‘We are seeing the complete implosion’: Bus service cuts leave many frustrated

Hundreds of bus services across the north of England and beyond are set to be axed over the next three months. Colin Drury spoke to the people of Sheffield about what happens next

A third of South Yorkshire’s entire network is set to be axed by mid-autumn (Getty)

Just outside Sheffield city centre, Cathie McCartan stood waiting for the number 18 bus. It had been due at 8.45pm. At 9.10pm, she decided she’d had enough. She set off walking the three miles home.

“I can’t remember the last time it was actually on time,” she says. “It’s either late or it doesn’t turn up and you’re left an hour for the next one. We’re in one of England’s biggest cities but it’s like living in the countryside.”

The 49-year-old is partially sighted and relies on buses. She runs a sewing school in this South Yorkshire city. Four evenings a week, after her last class, she stands waiting at this bus stop – often in hope more than expectation. “I’ve thought about moving house to somewhere with a more reliable service,” she says. “But do they even exist anymore?”