Retiming local services in order to better co-ordinate rail and bus services would provide a smoother and more integrated system of public transport here in South Yorkshire. However, the question of timings for bus services is currently a matter for the individual companies who run the franchises.

During the day, this proves to be less of an issue as the gaps between connections are usually relatively short. However, the Passenger Transport Executive (PTE) acknowledge that evening bus services in Barnsley are an issue. This is an area that the Barnsley Bus Partnership will focus on, and whose work I fully support.

It is both the policy of the Labour Party, and myself as the recently-elected Mayor of the Sheffield City Region, to bring bus services back into public ownership. This will give local authorities the power to make decisions over timetabling in order to co-ordinate across different modes of transport.

Furthermore, as Mayor, I will work with transport operators to introduce more smart ticketing that can be used across bus, rail and tram services in South Yorkshire. I am committed to improving bus and rail services in order to ensure a better experience for passengers such as yourself who regularly use public transport.