New community bus to serve rural villages in Sheffield and Barnsley

The new service by South Pennine Community Transport will connect residents to Penistone, Stocksbridge and Fox Valley.

It comes after nearly three years of campaigning by Thurgoland Parish Council and the Holy Trinity Church Community Action Group.

Following cuts to rural bus services they surveyed residents to find out which routes people needed most.

Sue Heyes, former chairman of the action group, said: “There was a clear need to connect the villages of Crane Moor, Thurgoland and Wortley with Stocksbridge, with residents saying that they would like to shop at Fox Valley and use the tram link bus to connect with Sheffield.

“A lack of regular, reliable rural bus services leaves local people cut off. For older people especially who can’t or don’t drive, this is leading to loneliness and isolation.”

Miriam Cates, MP for Penistone and Stocksbridge, said a public meeting had shown the strength of feeling.

"Rural public transport is so important, we need reliable bus services to connect people with jobs, health care and services and without it our communities will be unsustainable.

"After talking to local residents and hearing how cut off many had become, I was determined to do whatever I could to support the group.”

A business plan has been drawn up detailing how the service could become financially sustainable with some initial start-up funding. It's been presented to SYPTE, who are considering it.

South Pennine Community Transport is so committed to the new route it has agreed to run a trial service starting on September 5.

The number 26 will run on Saturday mornings and will be a circular service starting at 9.30am from Thurgoland, stopping at Crane Moor, Wortley and Fox Valley then arriving at Penistone at 10am. It will run hourly until 1.30pm and it's hoped it will be expanded to Monday to Friday.

Concessionary bus passes are accepted and the full timetable can be viewed at www.southpenninect.com

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