Frustrated Sheffield bus passengers share transport woes & their ideas for service improvements

The operator First Bus says passenger numbers are finally starting to bounce back after the Covid pandemic, and it plans to add new services and extend or increase the frequency of some existing routes.

It has set out a list of proposed changes, including the return of some old routes, and is asking members of the public to have their say.

Some existing services would be lost under the proposals, but First says these will be replaced by the new services.

Responding to the proposed changes, and what they think of the reliability and state of the city’s existing bus services, frustrated Sheffield passengers had plenty to say in The Star’s comment section.

Angel Moxley said: “People don't use them because they don't arrive on time. They can't be relied on, so people only use them if they have no other choice.”

She added: “The disaster of a bus service seriously disproportionately affects people's ability to participate in society when it’s their only source of transport. It is substantially late more often than it is on time, buses completely missing, or have broken down while I have been on them. That's not even mentioning how filthy they are.

“Having been to Seoul in south Korea where their entire public transport system is immaculate, always on time, subsidised, prolific and well connected, Sheffield is an absolute joke.” Kev Cawthorne said: Hope they've recruited enough staff for the upgrade in services, that's the main reason why they don't show up now. Because they don't have the staff.”

Mark Earl: “Rubbish. You just cannot rely on the timetable and after 7 at night, they get very sparse on my routes.”

Joann Selby said: “Not reliable missing late even run early to miss schools morning and evening I always go out for two earlier than needed just to be sure I arrive on time so I can keep the appointment really poor service buses breaking down all the time caught two in one day that broke down that made me late for everything very poor show.”

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On the question of which services could and should be improved or changed, this is what Star readers had to say:

Jane Creek said: “Bring back 135 high green to Sheffield via Hillsborough so we can get out of High Green!”

Added Paul Furniss: “They need to bring back in Sheffield 42, 53, 36, 43 and 253 just for the South of the city and I don't know where to begin in the North.”

Julie Taff said: Need to put more busses on between 7.45 -8.45am and 15.30-16.30 to and from the Hallamshire hospital, rubbish at moment.”

Nadeem Akram continued: “Bring back 3, 3A, 14, 20A, 22, 28, 31, 32, 33, 35, 36, 37, 37A, 38, 39, 40, 42, 44, 46, 47, 48, 49, 53, 56, 69, 70, 71, 72, 74, 79, 79A, 83, 87, 94, 95, 130, 135, 201, 253, 261, 287, A1 plus cut 18 bus route in half either Hills to Jordathorpe or City Centre to Meadowhall.”

Amy Croxton said: “Hopefully they will revise the timetables for the 81 and 82 and make it possible to get back from city centre towards Stannington on an evening seen as there’s a near two hour gap due to an oversight.”

Sam Hill said: “Bring back 17 and 37.”

But not everyone thought Sheffield’s services were in need of improvement.

Emma Love Rasta said: “Never any issues with the buses use and I used severel different bus routes.”

*For more information about the proposed changes, and to have your say before the July 12 deadline, visit:https://www.firstbus.co.uk/south-yorkshire/plan-journey/have-your-say?