FAQs
Background information
Why are you spending money on new buses?
Under Bus Franchising, the Combined Authority will be responsible for providing a fleet of buses for operators of the franchised network.
The Combined Authority will replace buses over time as they reach the end of their useful life and we want to invest in providing greener and better vehicles in the region, as we know that the onboard experience is not consistent for bus customers across West Yorkshire. Investment in zero emissions buses is also needed to improve air quality and reduce carbon emissions.
Where will the new buses be in service?
The new buses will be rolled out gradually in the parts of West Yorkshire that are in the first franchise round. This means you can expect to see them along routes in Kirklees and in parts of Leeds from April 2027.
Why can’t all buses be replaced at once?
The Combined Authority is committed to owning a fully zero emission bus fleet gradually over time.
The option of replacing the entire fleet of buses in one go was considered and discounted during the bus reform assessment (https://www.westyorks-ca.gov.uk/improving-transport/improving-buses) due to supply chain, market availability issues and the cost.
The Combined Authority will replace buses over time as they reach the end of their useful life. Currently a zero-emission bus costs between £300,000 and £500,000. There are around 1,300 buses in West Yorkshire, meaning their replacements would cost around £450m over the next 15 years.
How much will replacing all of the buses cost?
The Combined Authority will replace buses over time as they reach the end of their useful life. Currently a zero-emission bus costs between £300,000 and £500,000. There are around 1,300 buses in West Yorkshire, meaning their replacements would cost around £450m over the next 15 years.
Who is paying for the replacement of buses?
New buses are funded from various sources, some are being funded by the department for Transport via the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement funds. In the future, buses may be paid for from income generated by fare revenue.
How many buses need to be bought?
Around 500 buses will need to be replaced.
External factors, such as the COVID pandemic, have made it more difficult for bus operators to replace ageing fleet, meaning the number of old buses is higher than normal. Once franchise contracts go live between 2027and 2028, around half the region’s buses will have operated beyond the expected 15 year life.
Why do we need new buses?
External factors, such as the COVID pandemic, have made it more difficult for bus operators to replace aging fleet, meaning the number of old buses is higher than normal. Once franchise contracts go live between 2027 and 2028, around half the region’s buses will have operated beyond the expected 15 year life. By purchasing new buses we will by enhancing your customer experience and provide air quality benefits.
Will all of the new buses be electric?
The Combined Authority’s first preference is to buy electric vehicles as they provide air quality benefits and are cheaper to run, however it may not be possible to operate electric vehicles from every depot in the region initially, so a handful of new buses may have to diesel.
How many buses are currently on the road, and will this number increase?
There are currently around 1,300 buses operating in West Yorkshire at the moment. The Combined Authority will review the network to assess if any service amendments need to be made.
Could the money spent on the replacement buses be used to increase the number to make the services more reliable and turn up on time?
The funding dedicated to this project can only be used to purchase replacement bus fleet, not additional buses.
What will happen to all of the buses that are currently on the road?
Currently the buses are owned and run by private bus operators, some of which will remain in operation in West Yorkshire via agreements for the Combined Authority to purchase these vehicles. However, those that have been deemed too old will not be purchased. What happens to these buses will be for the bus operators to decide.
I’ve seen in the news that electric buses can be turned off from China, is this an issue in our region?
Currently there are eight buses which are manufactured by Yutong (which is the company involved) and these are operated by First West Yorkshire.
We currently don’t know if they will stay in the region once bus franchising commences. The Combined Authority is currently concluding our procurement assessment, but we are aware of the situation and we are monitoring it closely.
About the consultation and the proposals
Why is this consultation taking place?
As we are procuring a large number of buses for the West Yorkshire bus network, we want to make sure that the people of West Yorkshire get their say on what the buses will look and feel like. We want our buses to offer features and comfort to attract more passengers.
What will the buses look like?
For this consultation we are just looking at the internal designs, but we want as much input from current and future bus users as possible. We have options on design features, including accessibility, that we want your feedback on. Externally the buses will be clearly branded as Weaver Network.
Will there be space for me to put my bike on a bus?
Space on buses is already at a premium and bike racks take up much needed space for low level seating. A bike rack would mean removing at least 4 seats, meaning people with mobility issues would have to walk further back to get a seat or may not get a seat at all. For this reason, we have decided not to accommodate bikes on our buses.
Consideration was made to include external bike racks on the front of buses (American style) however this would affect boarding times and reliability so has been discounted.
Why isn’t there an option to have two entrance/exits on new buses as in some other places?
Double-door bus operations can speed up boarding and alighting as well as making buses more accessible to wheelchair users. However, the current bus shelters in West Yorkshire do not all permit the use of double door buses, which would mean a large infrastructure project would be required to make even a single bus route work. Furthermore, double-door bus operations are more suited to hop-on/hop-off bus journeys on busy routes which are more common in larger cities. The Combined Authority will keep an open mind on double-door buses and will explore suitable routes in the future.
How will I be able to pay for my journey on the bus? Ticketing? Or how you pay on board? (e.g. tap on/tap off)
The payment and ticketing options for bus journeys is out of scope of this consultation. We are planning to undertake a public consultation about this in 2026.
When will the new buses be introduced?
The new buses will be rolled out initially in the parts of West Yorkshire that are in the first franchise round. This means you can expect to see them along routes in Kirklees and in parts of Leeds from April 2027.
