News: New demand responsive transport services to be piloted in Rotherham
Connectivity across Rotherham could be improved by innovative new demand responsive public transport services.
South Yorkshire’s Mayor Oliver Coppard confirmed recently that the region’s first publicly controlled buses will begin operating in Doncaster and most of Sheffield from September 2027. The rollout will continue in Barnsley and Rotherham by the end of 2028, with the rest of Sheffield following in 2029.
Since the Mayor’s decision to take control of the buses in March 2025, South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) has been working at pace to reverse nearly 40 years of deregulation and put the public back at the heart of public transport. That means SYMCA will control the bus routes, timetables, fares, ticket options and quality standards and will be able to reinvest profits back into improving services.
As part of its work to address connectivity issues across the region, SYMCA is looking to launch a pilot project next year around demand responsive transport.
Advertisement
Demand responsive transport is a flexible service that provides shared transport to users who specify their desired location and time of pick-up and drop-off. It can complement fixed route public transport services and improve mobility in low-density areas and at low-demand times of day.
Services run without a set timetable and typically use smaller vehicles than fixed route bus services. Dial-a-ride minibus services scheduled through advance bookings are a traditional example. Dynamic schemes enable routes to be adjusted in real time to accommodate new pick-up requests, often made minutes in advance.
SYMCA has begun tapping up the private sector for a provider to supply and operate the software for, and run pilot services, in two separate zones - one in Doncaster and one in Rotherham.
Tender documents explain that the £1.7m pilot scheme would run from April 2026 to March 2027 and involve a minimum of two wheelchair accessible vehicles per zone, running 12 hours a day (6:00-18:00), Monday to Saturday (excluding most Bank Holidays).
The booking system would involve app and phone booking, in real-time and in advance, plus route optimisation.
Rotherham Community Transport has charity status and a fleet of over 30 vehicles and is already offering a number of Door 2 Door services such as its Dial-A-Ride and Shopper Bus.
Images: Rotherham Community Transport
South Yorkshire’s Mayor Oliver Coppard confirmed recently that the region’s first publicly controlled buses will begin operating in Doncaster and most of Sheffield from September 2027. The rollout will continue in Barnsley and Rotherham by the end of 2028, with the rest of Sheffield following in 2029.
Since the Mayor’s decision to take control of the buses in March 2025, South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) has been working at pace to reverse nearly 40 years of deregulation and put the public back at the heart of public transport. That means SYMCA will control the bus routes, timetables, fares, ticket options and quality standards and will be able to reinvest profits back into improving services.
As part of its work to address connectivity issues across the region, SYMCA is looking to launch a pilot project next year around demand responsive transport.
Advertisement
Demand responsive transport is a flexible service that provides shared transport to users who specify their desired location and time of pick-up and drop-off. It can complement fixed route public transport services and improve mobility in low-density areas and at low-demand times of day.
Services run without a set timetable and typically use smaller vehicles than fixed route bus services. Dial-a-ride minibus services scheduled through advance bookings are a traditional example. Dynamic schemes enable routes to be adjusted in real time to accommodate new pick-up requests, often made minutes in advance.
SYMCA has begun tapping up the private sector for a provider to supply and operate the software for, and run pilot services, in two separate zones - one in Doncaster and one in Rotherham.
Tender documents explain that the £1.7m pilot scheme would run from April 2026 to March 2027 and involve a minimum of two wheelchair accessible vehicles per zone, running 12 hours a day (6:00-18:00), Monday to Saturday (excluding most Bank Holidays).
The booking system would involve app and phone booking, in real-time and in advance, plus route optimisation.
Rotherham Community Transport has charity status and a fleet of over 30 vehicles and is already offering a number of Door 2 Door services such as its Dial-A-Ride and Shopper Bus.
Images: Rotherham Community Transport
0 comments:
Post a Comment