Major public consultation on the way buses are run given the go-ahead by West Yorkshire leaders

A full meeting of West Yorkshire Combined Authority gave the go-ahead on Thursday — a milestone on its bus reform journey.

A wide range of people — including bus operators, organisations representing passengers and members of the public — will be asked for their views on the way buses should be run in West Yorkshire.

Months of detailed work resulted in an assessment — that has been independently audited — which concluded that bus franchising is the Combined Authority’s preferred option.

Bus franchising would give the Combined Authority control over the routes, frequency, fares and overall standards of the region’s buses, and contract bus operators to run these on its behalf.

The assessment stated that franchising would offer “clear strategic benefits” by helping the Combined Authority to achieve its ambitions for an integrated transport system which is more affordable, convenient and greener - improving connectivity and getting people where they need to go.

The assessment compared leaving buses as they are now with two reform options — a new partnerships with bus operators, known as ‘enhanced partnership plus’, or a proposed franchising scheme.

The meeting heard that the auditor has reviewed the assessment and given assurance that it is of sufficient quality and that the Combined Authority has complied with the legal process.

Simon Warburton, Executive Director of Transport, said: "This is a big step forward on our journey towards a better-connected West Yorkshire.

“Buses provide a vital public service, but our analysis shows that the way they are run needs to change to achieve our ambitions for better buses.”

"The consultation will give people and organisations from across West Yorkshire and beyond a chance to have their say on our proposals.”

More details on the consultation — set to start on October 10 — will be made available in the coming weeks.

It is currently programmed for West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin to make a final decision on how the region's buses should be run in Spring 2024.