Public transport turns orange and re-branded 'South Yorkshire People’s Network' in nod to 1980s
Buses and trams are set to turn orange as the mayor of South Yorkshire launches a new era for public transport.
Oliver Coppard is today unveiling a new brand and name - ‘South Yorkshire People’s Network’ - in a bid to create a single identity like Transport for London and the Bee Network in Manchester.
It is a reference to the glory days of the ‘People’s Republic of South Yorkshire’ in the 1980s when Sheffield was famous for cheap buses, he says.
And it comes with a long list of ambitions to create a “joined up”, reliable, affordable, sustainable transport system, “that serves every community.”
Stretching out to the 2040s, it includes taking control of buses, two new railway stations, new tram-train lines, free travel for under‑18s, two e-bike hire schemes and reopening Doncaster airport.
A branded bus will be in Barker’s Pool, Sheffield, today, Monday, March 16, from 10am-4pm.
Mr Coppard said the new colours of molten orange, grey and black “speak to the region’s history of industry, northern grit, and resilience.”
He added: “I grew up with the People’s Republic of South Yorkshire, so it’s back to the future, referencing coal, steel and the spark of ingenuity.
“Public transport in South Yorkshire has been broken for too long. I promised to make change happen, to give South Yorkshire back the world class public transport system we once had, and that’s exactly what we’re doing.”
Speaking to The Star, he said the wishlist was not a plan but a “vision.”
He added: “A lot of work still needs to be done and a huge amount of consultation. And we need investment to follow the vision.”
Last week, Mr Coppard and transport secretary Heidi Alexander, announced 186 new electric buses for South Yorkshire from September next year.
They will coincide with the start of ‘franchising’, when the mayor will take over routes and timetables, aiming to improve services.
In recent months some private operators have increased fares 20 per cent, he claimed.
He said: “It gives people a better understanding of how it all ties together, a strong visual identity. So people understand that if they use one part, they are using all of it.”
Created by agency Peter and Paul in Kelham Island, branding work is not finished and the final cost is unknown at this stage, he said.
Lord David Blunkett, who led Sheffield City Council during the days of the People’s Republic , said: “A transport network that works for everyone is essential to the future of South Yorkshire, as it was in the past, and the Vision is a vital step towards achieving this.”
In June last year, the government announced £1.5bn for a new fleet of trams by 2032, and to fund bus franchising in Sheffield, Doncaster and Rotherham by 2027, and the whole of South Yorkshire by 2029.
The mayor took control of the tram network in 2024.
In the coming months, people will begin to see the new brand across bus stops, shelters and interchanges, on frontline tram staff uniforms and on a new South Yorkshire People’s Network website, replacing Travel South Yorkshire by the end of the year.
From next year, it will appear on the buses that come under South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority control, on bus driver uniforms, across the tram network, the Mayor’s South Yorkshire-wide E-bike subscription programme, and Sheffield City Council’s E-bike hire scheme.