S1, S2, S3 to end ... but there is a replacement

After operation on 31st March, the Market Weighton 'shopper' buses S1, S2 and S3 will no longer operate. These services are operated by EYMS under contract to East Riding of Yorkshire Council. The S1 provides a Tuesday link into Pocklington from Londesborough and Burnby (with the journey to Pocklington starting in Market Weighton) and a Friday link from Burnby and Londesborough to Market Weighton. The S2 provides a Tuesday and Friday Market Weighton-North Cliffe-South Cliffe-Hotham-South Newbald-North Newbald-Sancton-Market Weighton circular whilst the S3 provides a Friday Goodmanham to Market Weighton service .

The S1, S2 and S3 are being withdrawn as part of cuts to bus subsidies by East Riding of Yorkshire Council. They carry an average of one passenger per journey at a cost of £10.29 per journey, with annual passengers numbering just 738, according to the June 2016 'Review of Bus Services in the East Riding' document. A demand responsive replacement was proposed in both the June and revised December document.

However there is to be a 'traditional' replacement service for the S3 and Friday elements of the S1 and S2. New service 198, operated by EYMS, will run on Friday mornings from North Cliffe, South Cliffe, Hotham, South Newbald, North Newbald and Sancton into Market Weighton, before operating a circular trip via Londesborough and Goodmanham back to Market Weighton. There will then be a lunchtime return. This ensures that North Cliffe, South Cliffe, Londesborough and Goodmanham retain a bus service, albeit for the first three villages no longer on a Tuesday - but something is better than nothing. Burnby is not included on the 198 but will retain a Tuesday bus service on route 199 (which was to have it's funding withdrawn as well, but will continue operating).

It is worth noting that South Newbald, North Newbald and Sanction are also served by service X4 between Hull, South Cave, Market Weighton and York, providing 4 to 5 journeys per day. Hotham, North Newbald and South Newbald are also on the service 143 route, providing one Monday and two Wednesday and Saturday journeys to Beverley. The existence of alternatives for four of the six villages served by the S2 cannot have helped that service's viability, and consequently can't have helped the viability of the associated S1 and S3 services. Still I wouldn't begrudge the 143 and X4 considering the greater number of communities they serve and how the X4 in particular has given South Newbald, North Newbald and Sancton a 6 day a week bus service.