David Skaith, Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, has today set out his vision for bus services in York and North Yorkshire – increasing accessible, affordable, and convenient public transport.
Mayor David Skaith said,
“Bus services across York and North Yorkshire are not good enough, today marks a landmark step in the journey to fix that. From today I will be working tirelessly to get our buses working for people and communities across our region. Over the next year I’ll be investing £95m into our region’s transport and highways, improving bus stops, making our streets safer for children to get to school, and taking action to fix our roads thanks to an extra £16m from government to tackle potholes across the region.”
So far, the Mayor has committed to;
- Protecting the cheaper fares for NHS staff at York Hospital
- Connecting young people to opportunity by integrating £1 bus fares for under-19s in York and North Yorkshire.
- Boosting vital rural bus services by awarding an additional £50,000 to both the Moorsbus and DalesBus
- And adding an extra evening service from Harrogate to Pateley Bridge
York College & University Centre Principal and Chief Executive Ken Merry said,
“I think it’s great that the Mayor has extended the £1 fares to allow our students and apprentices to use public transport to get to and from college. As the largest provider of education across York and North Yorkshire, this will really benefit many of our students, particularly those trying to get to T-level and apprenticeship placements.”
David Skaith continued,
“This is a huge step forward to creating a transport service that connects people to opportunities. I’m starting as I mean to go on and showing what my priorities will be as our long-term funding is secured – investing in young people, rural services and helping people get to work.”
“Safeguarding and improving our rural buses will also make a huge impact on our more isolated communities. Bettering residents’ journeys out of the area, but also visitors’ journeys in, protecting our thriving visitor economy and promoting connection with our vast and beautiful landscapes. I have seen, first-hand, the support DalesBus and MoorsBus do for our really rural areas and that is why I am committing extra funding to them, as well as adding an additional service from Harrogate to Pateley Bridge.”
This year, York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority will consult on a Local Transport Plan, setting the plans to deliver the Strategic Transport Framework.
David Skaith continued
“As I work towards a public consultation on franchising there is work that I and the bus operators need to do to start making changes now. That is why I have called a roundtable with bus operators in the region to discuss what needs to be done to improve services for residents, businesses and visitors. I’ll also keep pushing for the long-term investment our region needs to fix our broken transport service, making York and North Yorkshire an easier place to live, work and enjoy.”
