Bus franchising pilot launched to improve services in York and North Yorkshire
The £564,000 programme aims to address rural and coastal transport challenges
The Combined Authority for York and North Yorkshire has received £564,000 in funding to pilot one of the country’s first rural-focused bus franchising schemes.
Bus franchising allows an authority to manage routes, fares, and service standards, tailoring services to community needs rather than focusing solely on commercial viability. While franchising has previously been limited to urban areas like Greater Manchester and West Yorkshire, this pilot programme will explore its potential benefits for rural and coastal communities.
Addressing rural transport challenges
The pilot will focus on five predominantly rural areas: the York-Selby corridor, Scarborough coastal communities, the North York Moors National Park, the Yorkshire Dales National Park, and Richmondshire and Northallerton.
The programme aims to address long-standing issues in sparsely populated areas, such as limited bus services, long travel distances, and heavy reliance on subsidised transport. In some parts of York and North Yorkshire, villages have as few as one bus per week.
David Skaith, Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, said:
“We know bus services just aren’t working for our rural and coastal communities. This pilot puts York and North Yorkshire at the forefront of national work to fix that, not just in our region but across the country.
“In areas like ours, buses often run less frequently and over longer distances, and many depend on public funding to keep going. There’s very little evidence about how franchising could support rural communities, and these studies will help fill that gap.
“Our findings will feed directly into future Government policy on rural transport, while also giving us a much clearer picture of what could work locally, what it might cost, and how it could benefit our communities before we make any decisions about the future of bus services here.”
Understanding local needs
The funding will support research into community requirements and the practicalities of introducing franchised bus services. The pilot will assess how franchising could enhance access for young people, older individuals, and residents with mobility needs, reduce environmental impact by increasing bus usage, and deliver more connected services across the region.
The findings of the pilot could influence wider Government policy on rural transport while providing York and North Yorkshire with evidence to guide future decisions.