Hull & East Yorkshire takes the wheel on buses
Hot on the heels of a similar announcement from West Yorkshire, Mayor Luke Campbell is looking to bring all bus services under the control of the Combined Authority, in a bid to improve services.
Hull & East Yorkshire Combined Authority will assume legal control of the region’s 50 bus services from on 30 March, with a phased transition for all operating functions.
A complete takeover is expected in March 2027.
The region’s bus network was a topic of conversation for Reform Mayor Campbell while he was on the campaign circuit.
Prior to his appointment last year, he told newspaper outlets that fixing the ‘broken’ network was one of his key priorities: “I think it’s time for us to take back control now.
“Control the fares, control the bus routes and the quality of service.
“I’m not saying anything that hasn’t been done before; this has been done in Manchester. You’ve only got to look at Andy Burnham to see the results.
“So it can be done, we deserve better in this area.”
Last week, his irritation with the network was once again obvious when he released a statement saying: “Over the past few weeks, residents in Hull and East Yorkshire have been sharing their experiences of EYMS bus services with me.
“People are becoming increasingly frustrated, and it’s not hard to see why.
“There’s been a clear rise in reports of buses being cancelled, real time information being wrong and regular problems on several routes.
“The issues are happening too often, and it’s making daily life difficult for people who rely on our bus network…
My team’s already engaging with residents, community groups and operators to identify where investment can make the biggest difference. I want local voices to help shape the future of our network.”
A similar scheme is being undertaken by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, which has 1,300 services to bring under control.
It hopes to have achieved this by 2028, and have it as part of an integrated Weaver Network alongside trains and cycle routes.
