A one-off Transport Innovation Fund (TIF) of
up to £2.5m from treasury management windfall was established
by the Combined Authority in August 2023, to support innovative
transport projects in South Yorkshire.
TIF funding is not intended to provide further, short-term
protection to bus services, but instead to support innovative
transport-related proposals that demonstrate the potential in the
future to offer a more efficient means of supporting individual and
community mobility than the current approach.
In discussions with Leaders, there is a strong appetite to pilot
trials of Demand Responsive Transport (DRT) across the region to
investigate whether this offers a more cost effective way of
serving areas that struggle to maintain a timetabled bus
service.
These proposals are to be delivered and evaluated by the end of
March 2025 and if successful, could offer an innovative way of
reducing pressure on the tendered services budget.
Therefore, in February 2024 the MCA board approved delegated
authority to the Head of Paid Service in consultation with Mayor
Coppard – in his position as the Portfolio lead for Transport
– for consideration of the Transport Innovation Fund pilot
schemes, and delegated authority to the Head of Paid Service in
consultation with the Section 73 and Monitoring Officer to enter
into legal agreements for the schemes.
Decision type: Non-key
Decision status: Recommendations Approved
Notice of proposed decision first published: 09/05/2024
Decision due: 8 May 2024 by Section 73 Officer
Contact: Gareth Sutton, Executive Director of Resources & Investment Email: Gareth.Sutton@southyorkshire-ca.gov.uk.