Michael_N

Would it not be cheaper to use the tram Park and Ride at Halfway, or even park somewhere say on Norfolk Park and travel in on the tram? Daysaver is only £4.20 but if you’re close to town could just pay the £1.80 singles each way (£3.60 in total). Or even get a Weeksaver for £14?

£2 is really cheap for that journey tbh. There are plenty of other examples of much poorer areas than Sheffield having far more expensive fares. Want to try a quick jaunt up the M1 to Leeds to see the comparison. That's the problem with the cutbacks, the fares are too cheap and not enough income is coming through to fund and maintain the services in their current formation. One of the main bug bears for me and many others is reliability. I don't care if a bus is every 10 minutes or every 30 minutes, so long as I can rely on it turning up and running close to time I can plan my journeys around this. If you think back to how services used to be run when it was SYPTE, many services were much less frequent than they are today. Don't know whey we have buses running through the day carting fresh air around. When demand drops off at off-peak times you'd expect many buses to go back to the garage and a reduced daytime service to start operating like what used to happen. Must cost a fortune in diesel, insurance, wear & tear and general operating costs (wages etc.) running a 10 minute service all through the day with few customers onboard - most being free pass holders.

Not sure what timetable you've looked at, but the new 32 timetable route description shows it running the same route through Shirecliffe as present. Infact between City and Parson Cross it will be the same route, with the exception it will now start/terminate at Pond Street Bus Station and run via Flat Street rather than Arundel Gate.

Perfectly summed up Andy. You only have to look at the mess in London to see that even with public subsidy, the bus Network is failing and losing passengers and revenue due to congestion.

West Yorkshire is the top earner for First Bus and operates very well, hence the investment into the area. Strangely South Yorkshire which is almost the same operating area and neighbours is the worst performing area of the entire group now Manchester has been sold off. Make of that what you will but to me it’s bad management. As for the strikes themselves, Unite are just making themselves look pathetic and like they’re glass backs. At least the trams went through with it last year and from what I heard got a good deal out of it as a consequence (pay increase, introduction of time and half for overtime and a reduction in hours to 37hrs a week). First on the other hand are simply offering a lump sum payment in August 2019 and a 17p increase next year.

Probably worth noting this is a national trend as even London bus use is falling at an alarming rate. There are many factors at play but the main one is congestion. Sheffield and South Yorkshire’s bus fares are among some of the cheapest offered in the country and if people took their rose tinted spectacles off and did their research into other areas - either similar or rural they would soon see. It’s interesting to note that places that are seeing a turn around in bus use are areas where there is a proactive council trying to combat traffic congestion (West Midlands, Nottingham, Reading, Edinburgh etc). Hopefully the frequency reduction to the revised 56 and new 11/11A might help in providing it extra running time with the same resources to provided a more reliable service...

To return to the topic in question, the consultation is now open by Rotherham Council. They're are also other proposals included in the scheme including: Support to enable bus companies to introduce cleaner buses operating on Rawmarsh Hill and Fitzwilliam Road; Diversion of some buses away from Rawmarsh Hill onto Barbers Avenue A ban on HGV vehicles travelling northbound on Wortley Road and Upper Wortley Road towards the M1 Financial support for taxi drivers, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and light goods vehicle (LGV) drivers to change their vehicles to less polluting ones A 50mph speed limit on the Sheffield Parkway, as part of a scheme to reduce congestion at junction 33 of the M1 You can have your say in the consultation at - https://www.rotherham.gov.uk/forms/form/1210/en/clean_air_zone_public_consultation_2019

X17 from Barnsley to Sheffield fast down the motorway, or can get the slower (but serves more of the city centre) 2/X2 service that runs down through Hoyland and Chapeltown?

Report it to the police. Sounds like a set up.

Indeed so. You wouldn't believe the amount of ignorant tools who catch buses - and people wonder why bus drivers look miserable. Wouldn't you dealing with some of the people who catch the services day in, day out... Not to mention the amount of silly questions that are asked constantly or the fact how people now think you're the Bank of England on wheels flashing their wads of £20 notes for a £1.50 fare etc.

It's just 1 single decker that was repainted into the Heritage fleet to remember the history of buses in South Yorkshire. Likewise with the Doncaster Corporation/Rotherham Corportation and Sheffield Corportation / South Yorkshire's Transport double deckers that have also been repainted over the years. Quite a nice touch really.

First is a commercial business and although owned by First Group on the whole, each individual operating company has to make a profit as a business in its own right. First SY are losing around £2.5million per year, this has reduced in the last year from £5.5million thanks to cut backs to routes/services/vehicles and also the closure of the Midland Road depot in Rotherham. Sadly, due to the current business structure and pension deficit - unless things drastically change I can see First SY going the same way as the Manchester operation and being split/place for sale. Manchester (Queens Road) will transfer over to Go Ahead from 2 June 2019. Whether if this is a good thing or not remains to be seen. Also worth pointing out Unite are generally more relaxed - unlike RMT.

You're covered with union action/striking. While it would make more sense to follow the Japanese style (burn their fuel, keep passengers happy/able to travel to work/leisure etc.) - current legislation and UK Law don't allow this.

Good on them! Everyone always whinges and moans about how the unions have too much control. If the unions didn't exist we'd all have the bare minimum. For those whinging about how they are paid more than most other sectors - go and join them. They're recruiting now - https://uk.firstgroupcareers.com/vacancy/first-uk-bus-trainee--qualified-bus-drivers---south-yorkshire-9904-uk-bus---south-yorkshire/9933/description/ Because then they would be breaching their contract and therefore likely to be dismissed.

Swallownest, along with Aughton and Aston is generally a nice area all round. Well connected to both Rotherham/Sheffield and close to the M1 and Rother Valley/Ulley country parks. You also have the advantage of being in Rotherham, so you tend to get more for your money than over the border in Sheffield - along with council tax being cheaper.