Readers demand greater reliability from buses in Leeds after £500k Government funding package announced
Readers have demanded greater reliability from services after a fresh Government funding package was announced.
Earlier today the Government announced £3 million in additional funding to support six mayoral authorities, including West and South Yorkshire, to set up bus franchising, building on the success of the Bee Network in Greater Manchester.
A £500,000 funding package has been made available to support each of the six region’s bus franchising journey, including the Weaver Network in West Yorkshire.
Following the announcement, we asked you the Yorkshire Evening Post readers what part of the city’s bus network you would most like to see change and the overwhelming answer was greater reliability and evening services.
Cathy Peel said: “Improvement to reliability and frequency,” Rosheen James said: “More regular services. Kirkstall road is served by numerous buses but they come along in groups and then there's 20 minutes wait for the next group of buses to come along.”
This was echoed by Joanne Love, who said: “More reliable, cheaper fares for people travelling 2-3 stops,” while Daniel KP said: “Increase off-peak frequency (reduce “ghost town” waits at night or Sundays) and introduce stricter on-time performance targets with penalties for operators.”
Jayne Griffiths added: “Make them regular and reliable. The Selby to Leeds bus stops at monk Fryston early evening making it useless for commuters or a night out.”
Distinctive green Weaver Network buses are on their way to West Yorkshire’s roads next year after Mayor Brabin’s landmark decision in 2024 to bring public transport back under public control for the first time in nearly 40 years.
Through a process known as franchising, bus routes, frequencies, fares and overall standards will be set by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority – not private operators, who will instead be contracted to run services on the Combined Authority’s behalf.
Similar processes are underway across the country and these schemes are all backed by the government, with more than £3 billion invested through the Local Authority Bus Grant between 2026 and 2029 - money that local leaders can spend on the things passengers actually need.