Bus Franchising
How will you consider the impact of the bus design work on Equity and Diversity and Inclusion in the region, including for those with protected characteristics?
The Combined Authority has a vision to be a leader recognised nationally for our focus and commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI).
EDI is a key element across the fleet specification work. We want a bus fleet with high accessibility standards to ensure an equitable and consistent customer experience for everyone in West Yorkshire.
Therefore, we are committed to ensuring that we consider our duty to those groups with protected characteristics. We are engaging with accessibility groups from across the region either face to face or online to gather feedback about barriers faced when using our buses.
If you would like to have a conversation about the Bus Specification Consultation with the project team please contact us at: yourvoice@westyorks-ca.gov.uk or call us on 0113 245 7676 (MetroLine Information Service).
What is franchising?
Franchising is a legal model where buses are under the control of a local authority (in West Yorkshire this would be the Combined Authority). The franchising model has been in operation in London since 1984 and was introduced in Greater Manchester in September 2023.
Under franchising, the Combined Authority would set the routes, frequency, fares and overall standards of buses in our region. The existing commercially-led market would be replaced, with private bus operators no longer being able to run most services independently. Bus services would instead be operated under franchise contracts, where bus operators would bid to run the services through a competitive procurement process managed by the Combined Authority.
To find out more about how Bus Franchising will look like in West Yorkshire please visit: https://www.westyorks-ca.gov.uk/improving-transport/improving-buses/.
Where can I find more information on what Bus Franchising would look like in West Yorkshire?
To find our more about how Bus Franchising will look like in West Yorkshire please visit: https://www.westyorks-ca.gov.uk/improving-transport/improving-buses/.
How will you ensure that the new bus fleet is designed with the climate emergency in mind?
In 2019 the Combined Authority declared a climate emergency with a commitment to becoming a net-zero carbon economy by 2038 with significant progress by 2030.
The purchase of electric buses will have a vital role in these commitments, and we have accordingly set ourselves a target of working towards a zero-emission fleet by 2036
What is the Weaver Network?
In May 2025, Mayor Tracy Brabin unveiled the Weaver Network, the new identity for transport in West Yorkshire. The Weaver Network will encompass bus, proposed tram, bike, walking and wheeling infrastructure.
It will be the single unifying thread that stitches all parts of the transport network together, helping us to deliver a more seamless passenger experience however you choose to travel. The Weaver Network is our ambition to deliver a leading transport network under one unifying name and identity. It is a celebration of our industrial heritage and our promise to create a better future.
The Local Transport Plan we have recently consulted on sets out how we will deliver the Weaver Network.
You can find out more about the Weaver Network and this Local Transport Plan, by reading ‘Your Journey. My promise’. This document setting out the Mayor’s promise is available here: https://www.yourvoice.westyorks-ca.gov.uk/43412/widgets/130175/documents/88495
Taking part in the consultation
Bradford Interchange, Bridge Street, Bradford 19 November – 3pm-6pm
Leeds Bus Station, York Street, Leeds 29 November – 10am-2pm
White Rose Shopping Centre, 25 November - 10am-1pm
Trinity Walk Shopping Centre, Wakefield, 1 December - 10am-1pm
Huddersfield Bus Station, Upper Row, Huddersfield, 2 December – 8am-11am
Junction 32 Yorkshire Outlet, Castleford, 8 December - 10am-1pm
Pontefract Bus Station, Horsefair, Pontefract 9 December – 9am-1pm
- Halifax Bus Station, Wade Street, Halifax 4 December - 2pm-6pm
- Other event locations, dates and times to be confirmed
Leeds Bus Station
Bradford Bus Station
Pontefract Bus Station
Huddersfield Bus Station
Halifax Bus Station
Other locations (will update once confirmed)
How can I provide my feedback?
To have your say on the proposal, you can complete our online questionnaire at: www.yourvoice.westyorks-ca.gov.uk/OnBoardBuses . Anyone who cannot access the survey online and needs to request an alternative format can contact MetroLine on 0113 245 7676.
You can provide your feedback until 11.59pm on 21 December 2025.
If you have any questions about the scheme or the proposals, you can also submit a question using the Q&A tool on the Your Voice webpage at www.yourvoice.westyorks.ca.gov/OnBoardBuses (external link).
You can share the link to the consultation page www.yourvoice.westyorks-ca.gov.uk/OnBoardBuses to your friends, family and groups for them to have their say, or encourage them to get in touch with us using the contact details above.
When can I take part?
The public consultation in open from Tuesday 11 November to 11.59pm Sunday 21 December 2025.
Where can I find out more about the project?
To see our proposals in more detail, click here (link to online boards), view all our consultation materials, and fill out our questionnaire.
We are hosting drop-in events:
You will get a chance to speak to the project team, ask questions, look through the proposals for the internal designs for the buses and fill out a questionnaire.
Will I be able to attend an in person event and speak to the project team?
To see our proposals in more detail, click here (link to online boards), view all our consultation materials, and fill out our questionnaire.
We are hosting drop-in events:
You will get a chance to speak to the project team, ask questions, look through the proposals for the internal designs for the buses, and fill out a questionnaire.
How will my feedback be used?
All feedback gathered from the public consultation will be analysed and will be used to inform us of the final specification and purchase of the buses for West Yorkshire possible.
How can I contact the project team
You can contact us via email at yourvoice@westyorks-ca.gov.uk or call us on 0113 245 7676 (MetroLine Information Service).