Brigg Market Day buses ending

From Traveline East Midlands it seems that two Thursday only services into Brigg are ending after November 1st; the 160 and 202 both operated under contract to Lincolnshire County Council by PC Coaches.

The 160 operates from Caistor via North Kelsey, Bishop Norton, Waddingham, Redbourne and Hilbaldstow to Brigg. The route used to be operated by Applebys, then by Road Car and Stagecoach before passing to PC Coaches. The 202 operates from Market Rasen via Holton Le Moor, Grasby and Bigby to Brigg and Lakeside Retail Park on the edge of Scunthorpe.

If these sevices are cancelled without replacement partial alternatives would be provided by existing Holloways Coaches TB2 and TB4, Hornsby 94 and TC Coaches operated Call Connect service 3C. But for everywhere except for Hibaldstow and Redbourne it will mean the end of a 'fixed' Thursday market day bus to Brigg, with the demand responsive call connect service the only public transport option remaining.

As a final note it is interesting to contrast the approaches of Lincolnshire County Council and North Lincolnshire Council. Lincolnshire focuses on trunk routes with demand responsive services for nearly everywhere else. Whereas North Lincolnshire Council doesn't use demand responsive services at all, instead contracting 'traditional fixed services' to serve smaller communities. If the likes of North Kelsey and Bigby were in North Lincolnshire, I highly doubt the 160 and 202 would be being axed. And if places like Dragonby were in Lincolnshire they almost certainly wouldn't have a 'traditional fixed' bus service any more.