Barnsley College student introduces South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard at launch of new public transport brand

We were thrilled to join South Yorkshire’s Mayor Oliver Coppard for the unveiling of the region’s new public transport brand – with the Mayor introduced by our student Bailey Hargate.

Bailey, an Engineering Technology Level 2 student at Barnsley College, introduced the Mayor and addressed hundreds of stakeholders as the South Yorkshire People’s Network was officially launched at Sheffield City Hall on Monday 16 March.

The ‘once-in-a-generation’ transformation of public transport is backed by £1.5bn of investment and comes as different modes of travel begin to return to public control. Improvements to buses, trams, trains and e-bike schemes are planned – including free travel for under-18s being extended from Barnsley to Sheffield and then across the rest of South Yorkshire by 2027.

The new brand will be on display in Barnsley’s Glassworks Square on Tuesday 17 March.

Bailey, who plans to work in aerospace engineering, said: “For many young people, the cost of travel can be one of the biggest barriers to accessing education, training and work experience. The MiCard has made a real difference for students like me and my friends, allowing us to travel to college and across Barnsley and South Yorkshire without worrying about the cost.

"For me, as an Engineering student, being able to travel easily means I can take part in work experience, industry visits and practical learning that might otherwise be out of reach. It means that we can say "yes" to opportunities that would have previously been difficult to commit to and look further afield than just on our doorstep for exciting opportunities.

"I’m really excited to see that South Yorkshire and our Mayor are now going even further to make sure everyone across the region gets the chance to reach the opportunities they deserve.”