Stagecoach service 103 between Scunthorpe, Messingham, Kirton in Lindsey and Lincoln had for a number of years a rather early last departure from Scunthorpe at 1610. Using Bus Service Improvement Plan Plus funding, this changed for the better between Scunthorpe and Kirton from Tuesday 2nd April.
Firstly there is a new Monday to Saturday 1800 Scunthorpe to Kirton and 1828 return. Ideally this would run a little earlier for commuters, and to fit in better with service 100 between Scunthorpe and Messingham (departures from Scunthorpe at 1710 and 1815). However a new 1800 is far better than a last departure from Scunthorpe to Kirton at 1610.
Secondly there are further extra Scunthorpe to Kirton shorts on Friday and Saturday only at 1930, 2030 and 2130 from Scunthorpe, returning from Kirton at 1958, 2058 and 2158. These are interesting as the Friday and Saturday early/mid evening frequency is now better than Monday to Saturday daytimes, which are two hourly! Also the last departure at 2130 prevents passengers from being able to have a 'full' evening out in Scunthorpe. It would be interesting to know how these services are performing.
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1 comment:
Its a great shame that the hourly Kirton shorts were withdrawn a number of years ago - although I think the issue was doing the trip in under an hour, rather than low usage. Getting the Scunthorpe - Messingham corridor back to consistent half-hourly through the day would have been a better use of the funds to me - especially as these services are being used more for Bottesford-Scunthorpe journeys, as they are now faster and more frequent that the town services following many years of cuts. If that market was funded, it might grow to a point where it might be commercially viable in a couple of years.
Instead, while a later journey is certainly welcomed - however now commuters have had a number of years to find alternative transport - so that market is probably not there in the way it might have been a few years ago. Even if these new trips are attracting a handful of people - there is no way these are ever going to be viable on a commercial basis in the long term, so will likely be cut once the BSIP funds run out (Same as Gainsboroughs new town network, and the extra Crowle journeys).
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