bus chat Brochure.

Our Key themes for better buses are:

  • A safe and inclusive bus system - meaning we want to get the basics right by ensuring all our buses and supporting services are accessible by all and suited to different people's needs. This includes designing the bus service for more than just the urban commuter and doing our best to make sure everyone - particularly women, girls and other vulnerable groups - feels safe when using the bus.
  • Better connected communities - we want to make sure buses serve all our region's cities, towns and villages to ensure that people living in them have fair reliable access to all the employment, education and leisure opportunities our region has to offer. This means extended services throughout the day, better frequencies and regularity of service, as well as new models like 'Park and Rides' and 'FlexiBus' services to suit different travel needs.
  • Decarbonisation and integrated and sustainable travel - as part of our region's response to the Climate Emergency, we are committed to reducing dependence on private car use and achieving a net-zero carbon economy by 2038. To support this, buses must also be better integrated as part of a multimodal public transport offer so that alongside rail travel, cycling and walking, passengers are able to make sustainable journeys from door to door.

 As well as the key themes, the actions we aim to deliver through the BSIP include:

  • An enhanced, fully inclusive and more cohesive bus network - which takes people where they need to go, when they need to go
  • Clear and simple fare - to make paying for bus travel more affordable, easier, convenient and flexible
  • Improved, more inclusive customer service and support - so passengers have the tools to travel with confidence and help they need if their journey does not go to plan
  • Priority for buses on our road - so journeys by bus are quicker, with less time spent stuck in traffic, and are a viable alternative to the private car
  • More green and better vehicles - to improve the onboard experience and make bus the sustainable choice for travel in West Yorkshire


More information about our BSIP can be found here - Bus Service Improvement Plan information



How can you help?

Having set the foundations for our bus plan, we want your views on how these plans and ideas reflect your ambitions for bus services. We need the opinions of bus users and potential new bus users to make sure any plans we have around buses are fit for purpose and reflect your ideals.

This is just the start – we hope this initial bus conversation will be able to guide the Combined Authority, but we want this to be the start of many bus conversations.


This engagement opportunity is open from 11th July 2022 until 18th September 2022.


If you want to stay up to date about any future bus conversations we have, register to Your Voice to be one of the first to hear about it!


Come and speak to the Your Voice Team

Throughout the Mayor's Big Bus Chat we will be holding drop-in events where you can come and speak to the Your Voice Team.

Take at look at the list below to find your nearest event.

AreaAddressDateTime
Keighley Bus StationBow Street, Keighley, BD21 3PBThursday 21 July2pm - 5pm
Dewsbury Bus Station

Aldams Road, Dewsbury. WF12 8AR

Wednesday 27 July10:30am - 1:30pm
Leeds Rail StationNew Street, Leeds, LS1 4DYTuesday 2nd August7am - 9:30am
Hebden Bridge Town Hall


St. George's Street, Hebden Bridge, HX7 7BY

Thursday 4 August10:30am - 1:30pm
White Rose Shopping CentreDewsbury Road, Leeds, LS11 8LUSaturday 6 August11am - 2pm
Wakefield Bus StationUnion Street, Wakefield, WF1 3AQFriday 12 August8am - 11am
Bradford InterchangeBridge Street, Bradford, BD1 1GYTuesday 16 August10:30am - 1:30pm
Huddersfield Bus Station

Upperhead Row, Huddersfield, HD1 2JN

Thursday 18 August10am - 1pm
The Piece Hall HalifaxBlackledge, Halifax,
HX1 1RE
Tuesday 23 August10am - 2pm
Pontefract Bus StationHorsefair, Pontefract, WF8 1EZWednesday 24 August10:30am - 1:30pm
Heckmondwike Bus HubHeckmondwike, WF16 0HRFriday 26 August3pm - 5pm
Castleford Bus StationAlbion Street, Castleford, WF10 1EGMonday 5 September10:30am - 1:30pm
Leeds Bus StationYork Street, Leeds, LS2 7HUTuesday 6 September10:30am - 1:30pm


We also hosted two online webinars (24th and 30th August at 6pm) for those that were unable to attend a drop in. 

