Share your views on bus travel in West Yorkshire

The Combined Authority was formed in April 2014 to be the driving force for economic growth across Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees, Leeds, and Wakefield. In 2021 Tracy Brabin was elected Mayor of West Yorkshire. As the Chair of the Combined Authority  the Mayor works with partners across the region and beyond to deliver regeneration and economic development, and co-ordinate the long-term programmes that will transform. The Combined Authority  also develops local transport throughout West Yorkshire under the well-known brand Metro. To find out more visit: www.westyorks-ca.gov.uk 

Metro is the well-known transport brand owned by WYCA. The name Metro and the Metro M logo is the symbol for transport across West Yorkshire, including bus stations, bus stops and shelters and the county’s 69 rail stations. Travel centres, the MetroLine call centre, the Metro website and the ‘yournextbus’ real-time service are also part of the Metro Brand. To find out more visit: www.wymetro.com  

There are currently 27 private bus companies in operation in West Yorkshire who decide the majority of routes and timetables, and set the fares for them - with First, Arriva and Transdev being the three largest operators in the region. Metro does not run any of the buses, but it does contract bus companies to run around 15% of the county’s bus services – those which are important to people but don’t make much money. 

The West Yorkshire Bus Alliance brings together the Combined Authority and bus operators together to enable the development and implementation of plans for the improvement of local bus services. This is based on the legal provisions recently introduced by the government for Voluntary Partnership Agreements, defined by the Department for Transport as agreements entered into by transport authorities and bus operators, to deliver benefits to local bus users.  

An Enhanced Partnership (EP) is a statutory partnership between one or more Local Transport Authorities and their local bus operators that sets out how they will work together to deliver the Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) outcomes in the defined geographical area(s) set out in the EP.  

We also have some information on our website about our Bus Service Improve Plan and our bus strategy