Thursday 27 January 2011

EYMS April Service Changes

Posted on the VOSA website today:

VOSA - Bus Registration Search Results: "PB0000328/186 - EAST YORKSHIRE MOTOR SERVICES LTD, 252 ANLABY ROAD, HULL, HU3 2RS
Cancellation Accepted: Operating between Bridlington coach Park and Bridlington Coach Park given service number 500/501 effective from 03-Apr-2011."

Also variations for services 155/6 (Hull-Goole corridor), 241 (Aldborough-Beverley), 358 (Holme on Splading Moor-Goole) and 502/10 (Bridlington-Buckton), plus the Moorsbus services from Hull. This ties in with the interesting tender results I alluded too earlier.

Bye Bye 909, and Crowle Bus Wars?

The 909 (and the 910) are going again, replaced from Monday 31st January by new service 90. The 909 was restarted in November 2009 as an hourly Brigg-Scunthorpe-Doncaster service. April 2010 saw the Doncaster section reduced to 3 return journeys a day, while new service 910 saw some Brigg to Scunthorpe journeys extended to Garthorpe via Crowle, approximately every 2 hours. Then last September the remaining Doncaster journeys were withdrawn.

Now more changes, but largely positive. The 909 and 910 have gone, replaced by an hourly Brigg-Scunthorpe-Crowle service Monday to Saturday daytimes. The Brigg section retains it's hourly frequency while Scunthorpe to Crowle increases from 2 hourly to hourly. However Eastoft, Luddington and Garthorpe loose their Stagecoach service. The Scawby diversions on the 909 are retained on service 90. Hopefully Stagecoach have now found a suitable service pattern for the corridor and some stability can be provided.

The college service 556 from Garthorpe and Crowle to Scunthorpe is also being withdrawn, replaced by service 590 from Eastoft and Crowle only (so Eastoft retains a limited Stagecoach service on college days only). Garthorpe and Luddington have Sweyne Coaches services to the Scunthorpe Colleges.

New service 90 timetable
New service 590 timetable

However also from Monday Sweyne Coaches are making changes to their Scunthorpe-Goole service (new timetable in a user unfriendly format on traveline east midlands). On weekdays most services currently operate via Amcotts, apart from one service operating via Crowle to provide a shopping link into Goole. All journeys serve Luddington and Garthorpe. Presumably in response to the Stagecoach changes, Sweyne are switching most weekday journeys to operate via Crowle instead. This maintains weekday service to Eastoft, and from Garthorpe and Luddington into Crowle.

Additionally though it means that as well as a doubling of it's Stagecoach service, Crowle sees a roughly 2 hourly daytime service from Sweyne on weekdays. Sweyne services appear to depart Crowle 12 minutes before Stagecoach, and from Scunthorpe 25 minutes after Stagecoach. The question here is, are Sweyne going after the Scunthorpe-Crowle market, or is it just a side effect of replacing Stagecoach in Eastoft? I suspect the latter, with no attempt to serve the Scunthorpe-Crowle market at peak times by Sweyne. However it does mean a substantial increase in services between Scunthorpe and Crowle, more than a doubling of it's current service provision. Too much too quick? Service enhancements are to be supported, but they need to be sustainable.

Finally a quick note about Sweyne Coaches Scunthorpe to Goole Saturday service, all of which operate via Crowle. Traveline East Midlands shows it finishes at the end of March, and information posted on a yahoo group indicate another operator has won the tender for it. As far as I am aware the Saturday service was a commercial operation from Sweyne, but it was notable how it was not enhanced along with the weekday service last year, so maybe it has been struggling and at some point Sweyne have had to give up operating it commercially. Not the only interesting tender in East Yorkshire either apparently.

Stagecoach Scunthorpe Town Service Changes

From Monday 31st January, Stagecoach are making alterations to some Scunthorpe town services.

An extra journey on service 6 will operate from Scunthorpe Bus Station at 0710 to Ashby High Street, Manifold Road and back into Scunthorpe Town Centre to provide an earlier first arrival at 0751. Service 11, which links parts of Bottesford with Scunthorpe Town Centre will be increased from 4 journeys a day to hourly Monday to Saturday daytimes.

The 37 to Speedwell Crescent will gain an additional 1555 departure from Scunthorpe Bus Station on Saturdays and School Holidays, while the 1705 will depart from Scunthorpe Bus Station 10 minutes earlier at 1655. Meanwhile Service 38 to Crosby gains a revised timetable all day.

Nice to see some enhancements to Scunthorpe Town Services, which have generally only seen reductions in recent years.

New Service 6 timetable
New Service 11 timetable
New Service 37 timetable
New Service 38 timetable

First South Yorkshire North Lincolnshire Changes

From Monday 31st January, First South Yorkshire will make changes to their two services operating into North Lincolnshire. The 59 from Wroot to Doncaster will see minor timetable changes of up to 5 minutes. Meanwhile the morning peak only 391 from Epworth to Doncaster will be retimed with the weekday, but not the Saturday, journey now omitting Finningley and Robin Hood Airport.

New 59 timetable
New 391 timetable

Wednesday 26 January 2011

New EYMS X4

Alongside some variations to services in the Market Weighton/Pocklington/York area, there was this interesting new registration on the VOSA website today from EYMS.

VOSA - Bus Registration Search Results: "PB0000328/372 - EAST YORKSHIRE MOTOR SERVICES LTD, 252 ANLABY ROAD, HULL, HU3 2RS
Registration Accepted
Starting Point: Market Weighton, Sancton Road
Finish Point: York Railway Station
Via:
Service Number: X4
Service Type: Normal Stopping
Effective Date: 20-MAR-2011
Other Details: Mondays to Saturdays."


Variations to existing services cover the 18A (route only), 195/6/9, 743, 744, 746, X46, X47