(Joint news release with Doncaster Bus Partnership)
Changes to bus timetables, routes and cheaper tickets are to launch in Doncaster next weekend with the aim of improving travel in the town.
The newly-formed Doncaster Bus Partnership – a voluntary agreement between First South Yorkshire, Stagecoach, Arriva, South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive and Doncaster Council - will introduce a revised bus network alongside new, lower-priced multi-operator tickets from Sunday 15 May, following public consultation last year.
‘DonConnect’ Day (£4.50), 7 Day (£15.50) and 28 Day (£54) tickets from TravelMaster will offer value-for-money travel on any bus in Doncaster and savings of up to 30% on current multi-operator tickets. Single operator day, weekly and monthly tickets are still available. Price increases for all single operator bus tickets in the borough will be limited to once a year.
As part of the bus partnership First South Yorkshire will introduce 14 new single-decker buses in a £2.8m investment to coincide with the new network launch. This follows a recent investment of £7m in newer and more environmentally friendly buses by Stagecoach on service 22X & First South Yorkshire on the X78.
Doncaster Bus Partnership is reminding passengers to check for changes to bus services, which include:
- 41 (Scawsby) will be re-routed around the estate, including Malvern Avenue.
- 16 will be extended twice per hour to operate as service 10 to Maltby and Rotherham to improve access to Rotherham hospital.
- 71 (Hexthorpe) will be extended every 30 minutes to Sandford Road and Lakeside/The Dome to improve access to leisure and employment.
- 15 and 55/56 will offer more evening buses to Rossington and Edlington.
- 87 (Hatfield) will cover Broadway and Station Road every 20 minutes. 87/87a will run every ten minutes and new service 8/8a (replacing X8) will run hourly along Broadwater Drive.
- 84/84a/84b will be re-routed via Edenthorpe to improve access to the local supermarket.
- X78 will be co-ordinated with service 220/221 to provide a bus up to every 7/8 minutes between Conisbrough and Doncaster.
- 57 (Finningley – Doncaster) frequency will increase to three buses per hour, replacing service 91. X19 and 57a will serve Doncaster Airport.
Timetable changes will also take place on services 14, 15, 18, 19, 41, 49, 50/50a, 54, 55, 56, 57/57a, 58, 59/59a, 65, 66/66a, 72, 73, 76/76a, 81, 82, 89, 91, X91, 205, 219/219a, 220, 319 and 412.
Information about bus service changes, new timetables and maps can be found at travelsouthyorkshire.com, at bus stops and on buses, in Travel South Yorkshire Interchanges or by calling Traveline on 01709 51 51 51.
SYPTE Executive Director, Stephen Edwards, said: “Working together, Doncaster Bus Partnership has used valuable feedback from public consultation to consider all commercially operated and supported bus services to create a new, joined-up bus network that offers a quality, sustainable and reliable service for the town.
“Better co-ordination of services by different operators aims to reduce congestion and pollution along common sections of route, and some buses have been re-routed to improve access to employment, education and community services, to help support economic growth.
“We hope that Doncaster’s new bus network, along with reduced price multi-operator tickets, will be welcomed by both existing and new bus users.”
Andy Simpson, First South Yorkshire Head of Business Performance, said: "In partnership we have been able to deliver new connections, state-of-the art buses and even better value for money tickets for customers. I'm sure the new Doncaster Bus Partnership will play a successful role in encouraging people to use public transport."
Stagecoach Yorkshire Managing Director, Paul Lynch, said: “This is a new start for bus services in Doncaster that has the potential to grow the number of people using buses by offering an improved network. We hope it will persuade more people to make the switch from cars to buses.”
Doncaster’s bus changes were agreed by Sheffield City Region Combined Authority Transport Committee at their meeting on 29 February 2016 and form part of a package of local transport objectives drawn in the Sheffield City Region Devolution Deal.
First South Yorkshire media contact: Brandon Jones, 07775-824829, [email protected]
NOTES TO EDITORS
- Doncaster Bus Partnership is a voluntary agreement between South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive, Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council, Arriva Yorkshire, First South Yorkshire, Stagecoach East Midlands and Stagecoach Yorkshire. travelsouthyorkshire.com/dbp
- DonConnect Day and 7 Day multi-operator tickets from TravelMaster will be available to buy onboard Doncaster bus services from 15 May. 28 Day tickets can be purchased from ticket machines at Travel South Yorkshire interchanges. Single-operator First, Stagecoach and Arriva tickets remain available. travelsouthyorkshire.com/ticketfinder/
- The Sheffield City Region Devolution Deal (2014) sets out transport improvement objectives that include the development of a Doncaster Bus Partnership to improve the local bus offer. sheffieldcityregion.org.uk/
- Public consultation on Doncaster’s bus network took place 9 November - 18 December 2015. People could take part online, via paper feedback forms at Interchanges and Doncaster Council’s Civic Building Reception, and at 14 drop-in sessions across Doncaster. 801 responses were received. sypte.co.uk
- Over 9.8m is being invested in buses in the region. First South Yorkshire will introduce 14 new single-decker buses in a £2.8m investment to coincide with the new network launch. It follows a joint £7m vehicle investment in 32 new South Yorkshire buses by First South Yorkshire and Stagecoach Yorkshire on the X78 and 22X routes.
- SYPTE implements the decisions of SCR Combined Authority Transport Committee, which is made up of nominated elected members from the local authorities of Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham, Sheffield, North East Derbyshire, Derbyshire Dales, Bolsover, Bassetlaw and Chesterfield. southyorks.gov.uk/