The case for rail electrification to Hull

Last month it was announced that the Manchester to Leeds via Huddersfield Transpennine rail route would be electrified. It now seems clear that the Leeds to York section will also be electrified. Combined with existing and committed electrification, the north Transpennine Express route from Liverpool and Manchester Airport via Manchester, Leeds and York to Newcastle will be electrified, enabling conversion of the route to be operated by electric multiple units (EMU) instead of the current Diesel Class 170 Turbostar and Class 185 Desiro units.

However the current service pattern of North Transpennine services does not match this. Services currently serve 4 different eastern destinations: Newcastle, Middlesborough, Scarborough and Hull. So while Newcastle will maintain it's current Transpennine Express service, what happens to Middlesborough, Scarborough and Hull? Consideration is being made of electrification to these destinations, but with only one Transpennine Express service an hour to these destinations the benefits of doing so look weak, if considered purely in the context of Transpennine Express services.

If the Hull to Leeds line is not electrified, Hull risks loosing it's current Manchester service in favour of a truncated Hull to Leeds shuttle. At best would be a service to Manchester via the slower Calder Valley route via Bradford and Halifax. Either way Hull would loose out, as would the intermediate stations between Hull and Leeds served by Transpennine Express, principally Brough and Selby. So a case needs to be made to electrify the Hull to Leeds line. Fortunately for Hull (and unlike Scarborough) the Hull to Leeds route is used by more than just an hourly Transpennine Express service.

Reviewing the route from Leeds end, the section from Leeds station to Neville Hill depot in East Leeds is already electrified, and the section to Micklefield Junction, east of Garforth, will be electrified as part of the Leeds to York scheme. So in reality the case needs to be made for Micklefield Junction to Hull.

The first section to consider is Micklefield Junction to Hambleton Junctions, between South Milford and Selby. Hambleton Junction is where the Hull-Leeds route interacts with the East Coast Main Line (ECML). If the Micklefield to Hambleton Junction section is electrified, including the west to south curve at Hambleton onto the ECML, then a second electrified route from the ECML into Leeds is created. This would be very useful for diversions and/or enabling some scheduled London-Leeds services to route this way.

Staying on the subject of Hambleton Junction, if the North to East curve from the ECML onto the Hull-Leeds line is electrified then the hourly Hull to York service could be converted to EMU operation. On it's own I doubt this service would justify EMU's, but as part of a wider package maybe. A complicating factor would be that some Hull to York services actually route via Sherburn in Elmet, but here there would be two options; electrify the short section between Gascoigne Wood (east of South Milford) and Church Fenton (on the York-Leeds line) enabling Sherburn to be served by EMU's, or enhance the York-Pontefract-Sheffield service to act as replacement service for Sherburn.

Moving further East there is Selby. Between Leeds and Selby there are 2 services each hour; the Transpennine Express service to Hull and a stopping service. The stopping service currently starts back in Wakefield operating a 'Grand Tour' of West Yorkshire before ending up in Selby. However splitting the Leeds to Selby section from this would allow it to be operated by EMU's.

Selby also raises the possibility of electrifying the line from here to Temple Hirst Junction on the ECML. This would enable the conversion of all Hull to London services to EMU operation. This would save the existing practice of diesel's operating long distances on the electrified ECML. East Coast Trains would not need to use a diesel High Speed Train, or in the future a bi-mode Intercity Express to Hull - further undermining what in my opinion is a weak case for these bi-mode trains. First Hull Trains could also convert their operation to EMU's, though as an open access operator they could not be forced to do so.

Once again there is also diversionary uses for electrifying the Temple Hirst route. Ensure the Selby avoiding curve is included and the ECML has a new diversionary route between Hambleton and Temple Hirst Junction. Electrify the Sherburn route as discussed above and that diversionary route becomes Colton Junction, south of York, to Temple Hirst Junction.

So in summary the following services could be converted to EMU operation:
Hull-Leeds-Manchester Transpennine Express - Once per hour
Selby-Leeds stoping service - Once per hour
Hull-York - Once per hour
Hull-London - About every two hours
That is at least two services per hour over all sections of the Hull to Micklefield Junction route, including 2.5 services an hour between Hull and Selby. This would displace a significant number of diesel's such as sprinters, turbostars and desiros to replace pacer units, avoiding the need to order brand new diesels as replacements.

