Service 104 Early Evening Improvements

On Sunday 10th November, East Yorkshire made major changes to their network which I am about to catch up on. One of the smaller revisions was to service 104 between Hull Paragon Interchange and Castle Hill Hospital via the Avenues, Endike Lane and Cottingham Village Centre. This route gained an enhanced early evening service, financed by Hull City Council's Bus Service Improvement Plan funding.

From Hull an extra journey was added on Saturdays at 1900, in between the existing 1840 and 1940. From Castle Hill, extra journeys were introduced at 1900 and 2030 Monday to Friday, filling gaps in between 1835 and 1915 and 1955 and 2051 departures respectively; on Saturdays there is an extra 2025 from Castle Hill, in between the 2005 and 2045 departures.

Christmas and New Year Bus Services 2024/2025

It's time again for my annual summary of Christmas and New Year bus services across the Humber Region. It covers the following operators, but not their services outside the region:

• Arriva Yorkshire
• CallConnect
• East Yorkshire (excluding JustGo, and service 18 between Holme Upon Spalding Moor and York; East Yorkshire's festive bus times page indicates normal service except Christmas/Boxing/New Years Day, their timetable indicates a Saturday service most days)
• First South Yorkshire (Doncaster Area)
• First York
• Grayscroft Coaches
• Hornsby Travel
• PC Coaches
• Sweyne Coaches (Goole+Howden Hopper)
• Stagecoach
• Thornes Independent
• York Pullman

Please check exact details before travelling as I have only summarised here, or for any occasions were publicity is incorrect, or I have made a mistake. If you have any information for other operators, or to correct any details listed below, please post a comment.

Monday 23rd December:

Predominantly a Saturday service, with the following exceptions:

• Arriva Yorkshire, CallConnect, First York, Grayscroft Coaches, Hornsby Travel, PC Coaches, Stagecoach in North Lincolnshire (including cross-border services), Thornes and York Pullman will operate a normal Monday service.
• East Yorkshire services 1 (Holme on Spalding Moor-Selby), 131 (Bridlington-Carnaby Industrial Estate), 143 (North Ferriby-Beverley), 150 (North Ferriby-Hessle), 197 (Pocklington Town Service) and 504 (Bempton-Bridlington) will operate as normal.
• Stagecoach will provide extra early morning journeys on selected services in Grimsby and Hull.
• Stagecoach Monday to Friday service 255 (North Bransholme-Barton Wren Kitchens) will operate three journeys only, at 0700 from North Bransholme and at 1710 and 1750 from Barton Wren Kitchens. Associated service 256 will not operate.
• East Yorkshire service 58 (Hull to Hessle) will operate at a reduced half hourly daytime frequency as compared to it's usual Monday to Saturday every 15 minutes frequency.
• East Yorkshire services 51 (Hull to Wymersley Road), 56 (Asda Bilton-Hull-Castle Hill Hospital) and 57 (Asda Bilton-Hull-Hessle) will operate at a reduced half hourly daytime frequency as compared to their usual Monday to Saturday every 20 minute daytime frequencies.
• East Yorkshire service 196 (Allerthorpe-York) will not operate as per a normal Monday.
• East Yorkshire services 55/79/142/180/277/512/513/525/747/G1 Friday and Saturday only evening journeys will not operate (normal Monday evening journeys on the 55 will however).
• First South Yorkshire services 359/360 Thursday, Friday and Saturday only evening journeys will not operate.
• East Yorkshire services 57/58/104 and Stagecoach Hull services 5/6/8/13 Saturday only nightbus journeys post midnight (early hours Sunday morning) will not operate.
• East Yorkshire service 41 journeys at 2252 from Nafferton to Beverley, and at 2330 from Beverley to Driffield will not operate. These journeys usually operate Friday and Saturday evening only. The 1950 Bridlington to Hull and 2135 from Hull to Nafferton will operate though as per the Friday/Saturday evening timetable.

