Why can't we have something like this? City Council are you reading this?

[JoeP 11]

Yes there was the City Clipper up to 1986 and that was paid for out of the rates. Then the busses were deregulated and the Tories made the SYPTE sell the bus company to the private sector. We live in a different world now and as much as I would like to see the Re-nationalisation of the busses and the trains, I can see that it is not going to happen. What we do need is re-regulation of the transport in South Yorkshire, so that the buses and the routs they run on are not just run for the convenience of the bus companies.

 

Almost correct - Deregulation FORMED SYPTE, and the other Transport Executives in the Metrolpolitan Areas, by splitting off operating company from regulatory authority.

 

When the buses went in to 'private ownership' the major change was on paper; the people driving them, managing them, etc. were EXACTLY the same poeple who'd been there before de-regulation. The staff of SYPTE, for example, at de-regulation were previously part of SYT on the whole.

 

As has been pointed out, what works for Leeds doesn't work for Sheffield, and vice-versa. Leeds is a larger city centre to get around, to start with, and whilst I appreciate that it can be difficult for some groups in the community to get around the city, the vast majority of these are precisely the ones who can get or very soon will get free or very cheap travel anyway!

 

I think I would rather see fewer services using High Street, etc. that seem to run aroudn half empty most of the days. They fill the streets around the city centre, and realistically on some routes you could get away with half the frequency in the middle of the day and still move all the people.

 

Reduce the frequency of these services and then introduce a series of little mini-buses that operate on a 20 or 30p Fare structure. They literally just buzz around the city centre and drop off at the Interchanges and station. If you can afford to be lumbered with bags of shopping, you can afford the extra 20p to ride the bus....

 

Joe

[foxy027 10]

The city centre buisness'es and the council should get together to fund this idea in Sheffield

[scoop 10]

http://www.leeds.gov.uk/Free%20city%20bus/page.aspx?style

After all the traffic chaos around the Train Station,I think we should petiton the council for a free bus scheme like the one in the link.After all if Leeds can do it why can't we? A good simple idea that WORKS! It picks up and drops off at Universities,hospitals,shopping areas,etc.

Sheffield lag behind Leeds the city vs. city debate again.

C'mon Sheffield city council give us something for our council tax!

 

Thanks for the link shefandy, I've got to go on a two day course at LGI in April so this will come in very handy!

[sheffandy 33]

Glad to be of assistance!

[Yellowrose 10]

we HAD a service like that, it was the number 500, City Clipper service!!!!

 

it ran from Pond Street bus station, to the Co-Op arcade on Ecclesall Road, and back, from the lat e seventies, through to at least teh mid eighties.

 

and[/i] it was free, too, just like the l**ds one is!

 

there is a thread on here somewhere suggesting we bring the City Clipper back.

 

PT

 

I thought of this, and also the cheap fares which were next to nothing really. But I dont think there is a snowballs chance in hell of them coming back.

[12bore 10]

Almost correct - Deregulation FORMED SYPTE, and the other Transport Executives in the Metrolpolitan Areas, by splitting off operating company from regulatory authority.

 

When the buses went in to 'private ownership' the major change was on paper; the people driving them, managing them, etc. were EXACTLY the same poeple who'd been there before de-regulation. The staff of SYPTE, for example, at de-regulation were previously part of SYT on the whole.

 

As has been pointed out, what works for Leeds doesn't work for Sheffield, and vice-versa. Leeds is a larger city centre to get around, to start with, and whilst I appreciate that it can be difficult for some groups in the community to get around the city, the vast majority of these are precisely the ones who can get or very soon will get free or very cheap travel anyway!

 

I think I would rather see fewer services using High Street, etc. that seem to run aroudn half empty most of the days. They fill the streets around the city centre, and realistically on some routes you could get away with half the frequency in the middle of the day and still move all the people.

 

Reduce the frequency of these services and then introduce a series of little mini-buses that operate on a 20 or 30p Fare structure. They literally just buzz around the city centre and drop off at the Interchanges and station. If you can afford to be lumbered with bags of shopping, you can afford the extra 20p to ride the bus....

 

Joe

Thanks for that correction JoeP; the old memory has played tricks on me again. I am not sure that reducing the number of buses on High Street would be of benefit. That may mean a reduction of the services that come from the outskirts of the city. As one who uses the buses, I have only 2 per hour, or a 2-mile walk to the tram, any reduction would be most unhelpful.

As I understand it, the old City Clipper 500 bus was free because at the time the “bendy buses” were being used and no charge could be made for passengers on an articulated vehicle at that time. I think this traffic regulation was changed in the mid 80s around the time of de-regulation.

As there are a number of buses that travel from one end of the city to the other (41 comes to mind) is there a need for a circle route?

[Plain Talker 11]

As I understand it, the old City Clipper 500 bus was free because at the time the “bendy buses” were being used and no charge could be made for passengers on an articulated vehicle at that time. I think this traffic regulation was changed in the mid 80s around the time of de-regulation.

 

when the bendibuses were introduced, it is correct, the law said that fares could not be charged for travel on an articulated vehicle.

 

As there are a number of buses that travel from one end of the city to the other (41 comes to mind) is there a need for a circle route?

 

The 41 only travels from Halfway to go though the City centre, it isn't a cross- city route.

 

PT

[12bore 10]

when the bendibuses were introduced, it is correct, the law said that fares could not be charged for travel on an articulated vehicle.

 

 

 

The 41 only travels from Halfway to go though the City centre, it isn't a cross- city route.

 

PT

 

Plain Talker do you have a list of all the bus routes?

[Bilge 34]

There are posters advertising a free city centre bus at Sheffield station. Wow, what a great idea I thought. Pity it's the Leeds one they're advertising. Manchester has 2 different routes on their free city centre bus I think now? Sheff, with all its hills, has none.

 

Yorkshire Forward will give us some dosh towards funding this. I think we will get one eventually but they're waiting until they've finished digging up the station front.

[oldtimer 11]

I was in Seattle, Washington, USA a few years ago. there they have a system whereby ALL bus travel in the city centre area (I don't know how extensive this is) is free. When the bus reaches the end of the free zone, the driver announces that the riders have to pay to continue to travel. This system applies to every bus that travels in the free zone. There are enough bus routes in the zone so that most people who live or work down-town can use the free system. Seems to work well, no complaints that I heard. There seemed to be no reason to add buses for this service, buses already in service were able to handle it.

[Cyclone 10]

Do you think the electors of Sheffield, particularly those that whinge about this city being anti-car, would agree to pay for this?

 

I'm one of those 'whingers' and I think it sounds like a pretty good idea.

 

And whilst there at it they should reinstate the late buses from the city centre in the early hours of the morning.

[Morte 10]

Free bus services?

 

Sounds like communism...communism I tells ya.

 

And with regards to the minibus idea...didn't we used to have these in Sheffield? Eager Beavers or some such name...I remember using them when I worked in the Don Valley.