Furthermore there is also freight to consider. A lot depends of whether the destination at the other end of the route is also electrified, and the availability of an electric locomotive, but electrifying the Hull to Leeds line could include the Potter Group freight depot at Selby as well as sidings at Gascoigne Wood and nearby Milford. Potentially even Hull Docks if the connecting line to the docks was included in the electrification scheme.

Finally electrifying the Hull to Leeds line could also reduce the cost of complexity of future electrification, namely the Hull to Doncaster via Goole line. This route shares the Leeds route between Hull and Gilberdyke, so any future electrification would only need to cover Gilberdyke to Doncaster. If the Doncaster to Sheffield route was electrified, Gilberdyke to Doncaster would be an easy add-on, far easier and cheaper than Hull to Doncaster.

I'm no expert on costs, but the case for electrifing Hull to Micklefield Junction does seem strong in terms of the services which could use it. Plus politically investment in rail services to Brough might be a good move at the moment - and certainly the town won't want to be served by an inferior Manchester service.

Stagecoach 51 February Changes

From VOSA:

VOSA - Bus Registration Search Results: PB0000163/49 - GRIMSBY CLEETHORPES TRANSPORT CO LTD T/A STAGECOACH GRIMSBY CLEETHORPES, PO BOX 15, DEACON ROAD, LINCOLN, LN2 4JB
Variation Accepted: Operating between Grimsby Bus Station and Louth Bus Station given service number 51/51A/51B/51C effective from 20-Feb-2012. To amend Route and Timetable.

Vastly improved Europarc services for 2012

When, earlier in the month, I saw a snippet about improved services to the Europarc industrial estate, located off the A180 west of Grimsby, I expected a few extra journeys on current service 2. However operator Stagecoach Grimsby Cleethorpes have now announced full details, and the enhancements are quite significant and interesting. Plus it is not just Europarc that benefits, but two residential roads gain regular bus services for the first time in a few years. All changes come into effect from Tuesday January 3rd and are on weekdays only.

Starting with service 2. This currently operates hourly, with some afternoon gaps from Grimsby Bus Station via Victoria Street Tesco, Corporation Road and Gilbey Road to Europarc. However from January it will start at Riby Square and operate via Victor Street and Asda en-route to Grimsby Bus Station. The frequency will be hourly, with no more afternoon gaps.

This is the first regular bus service along Victor Street in a number of years. I have a service 7 timetable from 1987 which showed services between Riby Square and Bradley Cross Roads operating via Victor Street. I know the 7 continued until at least the late 1990's, possibly the early 2000's, but whether it stil served Victor Street then I am unsure.

In terms of services to Europarc though, the big boost comes from new service 1. This operates from Grimsby Bus Station via Lord Street to Europarc before extending through Great Coates to Wybers Wood Top. I guess the purpose of this extension is to offer Wybers Wood-Europarc links as well as providing an option to connect onto Immingham buses avoiding Grimsby Town Centre. Frequency is hourly with some afternoon gaps. Together with service 2 there are two buses per hour from Grimsby to Europarc, and a half hourly service in the return direction.

Service 1 actually isn't new. I'm not sure exactly when it ended previously, but I do have a North East Lincolnshire Bus and Rail Map from 2003 which shows service 1 and it's sister service 2 operating from Riby Square via Freeman Street, Hainton Avenue, Weelsby Road, Bargate and Grimsby Town Centre to Gilbey Road. Back then the 1 operated via Alexandra Road and Corporation Road and the 2 via Lord Street. In the 2012 version the services have swapped their previous routes with the 1 now serving Lord Street and the 2 Corporation Road. The new service 1 is also the first regular (i.e. not schools related) bus service to serve Lord Street since the old service 2 was withdrawn, as far as I am aware.

Finally existing early morning and evening service 20 from Cleethorpes and Grimsby Town Centre to Europarc is extended to Wybers Wood Top, following the route of service 1.

New timetable, including route map

Services 1, 2 and 20 recieve financial support from North East Lincolnshire Council and the European Regional Development Fund.

(X)62 January Changes

As well as splitting the X62 Ridings Express (Hull-Goole-Leeds) into 3 separate sections (though no need to change buses), Stagecoach in Hull are making some changes to times from Tuesday 3rd January.