It is disappointing to see that East Yorkshire are providing a reduced service compared to both weekdays and Saturdays on four Hull area routes. Also of note are the East Yorkshire operated tendered Goole Town Services operating to a Saturday rather than a normal Monday to Friday timetable as per the historical norm over the Christmas and New Year period - this means no peak time services for two weeks.

Interestingly the usual Friday and Saturday evening only journeys on East Yorkshire services 25 and X47 do appear to be operating today, and also on Monday 30th and Thursday 2nd.

Christmas Eve:

Predominantly a Saturday service with an early finish between approximately 1700 and 2000, plus the following exceptions:

• Arriva Yorkshire, Grayscroft Coaches, Hornsby Travel, PC Coaches, Stagecoach in North Lincolnshire (including cross-border services), Thornes and York Pullman will operate a normal Tuesday service with early finish.
• East Yorkshire services 131 (Bridlington-Carnaby Industrial Estate), 144 (South Cave-Beverley), 150 (North Ferriby-Hessle), 195 (Allerthorpe-Pocklington), 197 (Pocklington Town Service), 199 (Huggate-Pocklington) and 504 (Bempton-Bridlington) will operate as normal.
• Stagecoach will provide extra early morning journeys on selected services in Grimsby and Hull.
• Stagecoach Monday to Friday service 255 (North Bransholme-Barton Wren Kitchens) will operate three journeys only, at 0700 from North Bransholme and at 1710 and 1750 from Barton Wren Kitchens. Associated service 256 will not operate.
• East Yorkshire service 51 (Hull to Wymersley Road), 56 (Asda Bilton-Hull-Castle Hill Hospital), 57 (Asda Bilton-Hull-Hessle) and 58 (Hull-Hessle) will operate at a reduced half hourly daytime frequency.
• East Yorkshire services 143 (North Ferriby-Beverley) and 196 (Allerthorpe-York) will not operate as per a normal Tuesday.

Christmas Day:

No services.

Boxing Day:

No services. 

Friday 27th December:

Predominantly a Saturday service, with the following exceptions:

• Hornsby Travel, PC Coaches, Stagecoach in North Lincolnshire (including cross-border services) and Thornes will operate a normal Friday service.
• East Yorkshire services 1 (Holme on Spalding Moor-Selby), 131 (Bridlington-Carnaby Industrial Estate), 150 (North Ferriby-Hessle), 183 (Hessle Town Service), 197 (Pocklington Town Service) and 504 (Bempton-Bridlington) will operate as normal.
• Stagecoach service 25 (Market Rasen-Grimsby) will operate as normal.
• Stagecoach will provide extra early morning journeys on selected services in Grimsby and Hull.
• Stagecoach Monday to Friday service 255 (North Bransholme-Barton Wren Kitchens) will operate three journeys only, at 0700 from North Bransholme and at 1710 and 1750 from Barton Wren Kitchens. Associated service 256 will not operate.
• East Yorkshire service 51 (Hull to Wymersley Road), 56 (Asda Bilton-Hull-Castle Hill Hospital), 57 (Asda Bilton-Hull-Hessle) and 58 (Hull-Hessle) will operate at a reduced half hourly daytime frequency.
• East Yorkshire service 142 (Beverley-Cherry Burton) has no evening service showing on it's online timetable as per a normal Friday.
• East Yorkshire services 143 (North Ferriby-Beverley) and 196 (Allerthorpe-York) will not operate as per a normal Friday.
• East Yorkshire services 57/58/104 and Stagecoach Hull services 5/6/8/13 Saturday only nightbus journeys post midnight (early hours Sunday morning) will not operate.

Last year I commented that Stagecoach might as well operate a normal service on the normal weekdays between Christmas and New Year in the Scunthorpe area, as opposed to a Saturday service with multiple exceptions; their commercial services have almost identical Monday to Friday and Saturday timetables, whilst some of their tendered services are significantly different. This year that is exactly what they have chosen to do.

