Improvements in East Hull

Finishing my review of Stagecoach's Easter service changes in Hull, and East Hull services 33, 40 and 41.

Starting with the 40 and 41, these where circular services within East Hull; the 40 operated anti-clockwise from Holderness Road Morrisons via Ings Road, Lambwath Road, Garden Village and Holderness Road Shops back to Morrisons, whilst the 41 ran from Morrisons via Broadway Drive to Jalland Lodge in Bilton Grange and back. Both routes operated hourly Monday to Saturday off peak, interworked with each other and service 16 for a convoluted through bus to Hull City Centre.

Since Tuesday 2nd April, the 41 is no more, replaced by a much improved 40. The 40 now leaves Morrisons via Broadway Drive and Jalland Lodge - incorporating the former 41 - then operates via Maybury Road to pick up part of it's former route via Ings Road, Lambwath Road and Garden Village, before operating into Hull City Centre and Paragon Interchange. The 40 remains an hourly Monday to Saturday daytime service. Whilst there are a few minor negatives - the loss of links to Holderness Road Shops for some, and slightly longer journey times for certain journeys - the City Centre link makes this change far more positive than negative.

The other excellent aspect of this change to the 40 is the co-ordination with hourly service 33 between Paragon Interchange and Bransholme North Point over the common section of route between the Interchange and Garden Village, to double the overall frequency from once to twice an hour. From Paragon Interchange the interval between the two services is exactly half hourly, whilst from Garden Village there are 27 and 33 minute gaps. 

One other change to note on the 33, it was removed from Honiton Road in Bransholme, providing a slightly more direct route to/from North Point, but leaving the relatively short Honiton Road without a service; however various routes run past each end of the road.