Monday to Friday

Current Departure Times from Hull: 0630 0930 1130 1530 1700
New Departure Times from Hull: 0630 0930 1200 1500 1700

Current Departure Times from Leeds: 0830 1130 1330 1730 1900
New Departure Times from Leeds: 0900 1200 1430 1730 1910

Saturday

Current Departure Times from Hull: 0630 0830 1030 1230 1430 1630
New Departure Times from Hull: 0630 0930 1030 1200 1400 1500 1700

Current Departure Times from Leeds: 0830 1030 1230 1430 1630 1830
New Departure Times from Leeds: 0900 1200 1300 1430 1630 1730 1910

Sunday/Bank Holiday departure times are unchanged.

Turnaround times seem to be extended, in some cases 42 minutes at Leeds City Bus Station, which should avoid delays on inbound journeys being 'passed onto' outbound journeys. There is also an additional journey on Saturdays.

The service also seems to be renumbered 62.

X36 Funding Extended

A consortium of councils have agreed to continue funding York Pullman's X36 from Pocklington to York until March 2013. The service was started earlier this year after EYMS withdrew peak time commercially operated journeys on service 195.

Hornsby February 2012 Service Change

VOSA - Bus Registration Search Results: PB0001410/21 - HORNSBY TRAVEL SERVICES LTD, 51 - 53 ASHBY HIGH STREET, SCUNTHORPE, DN16 2NB
Variation Accepted: Operating between Scunthorpe Bus Station and Anncotts given service number 35 effective from 13-Feb-2012. To amend Route and Timetable.

Note the spelling mistake - the 35 terminates in Amcotts

Current timetable

EYMS 103 returns

From Monday 16th January welcome enhancements will be made to services on the Hull City Centre-Beverley Road-Hull University-Cottingham corridor. This is currently served by the 105 operating every 20 minutes Monday to Saturday daytimes, half hourly Monday to Saturday evenings and hourly all day Sunday. Supplementing this is the university term time 102 (effectively a 105 duplicate) and nightbus 106. Some evening and Sunday X47 journeys also operate via this route en-route to York.

Extra services are to be added on the 102 between Hull University and The Lawns Halls of Residence to help prevent overcrowding. The current Wednesday variations are withdrawn, while no services will now serve Hull City Centre.

There will also be a new 103. Based on the timing points provided this service will operate via Spring Bank, Princes Avenue and Newland Avenue rather than Beverley Road between Hull City Centre and Hull University, then as a 105 to The Lawns.

On weekdays the 103 operates occasional journeys during the daytime (replacing the 102) and hourly in the evening. The evening journey's also operate on Saturdays and give 3 buses per hour from Cottingham into Hull combined with the 105. On Sunday daytimes the 103 will operate hourly, giving two buses per hour between The Lawns and Hull combined with the 105. The 103 only operates during University semester times.

However the 103 isn't actually brand new. Until the revised and simplified Cottingham Network was launched in 2005? it operates half hourly Monday to Saturday daytime from The Lawns via Cottingham Centre, Hull University, Newland Avenue, Queens Road and Beverley Road into Hull City Centre.

New 102/103/105 timetable (which seems to have 2 separate weekday timetables, one of which shows the 102 operating in the evening - hopefully to be cleared up with EYMS release the pdf timetable and press release)

Selby-Goole enhancements in the New Year

North Yorkshire County Council report enhancements to Arriva Yorkshire service between Selby and Goole from 16th January.

"Monday to Saturday the last two journeys from Selby at 1705hrs & 1810hrs will continue to Goole. The 1740hrs Goole to Selby will no longer operate but is replaced by 1800hrs and 190hrs from Goole to Selby"

The 1705 (Sat)/1720 (Mon-Fri) was curtailed in West Cowick in August 2010 and the 1810 was curtailed at West Cowick earlier that year. Reversing these enhancements is a welcome move.

Arriva Yorkshire Christmas/New Year 2011-12 Service Arrangements

Arrangements for Arriva Yorkshire services into East Yorkshire over Christmas and New Year:

Christmas Eve - Normal Saturday service
Christmas Day/Boxing Day - No service
Bank Holiday Tuesday 27th - Sunday service (routes served: 356/400/401)

Wednesday 28th-Friday 30th - Saturday service (so service 4 will not serve Howden and Goole)

New Years Eve - Normal Saturday service
New Years Day - No service
Bank Holiday Monday 2nd - Sunday service (routes served: 356/400/401)

Services in East Yorkshire affected are:
4 - Selby-Hemingbrough, with extensions to Howden and Goole on weekdays only
8/400/401 - Selby-Goole
356 - Goole-Swinefleet (Sundays and Bank Holidays only)

New EYMS 35A

EYMS have released full details of the replacement service for the 48 to Maplewood Avenue. To clarify this previous post, all 35's will still serve Willerby, with two daytime journey's in each direction diverting en-route via Maplewood Avenue. These services will be numbered 35A. As a result the 35 is no longer an even interval hourly service. Journey times from Willerby Parkway into Hull will also be slightly extended on diverted journeys.

