The second new route launched by North Lincolnshire Council on Tuesday 2nd May was service 97 in the Isle of Axholme, specifically operating between Garthorpe, Luddington, Eastoft, Crowle, Ealand, Belton, Epworth, Sandtoft and Wroot. Like the 96, it is operated 'in-house' by the council under a Section 22 Community Transport license with funding from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
In detail the 97 operates Monday to Friday daytimes only with three journeys from Wroot to Garthorpe at 0830, 1100 and 1350, two journeys from Garthorpe to Wroot at 0945 and 1240 plus a Garthorpe to Epworth 'short' at 1505, returning from Epworth to Garthorpe at 1600. The 97 returns a timetabled bus service to Sandtoft and Wroot for the first time since early September 2020, and restores the link between Crowle and Epworth for the first time in I think 10 years. It also nicely supplements the 399 between Belton and Epworth.
Disappointingly the first 97 of the day from Garthorpe at 0945 is just 11 minutes before the East Yorkshire operated 361 also provides a journey from Garthorpe to Crowle, whilst similarly there is a 1149 97 from Crowle to Garthorpe followed by a 1204 361. Do Garthorpe, Luddington and Eastoft need links to Epworth, because for Crowle the 361 already provides a service? Could the time be better spent elsewhere, such as restoring a Wroot to Blaxton service for Doncaster connections, or perhaps reinstating a service to Lockwood Bank in Epworth?
The 97 is a welcome addition to the bus network, reinstating a number of lost links on a substantially better basis than before - the previous 58 and 358 local services in the Isle of Axholme operated between 1 and 3 days a week mornings and early afternoons only. A bit like the 96 though, is it over ambitious?
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