A huge new £1.5 billion public transport network has been announced for northern England

Power to the people! This week, South Yorkshire’s mayor revealed plans to create a brand new integrated transport network for the region, with buses set to come under public control for the first time since 1986. 

Buses, bike hires and trams in Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield will all come under the new network, known as the People’s Network (a nod to Sheffield’s 1980s nickname, The People’s Republic of South Yorkshire). They’ll be rebranded in a bold orange and black colour scheme. 

First, the branding will be rolled out across bus stops and bus shelters in the regions. Then, in 2027, residents will start seeing it on the buses themselves, on driver uniforms, on trams and tram stops and across the Sheffield city centre bike hire scheme. And within five years, the People’s Network brand will be splashed across 25 new trams and on wayfinding signage throughout South Yorkshire. 

The huge overhaul is part of a £1.5 billion investment in the region’s transport, which will see the tram network upgraded and the buses brought under public control over the next three years (the Sheffield Supertram was already returned to public hands in 2024 after nearly three decades of private ownership under Stagecoach). Buses in Doncaster and Sheffield will be franchised in September 2027 and the rest across South Yorkshire will be franchised by 2029. 

The move follows in the footsteps of Greater Manchester which, under Andy Burnham, was the first place in the UK to reverse the deregulation that has been in place since Margaret Thatcher was in government. It’s hoped that, with local authorities back in charge, public transport in South Yorkshire will become more affordable, reliable and easy to use. 

Mayor Oliver Coppard described the new network as a ‘once in a generation change’. In a press release, it’s described as being ‘rooted in the region’s history of industry, Northern grit, and resilience’. 

Coppard said: ‘Transport isn’t just about getting from A to B. A proper public transport network gives people real freedom and choice about how they travel and move, connects people to opportunity and opens up new horizons.

‘But public transport in South Yorkshire has been broken for too long. I promised to make change happen, to give South Yorkshire back the world class public transport system we once had, and that’s exactly what we’re doing.’

ICYMI: £30 tickets are now on sale for a new affordable train service connecting London and Scotland. 

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