Kirklands Road, currently served by the 48, will cease to be served by a bus service from January 8th, as the vehicles used on the 35 are too big to serve the road.

2012 to see improved Europarc services?

A very small snippet from page 24 of today's Grimsby Telegraph: "Plans for an extended bus service for Europarc will be announced in the new year". The Europarc industrial estate near Great Coates is currently served by Stagecoach Grimsby Cleethorpes, with the number 2 operating during the day from Grimsby Bus Station, and the 20 operating in the early morning and evening from Cleethorpes and Grimsby.

Current timetable

EYMS A63/M62 Corridor Changes

EYMS have today registered with VOSA various service changes/cancellations/registrations that seems to relate to the A63/M62 Corridor Service Review earlier this year. I'm struggling to copy and paste the the reigistrations but here is a summary:

Registrations Being Amended:
144 - Elloughton to Beverley
151/152 - Hull to Willerby
152/153 - Hull to Gilberdyke
155/155A - Hull to Goole
X4 Market Weighton to York
X55/X56/X57 - Hull to Howden

Registrations Being Cancelled:
156 - Ferriby to Goole

New Registrations:
X4 Brough to Market Weighton
X55 Elloughton to Goole

All changes are from February 5th.

While VOSA terminus points aren't always accurate, it would appear the X4 Wictsun Express from Market Weighton to York will now start in Brough, while the X55 Petuaria Express from Hull to Gilberdyke will extend to Goole.

Festive service arrangements

Now the region's two main operators have released details of their festive service arrangements, some thoughts:

Boxing Day

Boxing Day seems to be becoming an increasingly popular shopping day, and bus companies (or is it local councils?) are responding accordingly. In the Humber region it seems Grimsby is being left behind as Hull and Scunthorpe have basic networks in place. Would it be worth taking a risk in Grimsby next year - any network would also be boosted by Boxing Day visitors to Cleethorpes. Perhaps just an hourly service on Stagecoach's 9/13/14 and see what happens?

In the case of Hull, is it also time to be going beyond the Hull City boundary more? Cottingham and Willerby have Boxing Day buses, but Hessle does not. Again is it worth trying an hourly service. What about Beverley as well, or Barton (if the Humber Fastcat ran on Boxing Day it may well get me as a user at least). Though of course move outside the city boundary, and I doubt Hull City Council will be offering significant financial support - which perhaps explains the current network.

New Years Eve

It would seem the relatively recent introduction of New Years Eve evening and nightbuses in Hull is working well, with additional services this year. Hopefully further improvements will be possible in future years.

New Years Day

Less shops are open on New Years Day than Boxing Day, but it would be nice to see a very basic network to serve those shops and leisure attractions that are open - and hospitals. Plus I suspect Cleethorpes sees a few visitors.

The weird thing about New Years Day is that trains run almost as normal. Unless New Years Day is on a Sunday, I could catch a 8am-ish train from Barton to Cleethorpes, spend 12 hours at the seaside and catch a 9pm-ish return home. Better than a normal Sunday!

As a final comment, many bus drivers and support staff, and people in other industries, want time off over Christmas, which is understandable. Yet remember not everyone does. Some would quite happily work for personal reasons. Some will work for the money. Hopefully those that want to work can, and those that don't can take time off.