Saturday 28th December:

Predominantly a Saturday service, with the following exceptions:

• East Yorkshire service 51 (Hull to Wymersley Road), 56 (Asda Bilton-Hull-Castle Hill Hospital), 57 (Asda Bilton-Hull-Hessle) and 58 (Hull-Hessle) will operate at a reduced half hourly daytime frequency.

Sunday 29th December:

Normal Sunday service.

Monday 30th December:

Predominantly a Saturday service, with the following exceptions:

• Hornsby Travel, PC Coaches, Stagecoach in North Lincolnshire (including cross-border services) and Thornes will operate a normal Monday service.
• East Yorkshire services 1 (Holme on Spalding Moor-Selby), 131 (Bridlington-Carnaby Industrial Estate), 143 (North Ferriby-Beverley), 150 (North Ferriby-Hessle), 197 (Pocklington Town Service) and 504 (Bempton-Bridlington) will operate as normal.
• Stagecoach will provide extra early morning journeys on selected services in Grimsby and Hull.
• Stagecoach Monday to Friday service 255 (North Bransholme-Barton Wren Kitchens) will operate three journeys only, at 0700 from North Bransholme and at 1710 and 1750 from Barton Wren Kitchens. Associated service 256 will not operate.
• East Yorkshire service 51 (Hull to Wymersley Road), 56 (Asda Bilton-Hull-Castle Hill Hospital), 57 (Asda Bilton-Hull-Hessle) and 58 (Hull-Hessle) will operate at a reduced half hourly daytime frequency.
• East Yorkshire service 196 (Allerthorpe-York) will not operate as per a normal Monday.
• East Yorkshire services 55/79/142/180/277/512/513/525/747/G1 Friday and Saturday only evening journeys will not operate (normal Monday evening journeys on the 55 will however).
• First South Yorkshire services 359/360 Thursday, Friday and Saturday only evening journeys will not operate.
• East Yorkshire services 57/58/104 and Stagecoach Hull services 5/6/8/13 Saturday only nightbus journeys post midnight (early hours Sunday morning) will not operate.
• East Yorkshire service 41 journeys at 2252 from Nafferton to Beverley, and at 2330 from Beverley to Driffield will not operate. These journeys usually operate Friday and Saturday evening only. The 1950 Bridlington to Hull and 2135 from Hull to Nafferton will operate though as per the Friday/Saturday evening timetable.

New Years Eve:

Predominantly a Saturday service with an early finish between approximately 1700 and 2000, plus the following exceptions:

• Hornsby Travel, PC Coaches, Stagecoach in North Lincolnshire (including cross-border services) and Thornes will operate a normal Tuesday service with early finish.
• East Yorkshire services 131 (Bridlington-Carnaby Industrial Estate), 144 (South Cave-Beverley), 150 (North Ferriby-Hessle), 195 (Allerthorpe-Pocklington), 197 (Pocklington Town Service), 199 (Huggate-Pocklington) and 504 (Bempton-Bridlington) will operate as normal.
• Stagecoach will provide extra early morning journeys on selected services in Grimsby and Hull.
• Stagecoach Monday to Friday service 255 (North Bransholme-Barton Wren Kitchens) will operate three journeys only, at 0700 from North Bransholme and at 1710 and 1750 from Barton Wren Kitchens. Associated service 256 will not operate.
• Grayscroft Coaches Tuesday only service 28 (Sutton on Sera-Grimsby) will not operate.
• East Yorkshire service 51 (Hull to Wymersley Road), 56 (Asda Bilton-Hull-Castle Hill Hospital), 57 (Asda Bilton-Hull-Hessle) and 58 (Hull-Hessle) will operate at a reduced half hourly daytime frequency.
• East Yorkshire services 143 (North Ferriby-Beverley) and 196 (Allerthorpe-York) will not operate as per a normal Tuesday.

New Years Day:

No services (train services will be operating however, in many instances to a normal Wednesday timetable apart from early morning services and engineering works related disruption).

