Buses for Burngreave

The New Deal are considering a proposal for two new bus services in Burngreave, to provide local links within Burngreave and linking us to Meadowhall and the new manufacturing park proposed for the old Waverly coalfield in Catcliffe. The routes form part of the new Burngreave Transport Strategy.

There have been many calls for improved transport in Burngreave over the years, especially from Firs Hill residents. At the recent BCAF quarterly forum Milton Graham, Secretary of their Tenants’ and Residents’ Association explained the loss of key bus routes have meant elderly people find it even more difficult to get to basic services like shops and banks. He welcomed the new proposals.

The project will cost £1.3 million, nearly half from the New Deal and the remainder from Objective One, the Council and South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive. The routes will be run by Sheffield Community Transport (SCT) and there will be a Steering Group including Burngreave Residents who will ensure any profits will be redirected back into Burngreave.

Aisha Special K, who works for SCT and is also a Community Rep on the New Deal Partnership Board, said, “These buses will be ‘state of the art’ with really easy access for wheelchair users and prams and, operating as a ‘Hail and Ride’ service, will do things other buses can’t and will go where other buses don’t. There will be an opportunity for the steering group to review the route every three months and to change it if there is demand.”

The project includes training and job opportunities for local people to get PSV licences and are currently being advertised. Contact Paul or Dean at SCT on 276 6148 if you’re interested. More information is available in the New Deal Information Shop on Spital Hill. If you’d like to be involved in the steering group, or make comments about the project, contact Aisha Special K at SCT on 285 9935.

There will be a Transport Public Meeting covering the Burngreave Link community bus scheme and the wider Burngreave Transport Strategy on Thursday 6th May at Verdon Recreation Centre between 6–8pm.

One of the two new routes will run around Burngreave, Firshill, Fir Vale and Grimesthorpe before going to Meadowhall.

The service will run 7am–7pm, Mondays to Saturdays and will be open to anyone.

Fares will be a flat rate of 50p.

The other route will go from Ellesmere Green, through Darnall, to the Waverly site in Catcliffe where Yorkshire Forward and UK Coal are hoping to create nearly 5,000 jobs over the next ten years, as well as large numbers of construction jobs while the site is being developed.

See map for more details.