Festive period improvements (mostly) for Stagecoach in Hull

Stagecoach in Hull have released details of their Christmas/New Year service plans. This year sees mostly improved services, which is to be welcomed. Before I go into detail on this, here is the festive period service pattern:

Christmas Eve - Normal Saturday service with early finish
Christmas Day - No service
Boxing Day - Special services (see below)
Bank Holiday Tuesday 27th - Enhanced Sunday service

Wednesday 28th-Friday 30th - Saturday service including nightbuses

New Years Eve - Saturday service with early finish, then special timetables on selected routes
New Years Day - No service
Bank Holiday Monday 2nd - Sunday service

Stagecoach leaflet

Boxing Day daytime provision is as follows (2010 in brackets):
1 (Boothferry Estate) - hourly (hourly)
2 (Boothferry Estate) - hourly (hourly)
13 (Orchard Park) - half hourly (hourly)
14 (Orchard Park) - half hourly (hourly)
15 (Orchard Park/Kingswood) - half hourly (hourly)
28b (Sutton Park/North Point) - hourly (hourly)
30 (North Point/North Bransholme) - hourly (hourly)
32 (North Point) - hourly (hourly)
41a (Greatfield, via Holderness Road) - hourly (hourly on service 42)
43 (Greatfield) - hourly (hourly)
51/51b (North Point/Kingswood) - 2 buses per hour to North Point, hourly to Kingswood (hourly 51, no 51b)
54 (Bilton Grange) - hourly (hourly)

So double the frequency this year for the 13/14/15 and most of the 51 route

Moving onto Bank Holiday Tuesday 27th. Last year both Bank Holidays the 27th and 28th saw a normal Sunday service, but this year the following routes gain extra frequencies for all or part of the daytime compared to a normal Sunday service:
1 (Boothferry Estate)
2 (Boothferry Estate)
13 (Orchard Park)
14 (Orchard Park)
28 (Sutton Park/North Point)
30 (North Point/North Bransholme)
32 (North Point)
43 (Greatfield)
51b (North Point)
All other routes see normal Sunday service levels

On the 28th-30th this year Nightbuses will operate, and to their Saturday timetable. In past years Nightbuses have not operated on Mondays to Thursdays between Christmas and New Year, just like any other Mon-Thu.

Now for New Years Eve evening which sees significant increases, with 2010 services in brackets:
1/2/N2 (Boothferry Estate/Hessle) - hourly service on the 1/2 until midnight, then half hourly N2 (half hourly N2 from 2100)
13a/13b/N13 (Orchard Park) - hourly 13a/b until midnight, then hourly N13 on a route that does not normally receive nightbuses (2010, no service)
N15 (Orchard Park/Kingswood) - hourly evening 15/half hourly N15 after midnight (hourly N15 from 2030)
28 (Sutton Park/North Point) - hourly service until 2210 (2010, no service)
32/N32 (North Point) - hourly evening 32, hourly N32 (hourly N32 from 2035)
43/N43 (Greatfield) - hourly evening 43/half hourly N43 (hourly N43 from 2105)
51/N51 (North Point/Kingswood) - hourly evening 51/half hourly N51 (houtly N51 from 2100)
54 (Bilton Grange) - hourly evening 54 (was served by N43 in the evening)

Sadly this post ends on a negative. No New Years Day services will operate this year.

No doubt at least some of this years changes are down to Hull City Council funding.

All comparisons based on last year's post

Stagecoach Grimsby Cleethorpes Christmas/New Year 2011-12 Services

Stagecoach Grimsby Cleethorpes this year have released details on their Christmas/New Year period service arrangements:

Christmas Eve - Normal Saturday service with early finish
Christmas Day - No services
Boxing Day - No services
Bank Holiday Tuesday 27th - Sunday service

Wednesday 28th-Friday 30th - Saturtday service except the following services which will run to a weekday timetable:
2 (Grimsby-Europarc)
3 (Grimsby-Lincoln)
25 (Grimsby-Ludford)
51 (Grimsby-Louth)
150 (Grimsby-East Halton)
366 (Ulceby-Brigg)

New Years Eve - Saturday service with early finish
New Years Day - No services
Bank Holiday Monday 2nd - Sunday service

Stagecoach leaflet (Note to Stagecoach again this year, the 250/450 have identical weekday and Saturday timetables. Why complicate your leaflet more than necessary telling customers they will operate a weekday rather than Saturday service on the 28th-30th?)

