THURS, jun 18, 2020
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Supertram link bus re-instated Stockbridge residents may be pleased to hear that SL/SL1 bus service will soon be back on the roads. The popular service ran direct between Stocksbridge and the Middlewood tram stop, but the service was withdrawn as Staegcoach made changes to the operation following the implementation of social distancing measures. New social distancing measures mean that buses can only carry a fraction of the number of passengers they would have done so before the pandemic, whilst also needing their vehicles to cover essential journeys which inevitably means fewer services elsewhere. This meant Stagecoach withdrew the SL1 and SL1a service, instead replaced by a revised 57 and 57a service to run between Hillsborough and Stocksbridge.
“I’m delighted that our conversations with Stagecoach have provided so fruitful and that the SL service will once again be running between Stocksbridge and Hillsborough. This was something I know local residents wanted to see and I was glad to take-up their cause. “Obviously we are in incredibly difficult times and Stagecoach, like all the city’s bus operators, will need to make sure their staff and passengers are safe and that social distancing measures are properly in place. This will of course affect services but I felt this was one route which was too crucial to Stocksbridge residents, and I’m glad this decision has been reversed". Local MP Miriam Cates who has been a long-time campaigner of local transport said
Following this pressure it has been announced that from Monday 15 June the SL/ SL1a service will be back again.
“I have been informed by SYPTE that the SL1/SL1a service between Middlewood and Stocksbridge will be restored from Monday 15th June. This follows discussions between Stagecoach and SYPTE, and a concerted effort by local campaigners, myself, and Sheffield City Region to reverse the unacceptable decision to remove the service. I am hopeful that this decision is a permanent one.
Councillor Julie Grocutt, Labour councillor for Stocksbridge and Upper Don:
I also understand that 'Tramlink' single tickets can be used on the SL1/SL1a service.
However, Labour councillors were not happy with this arrangement and lobbied Stagecoach and the South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive to get this route reinstated.
The removal of buses serving Stocksbridge and the villages of the Upper Don Valley to increase frequencies in the city centre is not something that our community should have to accept. We already suffer from a lack of public transport options, and further reductions to our service had a significant impact on people's ability to travel to work and access essential services. I will now press for the return of through services to Sheffield city centre on the 57 route to ensure that we are not reliant on changing at Hillsborough to reach more distant destinations. I would like to thank all the local residents who contacted me to raise their concerns and put pressure on Stagecoach and the SYPTE. Improving public transport is one of my top priorities and I will continue to work for a better deal for Penistone and Stocksbridge and due to capacity issues the service will not run as frequent as it did before the pandemic, but a bus will call at each stop every two hours until 5 o’clock, Monday to Saturday. The new timetable can be viewed online at the Travel South Yorkshire website - www. travelsouthyorkshire.com/serviechange
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