THE FUTURE'S ORANGE

ublic transport is something I’m quite passionate about. Some might say it’s in my blood. Back in the nineties, I drove buses, but it goes back even further than that. I grew up with public transport in my life; it was always there as a backdrop.

My Dad was a bus driver for most of his working life. He drove through most of the seventies—the "heyday" of council-run services when travel was cheap and frequent. The stories I’ve heard from this time mirror the sitcom On the Buses. But my links with the industry go back even further: my Nan—Dad’s mum—was a conductress on the old Sheffield trams. I know little about her stories or even how long she worked for the corporation, but the legacy is there.

In 1986, the worst chapter in the story of public transport began. Margaret Thatcher sold a story of private competition bringing better service and cheaper fares. Passenger numbers were already in decline and reform was likely on the cards, but what happened was definitely not the answer. Fares quadrupled and services were cut, especially the more rural and "unprofitable" ones.

In the nineties, I found myself in a bit of a hole; I’d just gotten engaged to Morticia and had lost my job. My dad opened a door and got me an interview, which started an 11-year chapter behind the wheel. I loved the public service aspect but hated the monotonous nature of the job. I eventually needed more and moved on.

My bus driving days

Apart from London, buses have been subject to market forces and declining subsidies for 40 years. This has left us with a poor service that, for the most part, doesn't serve the public properly. Last year, however, the South Yorkshire Mayor stated his intention to bring transport back under public control through a franchise model. They also took back the Supertram network, reintroducing publicly owned transport to the region for the first time since the eighties.

This month, the Mayor’s office unveiled the look of the new network. Heavily influenced by Manchester’s "Bee Network," the livery and name are massive callbacks to our region’s history. The name—"South Yorkshire People’s Network"—nods to the 80s nickname: the "People’s Republic of South Yorkshire." The bright orange is supposed to represent molten steel. I love the new scheme (partly because orange is my favourite colour) and it will be applied to the trams too.

The most important detail in this news is the joining up of fares and ticketing. As a regular user, this is vital; it removes the confusion for both regular and casual users.

So, the future is bright (orange) for public transport here in South Yorkshire. I hope the changes mean a better service for those areas that have lost or seen services reduced over the years. I can’t wait for my first ride on an orange bus.

Read the full story on BBC News: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cjrqxz22z3vo

The spirit of the "Urban Viking"—and the occasional absurdity of navigating the modern world—lives on in my webcomic, Northman. 

You can read the latest chapter here: northman.kirt.me.uk

I’ll be sharing more about my journey, the battles and the daily tactical reality of staying grounded in the modern world over on social media.

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