Thursday 2nd January:

Predominantly a Saturday service, with the following exceptions:

• Arriva Yorkshire, CallConnect, First York, Grayscroft Coaches, Hornsby Travel, PC Coaches, Stagecoach in North Lincolnshire (including cross-border services), Thornes and York Pullman will operate a normal Thursday service.
• East Yorkshire services 131 (Bridlington-Carnaby Industrial Estate), 144 (South Cave-Beverley), 150 (North Ferriby-Hessle), 504 (Bempton-Bridlington) and 544 (Pocklington-Driffield) will operate as normal.
• Stagecoach service 5 (Grimsby-Immingham) will operate as normal.
• Stagecoach will provide extra early morning journeys on selected services in Grimsby and Hull.
• Stagecoach Monday to Friday service 255 (North Bransholme-Barton Wren Kitchens) will operate three journeys only, at 0700 from North Bransholme and at 1710 and 1750 from Barton Wren Kitchens. Associated service 256 will not operate.2
• East Yorkshire service 51 (Hull to Wymersley Road), 56 (Asda Bilton-Hull-Castle Hill Hospital), 57 (Asda Bilton-Hull-Hessle) and 58 (Hull-Hessle) will operate at a reduced half hourly daytime frequency.
• East Yorkshire services 143 (North Ferriby-Beverley) will not operate as per a normal Thursday.
• East Yorkshire services 55/79/142/180/277/512/513/525/747/G1 Friday and Saturday only evening journeys will not operate (normal Thursday evening journeys on the 55 will however).
• East Yorkshire services 57/58/104 and Stagecoach Hull services 5/6/8/13 Saturday only nightbus journeys post midnight (early hours Sunday morning) will not operate.
• East Yorkshire service 41 journeys at 2252 from Nafferton to Beverley, and at 2330 from Beverley to Driffield will not operate. These journeys usually operate Friday and Saturday evening only. The 1950 Bridlington to Hull and 2135 from Hull to Nafferton will operate though as per the Friday/Saturday evening timetable.

Friday 3rd January:

Predominantly a Saturday service, with the following exceptions:

• Arriva Yorkshire, CallConnect, First York, Grayscroft Coaches, Hornsby Travel, PC Coaches, Stagecoach in North Lincolnshire (including cross-border services), Thornes and York Pullman will operate a normal Friday service.
• East Yorkshire services 1 (Holme on Spalding Moor-Selby), 131 (Bridlington-Carnaby Industrial Estate), 150 (North Ferriby-Hessle), 183 (Hessle Town Service), 197 (Pocklington Town Service) and 504 (Bempton-Bridlington) will operate as normal.
• Stagecoach services 5 (Grimsby-Immingham) and 25 (Market Rasen-Grimsby) will operate as normal.
• Stagecoach will provide extra early morning journeys on selected services in Grimsby and Hull.
• Stagecoach Monday to Friday service 255 (North Bransholme-Barton Wren Kitchens) will operate three journeys only, at 0700 from North Bransholme and at 1710 and 1750 from Barton Wren Kitchens. Associated service 256 will not operate.
• East Yorkshire service 51 (Hull to Wymersley Road), 56 (Asda Bilton-Hull-Castle Hill Hospital), 57 (Asda Bilton-Hull-Hessle) and 58 (Hull-Hessle) will operate at a reduced half hourly daytime frequency.
• East Yorkshire services 143 (North Ferriby-Beverley) and 196 (Allerthorpe-York) will not operate as per a normal Friday.
• East Yorkshire services 57/58/104 and Stagecoach Hull services 5/6/8/13 Saturday only nightbus journeys post midnight (early hours Sunday morning) will not operate.

Saturday 4th January:

Predominantly a Saturday service, with the following exceptions:

• East Yorkshire service 51 (Hull to Wymersley Road), 56 (Asda Bilton-Hull-Castle Hill Hospital), 57 (Asda Bilton-Hull-Hessle) and 58 (Hull-Hessle) will operate at a reduced half hourly daytime frequency.

