Mayor Outlines Vision for the Future of Buses in North Yorkshire

David Skaith, the Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, has unveiled his vision to enhance bus services across the region, with a focus on creating a more accessible, affordable, and convenient public transport network.

The Mayor described the current state of bus services as "not good enough" and stated that his announcement marks "a landmark step in the journey to fix that".

Over the next year, a significant investment of £95m will be directed towards the region's transport and highways. This funding will be used to improve bus stops, enhance road safety for school children, and address the issue of potholes across the region, thanks to an additional £16m in government funding.

The Mayor has already committed to several key initiatives aimed at improving bus travel. These include protecting cheaper fares for NHS staff at York Hospital and introducing integrated £1 fares for under-19s throughout York and North Yorkshire.

Chief Exec of the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority - James Farrar - says the Mayor will be undertaking a thorough review of the regions bus operations this year, and while he favours franchising as a operating model will consider all options.

Mayor David Skaith said:

“As I work towards a public consultation on franchising there is work that I and the bus operators need to do to start making changes now. That is why I have called a roundtable with bus operators in the region to discuss what needs to be done to improve services for residents, businesses and visitors. I'll also keep pushing for the long-term investment our region needs to fix our broken transport service, making York and North Yorkshire an easier place to live, work and enjoy.”

Recognising the vital role of rural transport, Mayor Skaith has pledged an extra £50,000 to both the Moorsbus and DalesBus services. 

Mayor David Skaith said: 

“This is a huge step forward to creating a transport service that connects people to opportunities. I'm starting as I mean to go on and showing what my priorities will be as our long-term funding is secured - investing in young people, rural services and helping people get to work.”

“Safeguarding and improving our rural buses will also make a huge impact on our more isolated communities. Bettering resident’s journey’s out of the area, but also visitor’s journey’s in, protecting our thriving visitor economy and promoting connection with our vast and beautiful landscapes. I have seen, first-hand, the support DalesBus and MoorsBus do for our really rural areas and that is why I am committing extra funding to them, as well as adding an additional service from Harrogate to Pateley Bridge.”

This additional funding has been welcomed by Eden Blyth, a Moorsbus director, who said:

“This funding makes a huge difference to what we can give both residents and visitors. Thanks to this funding, we have been able to extend our offer from four months to five and have also added a new service between Castle Howard and Helmsley via the Howardian Hills.

“We are passionate about accessibility at Moorsbus and believe everyone should be able to access our beautiful national parks. Without our services, the 20% of our residents that do not or cannot drive, would not be able to benefit from our landscapes. If you also consider all the visitors that come to our region without a car, it is clear to see the impact rural services have on both residents lives and the visitor economy.

“Over the years, the bus industry has been ground down due to a consistent lack of funding and the impact of covid. That’s why it has been so refreshing to see Mayor Skaith’s genuine enthusiasm for creating a well-connected public transport system. Connectivity is at the core of what we do, and we are already working with the A64 corridor regime, connecting people from rail to the Moors. We see ourselves as a network rather than a service, so to see David consider cross-border connectivity through the White Rose Agreement is really exciting.”

James Farrar says the extra money for the two rural services will help to tackle some of the smaller issues with bus transport while a a larger review of the regions bus infrastructure takes place.

The York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority, which assumed responsibility for buses in February 2024, says it will be consulting on a Local Transport Plan this year to implement the Strategic Transport Framework.

Mayor Skaith believes that bus franchising, where the Mayor takes responsibility for routes, timetables, and fares and operators compete for contracts, is the best option for delivering better services. However, he acknowledges the unique and complex nature of the region and has committed to exploring all available options to ensure an affordable and sustainable solution that benefits passengers, residents, and visitors. To this end, the Mayor has convened a roundtable with bus operators in the region to discuss necessary improvements to services.

James Farrar, speaking on the matter, stated that the Mayor will be commissioning a review this year to examine the future of buses and the potential for franchising. Mr Farrar highlighted that there are various models for managing buses, including enhanced partnerships and franchising, each with different levels of public ownership and control. He emphasized the Mayor's commitment to thoroughly understanding the complexities before making any ill-informed decisions, aligning with his manifesto pledge to improve bus services.

The review will focus on understanding travel patterns to determine the most effective model for the future. Mr Farrar acknowledged that improving bus services is a long-term undertaking that requires a strategic approach to ensure sustainability. He also mentioned ongoing efforts to improve accessibility for disabled passengers.

Chief Exec of the Mayoral Authority - James Farrar - says the review is a big piece of work which they don't want to rush.

The Mayor is also considering integrated ticketing, which would allow passengers to use a single ticket for all bus journeys within a day.

Mayor Skaith concluded, 

"This is a huge step forward to creating a transport service that connects people to opportunities. I'm starting as I mean to go on and showing what my priorities will be as our long-term funding is secured - investing in young people, rural services and helping people get to work".