The South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) has issued an Invitation to Tender (ITT) for the provision of Demand Responsive Transport (DRT) services across both Rotherham and Doncaster.
The contract for a 12-month pilot scheme, which has been valued at 800,000 GBP, is now open for bids from qualified transport operators.
South Yorkshire’s Mayor, Oliver Coppard said:I know how important reliable, accessible transport is for everyone across Rotherham and Doncaster, so we’re taking a positive step towards meeting those needs.
We’re trying something new - a flexible service in those places where there isn’t enough demand for a regular bus route, but where we need to get to work, to school, to appointments or to see friends and family. It’s about finding practical, sustainable ways of making sure you’re not cut off from the essential services you rely on.
What we need now are innovative, experienced operators to work with us as we test this new approach supporting our ambition for a fairer, inclusive and more accessible South Yorkshire.
The DRT contract is set to support ongoing work in order to ensure that the entirety of South Yorkshire has sufficient access to public transport, meeting national requirements set out by the Department for Transport.
Funded by the SYMCA’s Transport Innovation Fund (TIF), the DRT pilot scheme is expected to be operational by Summer 2026.