Sunday 5th January:

Back to Normal

New evening service for Epworth, Haxey and Westwoodside

Starting on 7th November, Epworth, Haxey and Westwoodside gained a limited evening service three days a week. Funded by North Lincolnshire Council, two journeys on First service 359 from Doncaster to Finningley via Bessacarr were extended to Epworth via Westwoodside, Haxey and Low Burnham every Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Departures from Doncaster are at 1934 and 2134, with the previous last service at 1739 Mon-Fri/1752 Sat.

Returning back to Doncaster, the bus and driver operate as new route 360, operating direct from Epworth via Haxey, Westwoodside and Cantley Lane in Doncaster (i.e. as per the 399 between Haxey and Doncaster). Whilst seemingly intended to return to Doncaster as quickly as possible, these services maybe useful for an evening in Epworth, with departures at 2035 and 2235.

The extended 359 and new 360 are a trial service to March 2025 - hopefully they are being well supported.

The previous return 359 journeys from Finningley to Doncaster prior to the extension still operate, but with a different bus and driver that runs out of service to Finningley. From reviewing vehicle movements on bustimes.org there appears to be interworking with other routes, which is presumably more efficient than operating a standalone Doncaster-Epworth service.

Summary timetables for Epworth, Haxey and Westwoodside to Doncaster, and Epworth to Haxey and Westwoodside are available on the Humber Transport Summary Timetable page. As you will be able to see, the six departures from Epworth to Doncaster now available every Thursday, Friday and Saturday are split across three different routes, as are the five from Doncaster to Epworth. Across the week, there are also three different operators involved.

Service 260 Afternoon Reduction

On Monday 28th October, Stagecoach revised service 260 between Barton, Barrow, Goxhill and Immingham to improve punctuality. With increased running times and an apparent desire to avoid the need for a second driver by extending the operating day, it meant the mid-afternoon School Holiday and Saturday only 'short' between Barton and Goxhill at 1455 and return at 1521 no longer operates. Whilst there remains a long enough gap in the timetable to reliably operate a shorter Barton to Barrow 'short' instead, it would largely duplicate the 250.

Small changes can make a big difference

Back on Monday 2nd September, Hornsby tweaked their services between Brigg and Kirton in Lindsey.

On Monday to Friday service 94 between Brigg, Scawby, Hibaldstow, Redbourne and Kirton in Lindsey, all journeys now serve The Nookings in Hibaldstow as opposed to just some; this means the last departure from Brigg to The Nookings is now at 1540 rather than 1342. In addition the 1540 is extended beyond Redbourne to Kirton in Lindsey, with the previous 1615 return from Redbourne to Brigg now operating as a full route 1602 Kirton to Brigg; the previous last Brigg to Kirton was at 1342, and from Kirton to Brigg at 1404.

Between Brigg and Kirton the service has been enhanced on schooldays by a previous closed door schools service H1 (and H2?) becoming public buses 94a and 94b. Both routes start in Bottesford and operate via Messingham and Scotter to Kirton, then direct via Redbourne and Hibaldstow to Brigg; the 94a serves The Vale Academy and the 94b Sir John Nelthorpe School, with both routes terminating at the town centre Cary Lane terminus. With the first Cary Lane arrival on the 94 at 1029, the 94a offers a much earlier 0839 arrival; in the afternoon the 94a at 1455 fits in nicely between the 1340 and 1540 94's.

Major Changes to the 11 and 111

Maybe the biggest changes in Stagecoach's Hull September service changes were to associated services 11 and 111. These major improvements were funded by Hull's Bus Service Improvement Plan allocation.

Previously service 11 operated between Hull Paragon Interchange and Kingswood Retail Park via Holderness Road, Bellfield Avenue, Spring Cottage, Bransholme North Point Shopping Centre and Bodmin Road; the frequency was half hourly Monday to Saturday daytimes, hourly evenings and Sundays. Service 111 operated via the service 11 route between Paragon Interchange and Kingswood with a short diversion in East Hull via Salthouse Road for Wilberforce College, before extending to Beverley via Dunswell and Woodmansey; there were two morning journeys from Beverley on college days, one college day only afternoon service to Beverley and one Monday to Friday afternoon service to Beverley.

