Combined Authority gives go ahead to West Yorkshire Boxing Day bus services

Boxing Day bus services will again operate in West Yorkshire this Christmas, the West Yorkshire Combined Authority�s Transport Committee agreed today (Friday 31 July).

Following the popularity of similar services in previous years, West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) will be funding services on main routes to and from retail centres which have Boxing Day opening.

This will include new services into Bradford city centre, as the new Westfield centre is expected to be open on Boxing Day. New services will also run in Calderdale.�

Popularity

WYCA Transport Committee Chair, Cllr Keith Wakefield said, �Since we started funding them in 2007, Boxing Day buses have grown in popularity with over 58,000 using last year�s services, which included more frequent journeys between Leeds and Bradford and a new service to Wetherby.

�While the services are targeted on those retail centres where there is widespread Boxing Day opening, and I am pleased that progress on the Westfield Centre means we can now expand the network to include Bradford this year.

�As well as providing a boost for the local economy and retailers, we know people also find these services useful for calling on family and friends and making hospital visits.��

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�Flat fare

WYCA will now start the tendering process with operators to run services between 9am and 6pm on Boxing Day. There will be a flat fare for travel all day. As in previous years, MCards, MetroCards and free concessionary travel for older, young, disabled and blind people will be valid.

Full details of Boxing Day services and fares will be available later in the year at www.wymetro.com and through special booklets on changes to bus and train services during the Christmas and New Year holidays.

Bus services in West Yorkshire are run by around 40 privately-owned bus companies which choose what bus routes to run, when and how often. They also decide how much to charge in fares.

WYCA currently spends around �20m per year supporting journeys that would not otherwise run because they are not considered profitable by bus operators. These include early morning, late night, weekend and rural journeys and, since 2007, Boxing Day services.�Last year�s Boxing Day services net cost was around �60,000.

WYCA Transport Committee meeting agenda (opens in new window).

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