Boxing Day Buses for Scunthorpe

New for 2011, Scunthorpe will have a limited bus service on Boxing Day. Stagecoach will operate the 31A/32A town service circular routes on an hourly basis during the daytime. Otherwise the usual Christmas/New Year service pattern is in place:

Christmas Eve - Normal Saturday service with an early finish
Christmas Day - No service
Boxing Day - Special service on the 31A/32A as mentioned above. No other services
Bank Holiday Tuesday 27th - Sunday service

Wednesday 28th-Friday 30th - Normal Service

New Years Eve - Normal Saturday service with early finish
New Years Day - No service
Bank Holiday Monday 2nd - Sunday service

Stagecoach leaflet

Humber Bridge tolls halved

In the Chancellor's Autumn Statement today came the very welcome news that the Humber Bridge tolls will be halved. Also announced today is government funding for A164 improvements between the Humber Bridge and Beverley, as well as the Immingham bypass - two important local road schemes.

Simple, but impressive

Last week I picked up a rather anonymous leaflet onboard a Stagecoach operated Humber Fastcat journey - the front page just a wrapped up Christmas present with a star containing the words 'christmas shopping made easy'. Inside I have to say I was rather impressed.

The first part of the leaflet outlines some very simple reasons for using the bus for Christmas shopping, principally in Hull, but also in Scunthorpe and Grimsby. But from where you might think? Thats only explained on the other side of the page, which contains departure times from Barton Market Place to Hull, Scunthorpe and Grimsby on the Humber Fastcat and Humber Flyer. There is also a small route map and basic fare information.

The leaflet keeps things very basic, clearly designed for infrequent or non-bus users. It could be argued it's too basic, for example no mention of EYMS (hope no one asks for a Humber Megarider on a EYMS Fastcat journey!), but on the other hand too much information could be confusing when trying to attract new customers. It's also the first time I have seen a consolidated timetable for the Humber Fastcat and Humber Flyer between Barton and Hull, and the rather impressive three buses an hour frequency promoted - it was one per hour less than three years ago.

The one major drawback is that it's not very clear until you get to the timetable page that the leaflet is designed to promoted the main Stagecoach services from Barton. Maybe it was designed for a leaflet drop within Barton - this would be much less of a problem then. Or a reference to Barton on the front page would have resolved this.

Overall it's very good to see Stagecoach actively promoting Barton's very good bus service, and trying to attract new customers with simple, custom-designed publicity.

To quote the leaflet though - 'A bus is for life not just for Christmas'. Publicity should also be for life, not just for Christmas, so how about a non-Christmas version of the leaflet Stagecoach?

48 Partial Replacement

A comment on this post indicates that in January EYMS will start 2 morning 35 journeys at Maplewood Avenue, and divert 2 afternoon journeys there. Maplewood Avenue is currently served by the 48, which has been cancelled with VOSA from January 8th.

This would maintain basic links from Maplewood Avenue to Hull Royal Infirmary and Hull City Centre. The 35 currently operates hourly, starting in Willerby serving Willerby Parkway, Wold Road, Albert Avenue and Hull Royal Infirmary en-route to Hull City Centre.

It is unclear if Kirklands Road would maintain service with the revised 35.

Current 35 timetable (including route map)
Current 48 timetable (including route map)

While this is clearly a reduction in service for Maplewood Avenue, hopefully the new arrangement will be more commercially sustainable.

EYMS 120 could run in winter in the future

From the minutes of latest Bridlington Bus Forum, held on 9th November. The 120 currently links Bridlington, Filey and Scarborough to various East Coast Holiday Parks in the Summer.

Bridlington – Scarborough 120 Service
Q - Could this service be run
through out the year?
A (BR) – EYMS is looking into the possibility of running the service in the
winter in future years
when the holiday parks are open

Arriva Selby-Goole changes

Arriva will be altering their services between Selby and Goole from January.

VOSA - Bus Registration Search Results: PB0001672/5 - ARRIVA YORKSHIRE NORTH LTD, 24 BARNSLEY ROAD, WAKEFIELD, WF1 5JX
Variation Accepted: Operating between Selby Bus Station and Goole, North Street given service number 400/401/8 effective from 16-Jan-2012. To amend Timetable.

Amvale 50 change

From Monday 5th December, the schooldays only 1452 Grimsby-Cherry Park journey on Amvale service 50 will be withdrawn. Alternative departures from Grimsby Riverhead Bus Station are at 1400 and 1732, both of which operate the full route to Saltfleet.

(Info from Traveline East Midlands)

EYMS Hull University Corridor Service Changes

EYMS are planning January changes to services between Hull City Centre, Hull University and Cottingham.

