Sheffield Bus services: New 'FreeBee' bus service will launch in city centre next week

The shuttle bus service will follow a circular route connecting key city centre destinations like Sheffield Station, The Moor Market and Town Hall Square.

When the plans for the shuttle service were announced in March, Councillor Terry Fox said: “Travelling these days is about more than getting from A to B and these plans will make sure that Sheffielders and visitors to our city have more options when travelling, with healthier choices and safer routes which are also better for the environment.

"We have spoken to businesses and local people about the idea of a shuttle bus and overwhelmingly the idea has been welcomed.”

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The “FreeBee” service will not cost any extra for people who have already purchased a bus, tram or train ticket in South Yorkshire on the day they travel, but will have a £1 fee for a single journey for anyone who has not done this.

As part of the new service’s route, Leopold Street and Surrey Street are being re-opened so the bus can serve destinations like Town Hall Square and the Sheffield Theatres.

Pinstone Street will remain closed after it was shut to encourage social distancing in July 2020, with the new “FreeBee” route following a circular path around the area.

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The service is hoping to operate on purely electric shuttle buses in the future, but the announcement in March said diesel buses will be used to start with, until a fully-electric “FreeBee” fleet is possible.

An older version of the “FreeBee” services was launched in 2007.