Public body responsible for South Yorkshire’s buses blame government cuts following criticism from Mayor Jarvis

South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive (SYPTE) came under fire from the mayor who said their 'architecture and approach are no longer fit for purpose’.

Sheffield City Region mayor Dan Jarvis said the body 'did its best to manage and mitigate service cuts' by operators but added it had been ‘more about the executive than the passenger’.

Bus patronage has fallen by nearly 20 per cent in the last 10 years but SYPTE bosses stressed they have had £245 million less funding than they did in 2010.

All four South Yorkshire councils pay a levy for SYPTE to operate and function.

Tim Taylor, SYPTE director of customer services, said the body ‘fully supports Mayor Jarvis’ commitment’ to improve bus services in South Yorkshire.

He said: “It is no secret that ten years of budget cuts has hit SYPTE hard, and our ability to support bus services. The tough financial and legislative environment we operate in - with few powers and reduced resources – has inevitably limited what we deliver for our customers.

“We therefore welcome both the increased political appetite to address bus decline and Mayor Jarvis’ progress towards a devolution deal, which can deliver the governance and sustained investment needed to build the best possible bus network for South Yorkshire. So, we can, together, rebuild customer confidence in bus services and deliver a sustainable City Region.”