South Yorkshire People's Network transport plan is 'welcome' say Reform UK, but warn against high expectations

The South Yorkshire Mayor announced the new transport brand and vision at an event in Sheffield on March 16, 2026, describing it as a “once in a generation opportunity”.

Mayor Coppard invoked memories of South Yorkshire’s “famous” public transit network before what he described as the “failed privatisation of our buses” in the 1980s.

The Reform UK group on the City of Doncaster Council, currently the party’s only significant political group in South Yorkshire, have attempted to temper expectations.

Councillor Karl Hughes, who represents Stainforth and Barnby Dun and is chair of the council’s overview and scrutiny management committee, said he welcomes the launch of the South Yorkshire People’s Network.

He said it “marks the beginning of a long-term plan to improve the region’s public transport through a unified brand and a clearer, more coordinated identity”.

But he warned that expectations for bus franchising, which will begin in Doncaster and Sheffield in September 2027, may already be too high and lessons should be learnt from the likes of the Bee Network in Greater Manchester.

“National transport experts have also warned that public expectations for franchising have often been set unrealistically high,” Cllr Hughes told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).

In Greater Manchester, “the first phases of franchising saw service disruption, including reliability problems and repeated breakdowns”, Hughes said.

He added: “While improvements followed, these issues demonstrate that the transition period can be difficult for passengers.”

In 2026, the key changes to be brought around by the announcement are refurbished bus stops and a new SYPN website, which will replace Travel South Yorkshire.

However, the SYMCA will be piloting a Demand Responsive Transport scheme in Doncaster and Rotherham this year.

Mayor Coppard said the scheme “means you can get a bus when you need it” and added: “A method of transport, usually a mini-bus, will turn up at your door and take you where you need to go.”

Additionally, the vision made references to rail and tram connections to Doncaster Sheffield Airport. However, it lacked a concrete date, despite a SYPN timeline stretching into the 2040s.

Mayor Coppard avoided any sort of timeline commitment when he was interviewed by the LDRS following the announcement, instead saying he wanted it to happen “as soon as we can”.

He said: “The airport’s got to thrive and one of the ways you make that airport thrive is you make sure people can get there. It’s as simple as that.

“If people can get there more easily… on a tram or a train, that means the airport can attract more passengers and it’s going to do better.”

Cllr Hughes said: “We support the direction of travel. But success will depend not only on branding or announcements, but on the delivery of reliable services on the ground, meaningful engagement with communities, and a realistic understanding of the challenges ahead.”

The SYPN announcement was also welcomed by the Labour MP for Doncaster East and the Isle of Axholme, Lee Pitcher.

Mr Pitcher was in attendance at the announcement in Sheffield and said: “The People’s Network is a very fitting name for South Yorkshire’s new transport vision. If we want a transport system that works for everyone, it has to be shaped by the people who use it every day.

“That’s exactly what we’ve seen with my Doncaster East Superloop proposal. This idea has been built by our community and endorsed by residents, schools, employers and local organisations all telling us where better bus connections are needed.

“Reconnecting communities across Doncaster East and the Isle of Axholme was one of my key pledges when I was elected, and bus franchising gives us a real opportunity to deliver that.”