VOSA - Bus Registration Search Results: PB0000328/273 - EAST YORKSHIRE MOTOR SERVICES LTD, 252 ANLABY ROAD, HULL, HU3 2RS
Variation Accepted: Operating between Hull and The Lawns given service number 102/103/105 effective from 15-Jan-2012. To amend Route and Timetable.

Hornsby Travel to operate the Wolds Villager

Explaining why North Lincolnshire Council cancelled their registration, Hornsby Travel have today registered the 68 'Wolds Villager'

VOSA - Bus Registration Search Results: PB0001410/28 - HORNSBY TRAVEL SERVICES LTD, 51 - 53 ASHBY HIGH STREET, SCUNTHORPE, DN16 2NB
Registration Accepted by SN
Starting Point: Barnetby, South Street
Finish Point: Barnetby, South Street
Via: Brigg
Service Number: 68
Service Type: Normal Stopping
Effective Date: 21-NOV-2011
Other Details: Monday to Friday Not on bank holidays

This is a short notice change, and was only received by VOSA on November 16th.

However it doesn't explain the Thursday Ulceby to Brigg 68/366 duplication, mentioned yesterday.

Wolds Villager (Service 68)

Posted on VOSA today:

VOSA - Bus Registration Search Results: PB0004332/8 - NORTH LINCOLNSHIRE COUNCIL, HIGHWAYS & TRANSPORT, PO BOX 42, SCUNTHORPE, DN15 6XQ
Cancellation Accepted by SN: Operating between Kirmington, Chapel and Brigg Leisure Centre given service number 68 effective from 21-Nov-2011.

Seems odd since I have seen nothing on the North Lincolnshire Council website about any changes due, either in the public transport section or as a report to the responsible cabinet member. Could be reregistered I guess.

However to confuse things a bit more I checked the Traveline East Midlands website and found the 68 still running, complete with a new (to me) timetable, providing clockface departures from Brigg and a Tuesday/Thursday extension beyond Kirmington to Ulceby. The sort of extension that could replace the Thursday journey on the Stagecoach operated tendered 366 between Brigg and Ulceby. Except both Traveline East Midlands and Stagecoach show no changes to the Thursday 366. Surely there is not a 0920 68 followed by a 0925 366 from Ulceby to Brigg every Thursday?

So can anyone clear up what is going on?

EYMS Christmas/New Year 2011/12

EYMS have released detailed information about services over Christmas and New Year. A summary:

Christmas Eve - Normal Saturday Service with early finish around 8pm. No Nightbuses
Christmas Day - No service
Boxing Day - Usual hourly daytime 34C (Hull-Willerby), 56 (Hull-Longhill-Asda Bilton) and 64C (Hull-Cottingham-Castle Hill Hospital-Willerby)
Bank Holiday Tuesday 27th - Sunday service

Wednesday 27th-Friday 29th - Saturday service except:
Nightbuses 107 (Cottingham) - No service
182 (Beverley-Hessle) - The 2.30pm from Beverley shall not operate
195/6/8/9 (Pocklington Area) - normal weekday service
270 (Driffield-Beeford) - normal weekday service
Fastcat 350 - normal weekday service (memo to EYMS. The Weekday and Saturday services are now identical, so no need to confuse customers here)
747 - normal weekday service
X47 (Hull-York) - some evening services will not run
X55 (Hull-Gilberdyke) - normal weekday service

In addition:
On the Wednesday only:
Services 160/2 (Goole) - normal Wednesday service
Service 241 (Aldbrough-Beverley) - Normal service
Nightbus 106 (Cottingham) - will not operate

On the Thursday only:
Service 134 (Driffield) - shall operate as normal
Service 135 (Driffield-Sledmere) - the 9.10/11.40 from Driffield shall operate as on normal Thursdays, other nomral Thursday journeys will not operate
Service 143 (Melton-Beverley) - will not operate
Services 160/2 (Goole) - will not operate
Nightbus 106 (Cottingham) - will not operate

On the Friday only:
Service 143 (Melton-Beverley) - will not operate
Services 160/2 (Goole) - will not operate
Services S1-3 (Market Weighton) - normal Friday service

New Years Eve - Normal Saturday service will early finish around 8pm. No Nightbus services.
New Years Day - No service this year (the 34C/56/64C operated last New Years Day)
Bank Holiday Monday 2nd - Sunday service
Tuesday 3rd January - back to normal

Willerby Corridor January Changes

Changes will happen to EYMS service on the Hull to Willerby corridor in January

VOSA - Bus Registration Search Results: PB0000328/48 - EAST YORKSHIRE MOTOR SERVICES LTD, 252 ANLABY ROAD, HULL, HU3 2RS
Variation Accepted: Operating between Hull and Willerby Square given service number 33/34/34C/35/35A/44/44A/44C effective from 08-Jan-2012. To amend Route and Timetable.

