The South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) has today taken another step towards the introduction of franchised bus services, confirming that all major depots in the region are now under public ownership.
At a handover ceremony at Stagecoach’s Holbrook depot in Sheffield, SYMCA outlined how it has secured five depots from operators First Bus and Stagecoach, adding to the already publicly owned Leger Way site in Doncaster.
The acquisition forms part of a wider £350 million programme that covers depot purchases, electrification upgrades, and new fleet procurement.
The newly acquired facilities, which include Olive Grove, Ecclesfield and Holbrook in Sheffield, Rawmarsh in Rotherham and Wakefield Road in Barnsley, form the core of the region’s network. Plans for the sites include enhanced power infrastructure, installation of dynamic charging equipment, and improved staff facilities, alongside new office buildings at Ecclesfield and Rawmarsh and refurbishment work at Olive Grove.
Under the new arrangements, incumbent operators First Bus and Stagecoach will lease the depots back from SYMCA as the transition to franchising progresses.
Fleet projections already include 220 new buses for Olive Grove and around 110 for Leger Way. SYMCA says at least 70% of new buses entering service in Doncaster and Sheffield from 2027 will be zero-emission, with Olive Grove expected to operate a fully zero-emission allocation in the initial phase. The programme builds on a £33.4 million funding award to support 180 zero-emission buses in Sheffield.
Under the franchised system SYMCA will assume control of routes, timetables, fares and service standards, with operators delivering services under contract. The rollout is scheduled to begin in 2027 in Doncaster and most of Sheffield, extending to Barnsley and Rotherham in 2028, before full regional coverage is achieved in 2029.
South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard, in attendance, described the move as foundational to the franchising model. “This is a significant moment for South Yorkshire,” he says. “Bringing every depot into public ownership well in advance of bus franchising means we’re putting real foundations in place for a network that is reliable, affordable and works for all of us. It’s exactly what taking back control of our public transport looks like. As we roll out the South Yorkshire People’s Network, we’re creating one clearer, simpler and more connected transport system, and these depots will be right at the heart of making that happen.”
Comments Matt Kitchin, Managing Director of Stagecoach Yorkshire: “As the operator of the largest zero-emission electric bus fleet in the UK, we are looking forward to contributing our extensive expertise in electrifying depots and introducing new electric fleets to the South Yorkshire bus network. Our experience has shown that our customers and colleagues hugely appreciate electric vehicles as they’re quieter, smoother and more reliable, helping local people to get to work, access services, and to meet friends and family, and so we are excited to work in partnership to provide the best services for South Yorkshire.”
Adds Zoe Hands, Managing Director for First Bus in South Yorkshire: “This is a milestone in [the franchising] transition and strengthens our progressive partnership with the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority. We have ambitious plans to continue improving services by sharing our expertise and decades of experience, helping the authority achieve its net zero targets by electrifying the Olive Grove depot and introducing cleaner, greener and more reliable electric buses across South Yorkshire.”
