Long road ahead for ambitious South Yorkshire transport plans - as buses, trams and e-bikes set for revamp
South yorkshire mayor Olvier Coppard announced plans to revitalise the region’s public transport network - though it won’t come to fruition for another decade.
"We deserve better," South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard proudly declared to a packed out City Hall ballroom as he announced the ethos of the region's new public transport network.
The mayor, who has put transport at the forefront throughout his time in office, spoke about the new interconnected ‘People’s Network’ that will come into force over the next decade.
But this £1.5 billion transformation - backed by government investment - will not be a simple or indeed quick process, as Coppard sees an ambitious plan to reinvigorate South Yorkshire with the aid of a revitalised tram and bus service linked directly to Doncaster Sheffield Airport that isn't set to come to fruition until at least 2040.
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“I’m more excited than I reasonably probably should be,” Mayor Coppard told The Star.
“It’s not just since I became the mayor, but before I became the mayor I’ve wanted to do just this - be able to tell people that this is a new day for transport across South Yorkshire.
“This is about publicly controlled buses working with publicly controlled trams all supported by a better active travel network and roads which are also maintained and working away which allow people to get in the car if they want to.”
The newly rebranded network promises 900 new e-bikes in Sheffield by spring 2027 with two different hire schemes and 25 new trams in 2030 despite the existing network’s ongoing struggles.
Yet, South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) argue that bringing these different services under public control will help increase cohesion, allowing these many different projects to click together in a way they currently don't.
The mayor continued: “Right now people don’t have that freedom and choice about how they travel.
“Some people have no choice but to fill up their car with the money they’ve got as bills go up through the roof.
“So we’ve got to have a public transport system that serves the public that allows people to get where they need to be, when they want to be there and that’s what the People’s Network will be all about.
“Buses back under public control with more accessible and simpler fairs. Free travel for young people right across South Yorkshire. A tram network that works for more of South Yorkshire and is connected to the buses.
“That’s the vision for transport in South Yorkshire and it couldn’t be more urgent or more important.”
Plans are progressing for new tram lines to Stocksbridge, while the Magna tram station in Rotherham is set to open in the next few months.
Further work to trains will see a new station in the constantly developing Waverley area of Rotherham, while Northern Powerhouse Rail should introduce four fast train services per hour between Sheffield and Leeds in the 20300s.
Further train station improvements are set to increase capacity at Doncaster and Sheffield stations, while all stations will become step-free in the 2040s.
SYMCA-funded hireable e-bikes- which would follow the new molten orange and coal grey colour scheme promised for all public transport vehicles - will be a small part of the wider plan, offering people ways to get from their home to the train, tram or bus station.
Separately, Sheffield City Council are progressing their plans to introduce an e-bike hire scheme in the city
South Yorkshire active travel commissioner Ed Clancy says that e-bikes are just ‘a very small piece of the puzzle’, but is excited about how they will provide new-found freedom while improving public health.
The Gold medal Olympian added: “Here in Sheffield there has been £2 million allocated to a city hire scheme - I think Sheffield is one of two key cities which doesn’t have a city hire scheme so that’s really exciting.
“And across South Yorkshire, there’s going to be a subsidized e-bike hire scheme - Mayor Oliver has put £1.4 million into that and that one in particular I’m very much looking forward to.
“I think historically, and I’ve been honest about this, I think people have pointed at the active travel narrative, wording and imagery around it and it perhaps doesn’t seem right for us in South Yorkshire.
“I’ve had a hugely supportive mayor and like I mentioned we’ve got an excellent strategy.
“The truth is how much substance that strategy has will depend on funding - I’m not a decision maker, I just have to present the best team, the best strategy and keep advocating for what I believe in.”
The big problem that SYMCA will face moving forward is whether people accept their vision.
Millions of pounds and years of hard work will be needed to make this dream a reality, all in an age where people are more reliant on their cars than ever.
And while Mayor Coppard admits it won’t be easy, he’s excited to get to work.
“It’s going to be a nice experience, a beautiful experience, a brilliant experience,” he said.
“It’s going to be electric buses, it’s going to be a new fleet of trams, it’s going to be electric bikes - it’s going to be brilliant things for people to use right across South Yorkshire.
“We have huge ambitions for our communities, for our future, and people will see that and feel that and be able to use it and I’ve got no doubt they will.”