Since 1st September, service 11 has been extended from Kingswood Retail Park to Castle Hill Hospital in Cottingham via Kingswood Leisure Park, Orchard Park and Cottingham Village Centre. The 11 now operates hourly Monday to Saturday daytimes along it's full route, along with early morning and evening Paragon Interchange to Kingswood Retail Park shorts - that might sound like a frequency cut, but practically speaking it's not, as I will explain shortly. 

The extended 11 provides a number of useful new all day links - from the Ings Estate, Spring Cottage and Bransholme to both Castle Hill Hospital and Kingswood Leisure Park, from Cottingham to Kingswood and from Orchard Park to Bransholme North Point and East Hull. The only slight negative comment I have here is that similar peak service 80 and college service 83 haven't been renumbered to better link in with the 11 - say to 11A and 11C.

On a more minor note, the first Monday to Friday departure from Kingswood is now at 0548 rather than 0613. Sunday's though the first departure is later at 0821 rather than 0739.

Previous service 111 has been renumbered service 110, with morning services reduced to one departure from Beverley, but all journeys now operating year round Monday to Friday. Why the renumbering? Well the 111 number is used for something far more substantial now.

The 'new' 111 runs from Paragon Interchange to Kingswood Leisure Park as per service 11, then extends to Beverley via the A1079 and Flemingate. The 111 operates hourly daily daytimes and Monday to Saturday evenings, perfectly co-ordinated with the 11 for a half hourly service over the common section of route. The new 111 even includes a very late last service from Beverley at 2342 on Saturdays. The 'new' 111 gives access from large parts of East Hull to Beverley and from Beverley to Kingswood. Personally I would have routed via Dunswell and Woodmansey as opposed to a non-stop run via the A1079, but maybe there were concerns about Bus Service Improvement Plan funding causing revenue abstraction from the 41 and 43 between Dunswell and Beverley?

Overall a significant set of improvements with notable new connections. Hopefully these changes are a success.

Hull 7 and 8 'Reworked'

On Sunday 1st September, Stagecoach reworked Hull services 7 and 8. Previously the 8 had been a circular from Paragon Interchange via Beverley Road, Sutton Park, Bransholme North Point, Spring Cottage, Bellfield Avenue, Salthouse Road and Holderness Road back to Paragon Interchange, and vice versa. Service 7 then provided extra journeys between Paragon Interchange and North Point via Sutton Park, i.e. a 'part route' service 8. Now all journeys between Paragon Interchange and North Point via Sutton Park are service 7, with service 8 operating between Paragon Interchange and North Point only, via Salthouse Road. Most journeys on service 7 become service 8 at North Point, and vice versa, so 'across North Point' journeys don't require a change of vehicle despite the numbering change. Personally I prefer the new arrangement, which simplifies the service for Sutton Park.

The opportunity has also been taken to amend frequencies. On weekday afternoons from Paragon Interchange to North Point and Sutton Park, the new 7 operates every 20 minutes, compared to the old 7/8 frequency of every 15 minutes with some half hour gaps. Saturdays drop from every 15 minutes to every 20 minutes all day in each direction. Monday to Saturday evenings and Sunday daytimes increase from hourly to half hourly however, funded from Hull's Bus Service Improvement Plan allocation. The Monday to Friday morning peak variation 7X via Sutton Fields Industrial Estate remains.

Turning to the revised service 8, and it is increased from half hourly Monday to Saturday daytimes to every 15 minutes Monday to Friday and every 20 minutes on Saturdays. Sunday daytimes increase from hourly to half hourly. The last departure from Paragon Interchange is slightly earlier Monday to Friday at 2000 rather than 2020, but later on Saturdays at 2100 rather than 2020 (the nightbuses on Saturday night/Sunday morning also continue). Again these improvements benefit from Hull's Bus Service Improvement Plan allocation.