Saturday 29 November 2014

Humber Flyer Major Route Change

The new timetable on Traveline East Midlands for the Humber Flyer between Hull, Barton, Grimsby and Cleethorpes (and associated College Flyer) from Monday 5th January shows the route revised to operate via Barrow, Thornton Curtis and Wootton rather than Humberside Airport and Great Limber between Barton and Keelby.

It is easy to see how Barrow, Thornton Curtis, Wootton and I presume Ulceby would provide more custom than Humberside Airport, Great Limber and (once a day) Barnetby, but this would remove the only bus service to Humberside Airport (the 68 villager bus is not serving the airport during roadworks, and isn't much use anyway for airport travel). The airport is seeing major investment with a new hotel, BAe training academy and search and rescue base being built/to be built soon, along with a new roundabout at the A18/airport entrance junction.

UPDATE - It seems the re-routing is temporary, see the comments below

11 comments:

Joe said...

I hope a replacement service is planned. Possibly Grimsby to Svunthorpe. Otherwise no one can get to work or go on holiday from the airport. Those other villages have the 450 so don't need this.

Unknown said...

This is temporary to do with the weight restriction at Singleton Birch railway bridge.

Humber Transport said...

I know the current temporary timetable is very inefficient, but a rather drastic re-routing on a temporary basis

Joe said...

Maybe the entire bridge is being shut so it might be impossible to run??

Humber Transport said...

The bridge can't be used by buses at the moment - having to divert via Croxton

Joe said...

I've asked Stagecoach East Midlands why they are doing this and I'll post if they reply. I haven't used the bus past the airport recently so didn't realise bridge is already shut.

Anonymous said...

Re:Joe & Grimsby>Scunthorpe service. A Grimsby to Scunthorpe service has not existed since the 909 was withdrawn many years ago. I have no doubt there is some demand - I always thought the old 365 from Roadcar/early Stagecoach days could easily be extended through to Grimsby every 2 hours when the 909 was lost, but it never was. The train takes about 35-40 minutes, but the cheapest return available is £12.80. Any bus service that covers the villages where the bulk of the protenial passengers are likely to be (such as Broughton, Brigg, Barnetby, Airport, Kirmington etc) is likely to take best part of 90 minutes!

Joe said...

I have the 1998 timetable for the 909. It's 1hour from Grimsby to Scunthorpe. Via Immingham, airport, Brigg. 2 hours Cleethorpes to Doncaster. It called at Habrough for train connections.

Joe said...

The need for a new 909 is not as great as feared. The Grimsby and Scunthorpe TransPennine service won't be cut according to the Grimsby Telegraph. Does this mean East Midlands will ruin tge Barton line?

Humber Transport said...

Hopefully the Barton line stays with the Northern franchise (see my blog post earlier this year). But unless someone asks the question of the DfT then we won't know untill the franchise invitation to tender is published

Joe said...

Stagecoach replied to me:

"Good Afternoon, 
This is an ongoing issue that may change over the next couple of weeks.  
There is a good chance that this will change but as yet it is unconfirmed how and when. I would advise that you were to contact us again at the end of next week.
Kind regards 
Siobhan Reception
Stagecoach East Midlands"