Service 23 extended to Molescroft - partially replaces axed 122

East Yorkshire's service changes back on Sunday 4th September included their service 23 between Hull and Beverley Bus Station via Dunswell. Woodmansey and Flemingate. The service had been operating Monday to Saturday hourly daytimes with a limited evening service, plus a 'one-way' 2310 journey from Hull to Beverley on Sundays.

The September changes brought about two key amendments. Firstly the service was 'de-linked' from the 24 between Hull and Hornsea. Secondly the Monday to Saturday daytime service was extended from Beverley Bus Station to Molescroft (Lockwood Road), mostly along the same route as the B1/B2 and at an almost half hourly interval combined (26/34 minute gaps from Molescroft, 25/35 minute gaps from Beverley).

If extending a Hull to Beverley service to Molescroft sounds familiar, it is. The 122 did this from 2015 to September last year, when the 122 was suspended due to driver shortages and subsequently cancelled. That suspension turned cancellation of the 122 means that the Hull to Beverley service is down to three services per hour Monday to Saturday daytimes, two via Dunswell (23/121) and one via the A1079 (X46). From both Hull and Beverley there are 20/25/15 minute gaps in departures, with 20/40 minute gaps on the Dunswell services. In terms of frequency this takes services back to mid-May 2015. After the May 2015 increase to four buses per hour between Hull and Beverley, three via Dunswell, May 2018 saw a further increase to five buses per hour, four via Dunswell. Post COVID, services were reduced back to four buses per hour, three via Dunswell in September last year. Rather sad to see the development of services 'undone' like this. (The old indirect 61 is excluded from this comparison).

Finally for the record, the 'oddball' Sunday 23 was removed in these changes. It's oddly not included in the printed timetable, but a 2310 Hull to Beverley service 121 operates on Sundays instead.