Open Letter: Make Buses Work For Us
Bus services through Silkstone and Silkstone Common aren't serving our communities well.
I've written to Stagecoach Yorkshire to push for better timetabling and more reliable services. If you live in Silkstone or Silkstone Common and you're fed up with unreliable buses, add your name below.
Re: Bus Services in Silkstone and Silkstone Common — Timetabling and Reliability
Dear Stagecoach Yorkshire,
I am writing as the Member of Parliament for Penistone & Stocksbridge, along with a number of my constituents, to raise concerns about bus services running through Silkstone and Silkstone Common, concerns raised directly with me by residents at community engagement events I have held in the area.
I hope that by setting out these concerns clearly we can begin a constructive conversation about how services can be improved for the communities I represent.
1. Buses and trains running at the same time
A consistent concern raised by residents is that Stagecoach bus services — particularly the 21, 22, 21A and 22A — run along much of the same corridor as the Penistone Line railway, and that the two services frequently depart at very similar times. Rather than complementing one another, the services effectively duplicate each other at the same moment, leaving significant gaps in coverage across the rest of the hour.
This means there is often no reliable public transport option for much of the hour, and that if one service is cancelled or delayed there is no practical alternative within a reasonable timeframe. This is a particular problem for those travelling to Barnsley for work, medical appointments, or to connect with onward services.
I ask Stagecoach to review whether the timetable for these services can be adjusted to stagger bus departures relative to the Penistone Line train timetable, so that residents benefit from more evenly spaced travel options throughout the day.
2. Reliability and punctuality of services
Residents have also raised concerns about the reliability and punctuality of bus services through Silkstone and Silkstone Common. Unpredictable running times reduce confidence in public transport and make it difficult for residents to plan journeys — particularly for those who need to connect with train services or who are travelling to medical appointments and cannot afford to miss them.
I ask Stagecoach to review the on-time performance of services through these communities, to consider what steps can be taken to improve punctuality, and to ensure that passenger communications are timely and clear when disruptions occur.
I would welcome the opportunity to discuss these matters with you, and I look forward to receiving your response.
Yours sincerely,
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Re: Bus Services in Silkstone and Silkstone Common — Timetabling and Reliability
Dear Stagecoach Yorkshire,
I am writing as the Member of Parliament for Penistone & Stocksbridge, along with a number of my constituents, to raise concerns about bus services running through Silkstone and Silkstone Common, concerns raised directly with me by residents at community engagement events I have held in the area.
I hope that by setting out these concerns clearly we can begin a constructive conversation about how services can be improved for the communities I represent.
1. Buses and trains running at the same time
A consistent concern raised by residents is that Stagecoach bus services — particularly the 21, 22, 21A and 22A — run along much of the same corridor as the Penistone Line railway, and that the two services frequently depart at very similar times. Rather than complementing one another, the services effectively duplicate each other at the same moment, leaving significant gaps in coverage across the rest of the hour.
This means there is often no reliable public transport option for much of the hour, and that if one service is cancelled or delayed there is no practical alternative within a reasonable timeframe. This is a particular problem for those travelling to Barnsley for work, medical appointments, or to connect with onward services.
I ask Stagecoach to review whether the timetable for these services can be adjusted to stagger bus departures relative to the Penistone Line train timetable, so that residents benefit from more evenly spaced travel options throughout the day.
2. Reliability and punctuality of services
Residents have also raised concerns about the reliability and punctuality of bus services through Silkstone and Silkstone Common. Unpredictable running times reduce confidence in public transport and make it difficult for residents to plan journeys — particularly for those who need to connect with train services or who are travelling to medical appointments and cannot afford to miss them.
I ask Stagecoach to review the on-time performance of services through these communities, to consider what steps can be taken to improve punctuality, and to ensure that passenger communications are timely and clear when disruptions occur.
I would welcome the opportunity to discuss these matters with you, and I look forward to receiving your response.
Yours sincerely,