Recordings of the sessions can be found here: 24th August webinar recording and 30th August subtitled webinar recording.




Need any extra support?

If you need any extra support to access any of the information on this topic, or want to share your views by email, telephone or in writing, please find the details below:

Email

yourvoice@westyorks-ca.gov.uk

Telephone

0113 2457676 (MetroLine)

In writing 

Freepost CONSULTATION TEAM (WYCA)

(no stamp is required)





Please note, if you have logged into your Your Voice profile, your name will appear with the question. 

If you share personal information or comments that are seen as abusive or harassment we will not share your question publicly but it will still be used in the analysis. 

  • Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this link

    Can you make "free" buses part funded by parking charges at park & rides? Also does the WY mayor have the legislative power to put turbines on fast moving parts of rivers to generate electricity? Especially in central Leeds the underground rivers? Low electric prices could be great to draw in new businesses

    Craig carlin asked over 1 year ago

    Thank you for your question in relation to the Mayors Big Bus Chat. We are sorry for the delay in responding to your question. We received many in-depth responses that we really value and wanted to make sure took the the time to fully consider our response. Please rest assured that despite the delay, your feedback has been included and considered in all of reporting.

    Thank you for your comment. There are currently no plans to introduce car parking charges at park and ride sites. Park and ride is a different bus offer compared to commercially run bus services and would not be able to subsidise bus services elsewhere. The mayor has pledged to support local businesses and tackle the climate emergency and is encouraging investment in the development of technologies that will contribute to a green recovery. Our local councils have all pledged to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2038 and we will consider your comment as part of our plans to reach this goal.

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    How many disabled wheelchairs are allowed on public transport? I’m a recent scooter user and am wondering if my wife and I could both travel to Leeds on the keighley bus?

    New Scooter User asked over 1 year ago

    Thank you for your question, I'm sorry for the delay in getting back to you. We have contacted First Bus who run the service and their response is below:

    All our buses have a dedicated area for wheelchair users; other passengers are required to give up the space for wheelchair users. 

    All users of mobility scooters who are prospective passengers must obtain prior approval of the respective operator and obtain a standard “permit for travel” prior to their scooter being carried on any bus. Users should contact their operator directly for an assessment and to obtain the permit. Once the permit is granted, this is valid on all operator’s buses. 

    Users should put their mobility scooter in the designated wheelchair space, reversed up to the backrest. 

    So in terms of the question asked if you could both travel on the same bus, unfortunately not as both users need to use the wheelchair priority space…unless the wheelchair user is able to fold their chair and sit in an accompanying seat. 

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    Hi Tracy I think free travel for over 60s would get people back on public transport, don’t why West Yorkshire can’t have what they have in the Capital, we are after all supposed to be levelling up.

    Wardie asked over 1 year ago

    Thank you for your question. 

    The English National Concessionary Travel Scheme determines the criteria for bus passes. This includes passes relating to age criteria. 

    We do have some power to introduce extra concessions for passes provided in West Yorkshire. But this is something we would have to reimburse operators for, and central government do not provide any extra funding to cover the costs. 

    We do regularly review our concessionary travel scheme and the possible enhancements we could introduce. But at the moment, there are no plans to introduce a 60+ free travel pass in West Yorkshire.

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    Will you bring back your paper timetables for travel centres in West Yorkshire?

    Dinal asked over 1 year ago

    Thank you for your comment. Printed timetables are available on request at travel centres and there is no plan to change this at this time. At the moment we don't have small pocket timetables.


    Printing was suspended during COVID, but this has resumed. Any customer who wishes to have access to a printed timetable can access them on the WYMetro website or by asking travel centre staff to print one for them.

