The South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) plans to procure a mix of existing diesel and battery-electric buses and new examples with both driveline technologies as part of its policy on fleet for rollout of bus franchising in the region.
How vehicles are split between those pools will be based on the availability of existing fleet for sale, capital funding availability and depot readiness for battery-electric, although the Combined Authority says it aims to remove all diesel buses that are older than 15 years.
At least 30% of new purchases will be battery-electric. SYMCA will own vehicles that are used on the franchised network. Battery-electric buses already feature on services that are to be part of franchising, largely in the form of Yutong vehicles operated by Stagecoach Yorkshire from its Rawmarsh depot in Rotherham.
For future new procurement, SYMCA has developed a bus specification based on safety and accessibility, a report to go before the Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 20 January and written by Director of Bus Franchising Matt Goggins notes.
That configuration reflects priorities identified through early engagement with technical experts, bus industry leaders, operators, trade unions, accessibility groups, the public, and via internal consultation by SYMCA.
A detailed specification briefing is laid down in a separate paper, but twin wheelchair user spaces, illuminated stop request buttons, enhanced audio-visual information and automatic interior LED lighting are given among areas of focus for SYMCA. Dementia-friendly flooring is also referenced.
Noted in a communications plan is that a fleet order announcement is expected to be made during May.
In September 2025, SYMCA appointed Janus Architecture to deliver “feasibility designs” for six bus depots in the region. That work was to inform decisions on operating centre acquisition, remediation, and electrification works to be overseen by incumbent users under a strategy for zero-emission fleet readiness.
A decision to deliver bus franchising in South Yorkshire was made by Mayor Oliver Coppard in March 2025. Rollout is scheduled for three tranches. Those will commence in September 2027 with what are currently First Bus depots in Doncaster and Sheffield.
The second tranche in autumn 2028 will involve current Stagecoach Yorkshire depots in Barnsley and Rotherham. Two Stagecoach depots in Sheffield and work currently done by TM Travel from its operating centre there will wrap up implementation in autumn 2029.
