Our services
Our services covered a total of 19.1 million miles over the year. Our key measures of performance include the reliability and punctuality of our services. We operated 99.2% of all our journeys.
All of our buses are fitted with automatic vehicle location technology. In the past year, 92.4% of our services started their journey within five minutes of their scheduled time and we achieved an 85% mid-point punctuality score. Traffic congestion and roadworks are the most common reasons for delays.
In 2017/18 we have been working hard to improve links and services on some of our key routes and corridors, particularly improving local connections to out of town retail sites.
Barnsley and the Dearne Valley
We continue to play an active part in the Barnsley, Doncaster and Rotherham Bus Partnerships and work closely with other partners to promote using the bus. In December 2017 a South Yorkshire-wide youth campaign was launched to increase awareness and use of buses.
At the start of the school holidays in July 2017 we launched new service X65 connecting Barnsley with Meadowhall during weekends and school holidays. The fast connection (using the M1 motorway) proved popular. From the same date we also relaunched service
70 (Doncaster to White Rose Way Park & Ride) to include a call at Lakeside Village Shopping Outlet. In Barnsley and the Dearne Valley we improved connections to the out of town Retail Park at Cortonwood with an eye-catching marketing campaign which was targeted across the route from Barnsley to Doncaster.
In September 2017, in partnership with SYPTE, we enhanced service 67 in Barnsley to serve Wentworth Business Park at Tankersley and provided improved connectivity for the various employers in the area. Also in September 2017 we introduced the first ever direct link from Sheffield City Centre to Doncaster Sheffield Airport when we launched service 737. The service operates up to 8 times per day and is designed to cater for the popular Flybe and WizzAir flights.
In October 2017, we introduced a new Stagecoach Express X10 service linking Barnsley and its northern suburbs with Leeds. This service runs hourly, 7 days a week, using coaches with a team of dedicated drivers and provides an attractive alternative to the car or the train for this popular commuter and leisure route. Later services are provided on Friday and Saturday nights to offer a cheap connection between Barnsley and Leeds.
In April 2018 we conducted a survey on the bus where 99% of all customers surveyed agreed that they would recommend the X10 service to a friend - in fact many already had!
Also in April 2018, we doubled the frequency of the 59 service which connects Barnsley, Royston and Wakefield. This interurban route has potential for further growth and we will be promoting this link throughout 2018.
Sheffield and Chesterfield
In September 2017, our 265 service was revamped as service 2 and rerouted to serve The Moor area in Sheffield, recognising the changes taking place in this area. This created a direct link, 7 days a week into the main retail quarter of Sheffield for customers in Barnsley, Chapeltown and North Sheffield.
In January 2018, following a consultation in Stocksbridge regarding the Supertramlink services in the area and changes to the Supertram timetable, we introduced a revised SL1 and SL1a service. At the same time, we took steps to improve connections between the bus and the tram at the Middlewood Park and Ride site and introduced our dedicated Middlewood Park and Ride Supervisor, Jay Churn. Jay has proven to be very popular with the local community and has even become a bit of a local social media star, having been asked for a selfie by a passing customer.
In September 2017, we increased the frequency of our popular commuter route 43 connecting Chesterfield, Dronfield and Sheffield. This operates up to every 20 minutes, offers free Wifi and was part of a project to improve key interurban links.
In October 2017, we made further improvements to connections in Chesterfield when service 54 (Chesterfield to Clay Cross) was adapted to serve Chesterfield rail station up to every 10 minutes from Chesterfield town centre. This link proved so popular that in January 2018 we extended the 51 service (Chesterfield to Danesmoor) to serve the rail station in both directions to and from Chesterfield town centre. Both of these links have proved very popular.
On 25th March 2018, we added East Midlands Designer Outlet to our network with services 54 and 56 providing regular services from Chesterfield, Clay Cross and the local villages.
We have dedicated staff based in the Urban Traffic Control offices in Sheffield town hall who work closely with our local authority partners to ensure that buses are running on time and that any services that experience delays or disruption are dealt with effectively so as to minimise any potential disruption to the service and our customers.
As part of our work within the Sheffield Bus Partnership, we have been laying the foundations for introducing a new customer facing identity for the Sheffield Bus Partnership in the city. The Buses for Sheffield identity began appearing in
Sheffield on the front of the buses in March 2018 - this identity will continue to roll out across the city at customer touch points including bus stops, interchanges, timetables and online leading up to the official launch in June 2018.
