Bus Passengers Promised Better Services As New Five-Year Plan Revealed

Bus networks across North Yorkshire are set for an overhaul under a new five-year improvement plan that aims to boost reliability, simplify fares, and upgrade Scarborough's Park and Ride.

Bus journeys across North Yorkshire will undergo a major overhaul from next year as a single five-year Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) is launched.

Passengers are being promised more reliable, integrated, and accessible transport networks under the new strategy for 2027 to 2032. The blueprint replaces the currently divided systems with one unified approach, designed to secure crucial government funding and streamline operations.

Upgrades to the Park and Ride in Scarborough have been specifically highlighted as a priority by scrutiny committees reviewing the draft plans. The development of rural, urban, and interurban routes is being balanced to ensure coastal communities remain connected to wider transport links.

Fares for younger passengers are also under the spotlight, with transport officials examining the impact and benefits of a £1 ticket for those under nineteen. Delivery objectives set out in the plan focus on keeping fares affordable, enhancing connectivity through a frequent core network, and creating a safe, welcoming environment for all travellers.

Securing this up-to-date strategy is a strict condition for unlocking more than £7.3 million a year in revenue funding from the Mayoral Transport Fund between 2026 and 2029. Additional capital funding will be made available to purchase new vehicles, upgrade bus stops, and enhance passenger information systems.

The environmental impact of public transport will also be tackled. The strategy supports an ambition to become the first carbon-negative region by 2040, encouraging a shift towards public transport alongside the continued decarbonisation of the bus fleet.

Graham Thomas is the Bus Services Manager. He said:

"The current arrangements are separate for City of York and North Yorkshire.

The BSIP is our five-year vision for a reliable, integrated, accessible, safe, and comfortable bus network, serving our urban and rural communities and supporting economic growth, social connectivity, and the ambition to become a carbon-negative region.

It sets out a number of key priorities, such as better punctuality, reliability, and journey times, a stronger core network, improved rural and visitor links, simple, more affordable fares, greater accessibility, and an integrated passenger information and ticketing system."

A new Enhanced Partnership will be created to cover the entire combined authority geography. This single point of contact will make it easier to implement minimum standards required by the Department for Transport by March 2027.

These new legal obligations include setting out socially necessary local bus services, consulting with organisations representing disabled people, and ensuring operators reinvest any financial gains made from the introduction of bus priority measures.

Failure to demonstrate substantial progress on the plan could lead to the withdrawal of in-year funding for bus services, making the twenty-eight-week delivery timeline critical for transport officials. The detailed work for the plan was commissioned in April 2026 and undertaken by Arup to meet the strict government deadlines.

David Skaith is the Mayor. He said:

"It's clear that improving bus services is central to improving our region's growth and the BSIP really sets our collective, regional ambition for that bus, transport in the county.

It gives us those those tools to take to government to state our case for greater investment in delivering uh on those uh opportunities and transform transport across the towns, villages, and uh cities, whether they be urban, coastal, and rural."

The blueprint will be published online and progress will be reported annually to ensure the network continues to meet the needs of residents and visitors.

The plan identifies a number of key priorities including improving reliability and punctuality, creating a safe and welcoming network, strengthening connectivity for rural communities and visitors, keeping fares affordable and easy to understand, improving accessibility for all passengers and accelerating the transition to greener bus services.  

To help deliver these ambitions, the Combined Authority will explore a range of initiatives including enhanced evening and Sunday services, better bus and rail connections and the development of new multi-day and visitor ticketing options.  

David Skaith, Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, said: 

“This approved plan builds on our work with local councils and operators to deliver the improvements we all deserve.   

"It means better evening and weekend services, fairer fares, and seamless connections between our buses and trains.  

“By making public transport work for all our rural and urban communities, we are strengthening our high streets and ensuring our county stays connected.”