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    Why is the only First bus in Thorp No 46 and 47 which only runs Monday to Saturday as it is been taken off in October myself and others can not get to work

    Mags1 asked over 1 year ago

    Thank you for your comment. As you may be aware bus patronage has still only returned to approximately 80% of pre-covid usage, so the Bus Recovery Grant has been supporting the continuation of services. This funding was due to expire in October, which would have meant over 100 service reductions and 30 full service withdrawals. 

    The Mayor and other key local leaders have successfully lobbied government for an extension of this funding which they have confirmed.

    Whilst this secures the majority of services, unfortunately some bus operators are still making some reductions. They have advised that the extension of BRG does still not make their current network viable so they have made the commercial decision to adapt the network. However services 46 and 47 will be retained.

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    A number of buse links across South leeds been withdrawn these buses connect areas of Leeds without going through town (86 bus) and house estates to supermarkets and highstreets (74 ,46,47 to asda and morley ) why is this

    Oscar Antao asked over 1 year ago

    Thank you for your comment. As you may be aware bus patronage has still only returned to approximately 80% of pre-covid usage, so the Bus Recovery Grant (BRG) has been supporting the continuation of services. This funding was due to expire in October, which would have meant over 100 service reductions and 30 full service withdrawals. 

    The Mayor and other key local leaders have successfully lobbied government for an extension of this funding which they have confirmed.

    Whilst this secures the majority of services, unfortunately some bus operators are still making some reductions. They have advised that the extension of BRG does still not make their current network viable so they have made the commercial decision to adapt the network. However services 86 74, 46 and 47 will be retained.

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    The bus companies are saying they may axe services we have already seen a large number of reductions to services these companies have between them an unwritten agreement not to go into competition against each other were one company has a monopoly on services surely this is against the monoplies competition rules

    Kengp asked over 1 year ago

    Thank you for your question. The Bus Recovery Grant that was used to support commercial bus services during the pandemic has been extended until April 2023 which will ensure services are not reduced further during this time. As bus services are commercially run we have no influence in competition between private companies.

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    Could you stop Rosso from cancelling the bus service from Todmorden to Waterfoot? There are approximately 50 children who rely on this service. There are no other alternatives

    NickiHB asked over 1 year ago

    Thank you for your question.

    As a matter of policy, the Combined Authority will not arrange or subsidise school bus services that are transporting children to a school in a neighbouring authority.

    There are, however, operators who are willing to provide what we refer to as a ‘parent to pay’ service, but it would be based on parents, collectively, meeting the full cost. 

    There are two such operators on our Approved List, Yelloways and Coach Travel Services, which it we would advise you to contact. Please find their websites below:  

    https://www.yelloway.co.uk/ 

    https://ctsbus.co.uk/


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    Would it not be sensible and more economical to run smaller buses on routes that are not as well used as others? -And how about a "Park & Ride" for Huddersfield?

    P.D.F. asked over 1 year ago

    Thank you for your comments about smaller buses. At the moment, Bus Operators make the decision about which vehicles are used on which routes. One of the major costs of running bus services is paying drivers which is something you would have to do regardless of the vehicle size.

    The Combined Authority is currently in the process of writing a new Park and Ride Strategy to understand how the successful model developed in Leeds can be rolled out across other locations in West Yorkshire.

    As part of this Bus Service Improvement Plan, the Combined Authority will work with the Local Authorities to identify suitable locations and expand the number of Park and Ride schemes across West Yorkshire.

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    Are you aware that residents of Stocksmoor could not attend the drop in event on 18th August at Huddersfield Station to voice our views about transport because the only bus service available in Stocksmoor has been cut and the trains were on strike? This speaks for itself.

    Jk asked over 1 year ago

    Thank you for your comment. I'm sorry that there was a train strike on the day we held the Huddersfield Bus Station drop-in event. The event was organised before the strike dates were announced. We had multiple other drop-in events throughout the engagement period which people from Stocksmoor could have attended. If none of those drop-in events were suitable we had a number of ways residents could share their views, including: filling in our online survey, emailing us, calling us, sending us a letter, filling out our online polls, sharing a story, or joining either of the online webinar events we held.