WWoBB held a public meeting in March to discuss our plans around the election.
During the next few weeks we have the opportunity to raise the subject of bus regulation with local and national politicans.
All the parties in Sheffield have criticised the current situation, but we have to push to turn words into actions whilst there is still a service to save.
Sheffield was visited by the owner of Stagecoach, Brian Souter, who made a bizarre attack
on people like us campaigning for public services to be freed from private hands.
Souter suggested we "get back in our tardis"! His company are intending to challenge
First's monopoly in large parts of Sheffield and we have already seen what that would
mean with large fare increases on Stagecoach buses and trams recently.
We discussed plans to stage a protest and a stunt in the event of service cuts,
or the idea of a one day fare strike on a selected route or part of town.
WWoBB will work with the bus drivers' union locally to organise something along
these lines and challenge the newly elected council in May (whoever they are).
We also discussed whether to stand in the council elections in the event of
service cuts being announced before polling day. There was not enough support
at the meeting to do this, and the expected service cuts have not yet happened
(they are strongly anticipated after the elections).
However there was agreement on a protest to keep the issue firmly in people's minds.
As the meeting was quite small we would like to hear from supporters who were
unable to come along to let us know what they think about the situation and the
best way to respond to Mr Souter and others! We intend to hold a meeting soon to
discuss plans, however we are on the lookout for a new location as the Quaker
meeting house is rather expensive, so any suggestions welcome about that as well.
First plan large scale service cuts at the begining of April
and we need to be at the front of opposition to this.
Whilst fare rises are the big news, service cuts are the
other side of what is happening to the bus service,
and are even more damaging to vulnerable people and areas
of Sheffield.
Of course a few weeks after these cuts will come in
we have local and national Elections. We need to discuss and plan
how best to intervene locally, including the possibility
of standing, or backing, candidates in areas affected by
First's actions. To talk about this please come to this public
meeting. Please spread the word - leaflets will be
available nearer the date. Any thoughts on future plans, please get in touch.
Meanwhile the January demonstration is on YouTube:
Click to view:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ia9kqUgyhQg
Protest at South Yorkshire bus companies' poor service, route cuts and price rises in the New Year, to send a message to the politicians and to First. Come and support or help petition, leaflet and organise, all welcome. To get an idea of the anger about Sheffield bus services look at Sheffield Forum where recent discussions have had literally hundreds of replies.
First bus fares in South Yorkshire will be hit by another large rise in the new year, angering passengers and councillors. Many prices will jump between 7.5% and 9%. Some are even worse, like the FirstDay Sheffield ticket increasing 20% from £4 to £4.80. First blames rising costs including wages, but Manchester, with higher paid drivers, has lower fares.
This pattern of price rises well over the rate of inflation has continued for years, and seems calculated to drive passengers off First buses.
The story of January's rises is in the Sheffield Star at Anger at huge rise in First bus fares
THERE WILL BE PROTESTS IN SHEFFIELD ON WEDNESDAY 6th & SATURDAY 9th JANUARY 2010. Email us to get on the mailing list.
On Wed. 2 Sept. 2009, We Want Our Buses Back presented a petition during a lobby of Sheffield City Council. It was the monthly public council meeting, allowing observers and questions from the public. Calvin from We Want Our Buses Back spoke, asking the council to support 'First' drivers, condemn the attack on workers' pay ... and for progress on re-regulation of bus services.
Ian Auckland, the Lib Dem council's transport spokesman replied. He said he had spoken informally to trade union representatives, hoped the dispute could be settled, not least for the effect on drivers and their families ... And he hoped that any resolution doesn't put up fares. On re-regulation he said he was still awaiting staff guidance. The new law is in place allowing this, but putting it into practice is a long process, requiring consultation. The PTE (Passenger Transport Executive) are working out plans for South Yorkshire.
Outside, the response to the We Want Our Buses Back stall was great. Before and after the meeting it was almost non-stop with people coming up and talking, and clearly as angry as ever about Sheffield buses. The petition presented to the council has now got many more signatures.
Please email your details if you would like to be kept informed of progress.
The OFT (Office of Fair Trading) has presented a damning report on UK local bus services, threatening to refer matters to the Competition Commission. Major companies dominate the industry, cutting services, charging high prices and taking unfair advantage of subsidised fares. (Did we need a report to know that?) The details are online, see OFT press release Comments can be made until 15 October.
According to the Sheffield Star the First drivers' union Unite has called off the planned strike on saturday 8 Aug. Services will run as normal and no further stoppages are currently planned.
Why the change of plan? For full story see The Star on Thursday Aug. 6, 2009
We Want Our Buses Back supports the Residents Against Station Closure campaign – the contempt that private transport companies have for their passengers and the general public is being demonstrated by First with their fare rises and service cuts, and by East Midlands Trains trying to close a vital walkway to cut staffing costs.
The only way to stop these companies from treating us like this is to fight for public ownership and control of transport - then we will be able to walk where we like because we will own the system that we use, that we work on, and that we rely on.
Friday saw solid strike action by First drivers across the region in protest at the company pleading poverty and denying their staff a pay rise in line with the cost of living. The drive to maintain, or increase, First's £122 million profit from last year has led to service cuts and fare rises for passengers, no pay rise for drivers as well as lies and insults in the press accusing the drivers of wanting to retire at 50 and being capable of earning £30,000 a year under the current pay deal! It is a simple equation, if the millions of pounds of profit remained in the system there would be plenty for decent wages as well as fare cuts and service improvements for us all.
Full story and much comment see: Sheffield Star article
Sheffield City Council has prevented First from making a severe round of cuts to services this week, as their drivers went on strike.
Full story see: Sheffield Telegraph article
Sheffield's buses are dominated by First and Stagecoach, and there has been a stream of fare rises and service cuts. 'WWoBB' campaigns for a return to public control and ownership of this vital public service. Over the past few years WWoBB has organised petitions, protests and demos involving thousands of people.
'We Want Our Buses Back' demands: