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.
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