South Yorkshire’s Mayor Oliver Coppard is convening a Transport Summit, to build the vision for the future of the region’s public transport.
It comes as South Yorkshire and regions like it were promised a ‘London-style transport network’ by 2030. That’s just over 350 weeks away.
But with bus cuts looming, and cancelled trains making commuting miserable for thousands across the North, many places feel further away from that than they ever were.
South Yorkshire’s Mayor Oliver Coppard said: “Fixing South Yorkshire’s public transport system is critical for our region to thrive. If we want to grow our economy, get healthier and create great places to live, a smarter, greener, faster public transport system is vital. That’s why I want to bring together experts in the field to help us fix our broken public transport system.
“If the Government aren’t going to do it, we need to take matters into our own hands and figure out what a ‘London-style transport network’ that works for South Yorkshire looks like. That’s what this summit will help us do.”
South Yorkshire’s Active Travel Commissioner Ed Clancy said: ‘Since becoming South Yorkshire’s Active Travel Commissioner, I’ve met with people who want to walk and cycle more, but don’t feel like they can. Mostly that’s because people say they don’t feel able to walk or cycle, or that they don’t feel safe enough to do so on our current infrastructure.
“Ultimately, we want people to be happier, healthier and get to where they need to be easier.
“I believe walking and cycling is an important part of that and it must work in harmony with our plans for buses, trams and trains. I’m really looking forward to this summit and to figure out how we make some vital changes to build a better future for our region.”
The summit will bring together leading experts and will hear from a series of speakers with national and international experience to share best practice, discuss ideas and find solutions to fix the broken public transport network.
The South Yorkshire Transport Summit will take place on March 1st at the National College of Advanced Transport & Infrastructure in Doncaster.
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