Sheffield's bus network has been hit by cuts and issues with punctuality and reliability, with South Yorkshire mayor Oliver Coppard admitting it's 'not good enough'.
But which are the worst routes in Sheffield when it comes to reliability?
We asked the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) which bus services in Sheffield it had received most complaints about between the beginning of 2022 and the end of August 2023.
Responding to The Star's Freedom of Information request, it said each contact from members of the public about buses to the SYMCA and before that the South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive (SYPTE) was recorded as a new 'case'. This included positive feedback about staff, not just complaints, and it was not possible to give a figure for complaints alone.
It provided a list of the 15 bus services within Sheffield about which the most 'cases' had been opened during the 20 month period, with this information broken down by the nature of the case.
We have used these figures to calculate the bus services on that list with the highest combined number of complaints about services not running or buses failing to stop.
We have not included complaints about other issues like buses running early or late, overcrowding or cleanliness. It's also important to note that some of the services run much more frequently than others so are likely to generate more complaints.
Below is the list in full, from the lowest number of complaints about services not running or buses failing to stop to the highest.
5. X1 - 10th worst (joint)
The number X1 bus, operated by First, runs between Sheffield and Maltby, via Meadowhall, pictured, and Rotherham. Between the beginning of 2022 and August 31, 2023, South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority said there had been 24 complaints about the service not running and 16 about the bus failing to stop. That combined total of 40 was the joint 10th highest. | Google Photo: Chris Etchells
6. 135 - 10th worst (joint)
The number 135 bus, operated by Stagecoach, runs between Rotherham and Chapeltown, pictured. Between the beginning of 2022 and August 31, 2023, South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority said there had been 32 complaints about the service not running and 8 about the bus failing to stop. That combined total of 40 was the joint 10th highest. | Google
7. 218 - 8th worst (joint)
The 218 bus service, operated by TM Travel, runs from Sheffield to Bakewell, pictured, via Ecclesall, Totley and Baslow. Between the beginning of 2022 and August 31, 2023, South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority said there had been 34 complaints about the service not running and 7 about the bus failing to stop. That combined total of 41 was the joint 8th highest. | Other Photo: Pixabay
8. 97 - 8th worst (joint)
The 97 bus service, operated by First, runs from Totley to Hillsborough, pictured, via Sheffield city centre. Between the beginning of 2022 and August 31, 2023, South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority said there had been 30 complaints about the service not running and 11 about the bus failing to stop. That combined total of 41 was the joint 8th highest. | Google