Significant Improvements to Saturday 399

On Monday 7th April 2025 service 399 between Scunthorpe, the Isle of Axholme and Doncaster became an even interval two hourly service Monday to Friday, including peak services to/from Doncaster replacing weekday extensions of First's 357. From Easter Saturday 2026 - 4th April - almost identical changes occurred on Saturdays (when the whole service is tendered).

Previously on Saturdays - when all service 399 journeys are operated by Stagecoach - there were two full route journeys between Scunthorpe and Doncaster and four extra 'short' journeys between Scunthorpe and Westwoodside, of which the first two 'shorts' from Scunthorpe omitted Althorpe, Derrythorpe, West Butterwick, Beltoft, Owston Ferry and East Lound. Spacing between journey's wasn't good, for example three out of the six journeys from Westwoodside to Scunthorpe operated between 1626 and 1847. There was also First's 357 between Finningley and Doncaster which had one journey extended to start in Epworth in the morning peak, and one journey extended to/from Epworth in the evening peak, serving Haxey and Westwoodside en-route.

Now it's five full route Scunthorpe to Doncaster 399 journeys, including a brief diversion via Yorkshire Wildlife Park, plus two Scunthorpe to Westwoodside 'shorts' in each direction. All journeys serve all Isle of Axholme villages. The frequency is every two hours, with some variation at the start and end of the day. The Saturday 357 extensions to Epworth are withdrawn, with the 357 now operating wholly within South Yorkshire. 

As well as the frequency enhancement and general simplification, the Saturday service is now almost identical to the weekday college holiday service, when most journeys are operated by Hornsbys. The exception is in Westwoodside, where the 'college time' service on college holiday weekdays follows the same route as the college day service via Newbigg. The equivalent Saturday journeys however follow the evening peak time loop via Newbigg, Doncaster Road and Westwoodside Pond, giving greater penetration of the village. For everywhere else though, Monday to Friday and Saturday timetables are now identical providing further simplification of the service.