How to make a joke of EU driver hour rules

How to make a joke off the EU rules concerning driver working hours on long routes ... split it into three sections and operate under domestic rules with no tachographs.! The EU rules may be well intended, but in reality they are either easily avoided, or add expense for operators, or lead to cutbacks to services.

VOSA - Bus Registration Search Results: PB0001987/94 - CLEVELAND TRANSIT LTD T/A STAGECOACH NORTHEAST, ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, WHEATSHEAF, SUNDERLAND, SR5 1AQ
Cancellation Accepted: Operating between Hull Interchange and Leeds Bus Station given service number X62 effective from 03-Jan-2012.

PB0001987/294 - CLEVELAND TRANSIT LTD T/A STAGECOACH NORTHEAST, ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, WHEATSHEAF, SUNDERLAND, SR5 1AQ
Registration Accepted
Starting Point: Hull Interchange
Finish Point: Goole
Via:
Service Number: X62
Service Type: Normal Stopping
Effective Date: 03-JAN-2012
Other Details: Monday to Friday 5 journeys per day, Saturday 7 journeys per day, Sunday 2 journeys per day.

PB0001987/295 - CLEVELAND TRANSIT LTD T/A STAGECOACH NORTHEAST, ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, WHEATSHEAF, SUNDERLAND, SR5 1AQ
Registration Accepted
Starting Point: Goole
Finish Point: Castleford
Via:
Service Number: X62
Service Type: Normal Stopping
Effective Date: 03-JAN-2012
Other Details: Monday to Friday 5 journeys per day. Saturday 7 journey per day, Sundays 2 journeys per day.

PB0001987/296 - CLEVELAND TRANSIT LTD T/A STAGECOACH NORTHEAST, ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, WHEATSHEAF, SUNDERLAND, SR5 1AQ
Registration Accepted
Starting Point: Castleford
Finish Point: Leeds Bus Station
Via:
Service Number: X62
Service Type: Normal Stopping
Effective Date: 03-JAN-2012
Other Details: Monday to Friday 5 journeys, Saturdays 7 journeys, Sundays 2 journeys.

It doesn't look like Stagecoach are taking the opportunity to improve the frequency as hinted at here - it does however mean the possible smaller vehicles to be used on the X62 wouldn't need tachographs.

48 cancelled?

VOSA - Bus Registration Search Results: PB0000328/373 - EAST YORKSHIRE MOTOR SERVICES LTD, 252 ANLABY ROAD, HULL, HU3 2RS
Cancellation Accepted: Operating between Hull interchange and Maplewood Avenue given service number 48 effective from 08-Jan-2012.

The service was proposed to be cancelled earlier in the year, but was 'saved' back in May, with EYMS encouraging pensioners to make a voluntary donation to keep the service going. The 48 operates every 70 minutes, 7 days a week, serving various 'side roads' in West Hull and parts of East Yorkshire.

Scunthorpe-Goole minor change

From Monday (14th November) Sweyne Coaches are withdrawing the 1000 Scunthorpe-Goole service 357, which currently operates on college days only.

New Blog Features

Some new features now available on the right hand side of the page:

Subscribe to the blog by email (and through some other services that I'm not quite sure how they work!)
New 'My Blog List' featuring links to other bus/transport blogs
Recent comments section

Any feedback about the blog is always welcome.

Humber Fastcat Changes Loose Ends

To clear up some loose ends with the 350 Humber Fastcat changes next week.

The 'big mystery' as to why EYMS are pulling the early morning journeys and Stagecoach taking them over apparently isn't such a big mystery after all. An informed comment said they were tendered and Stagecoach are taking them on commercially. I'd been under the impression that the Humber Fastcat had been 100% commercial since the March 2009 relaunch. North Lincolnshire Council have removed all reference to tendered journey's from their timetables since then. Which then leads to the question, do North Lincolnshire Council support any other 350 journeys that they don't admit to in their own publicity?

The current 0707 from Barton to Scunthorpe, which will start in Hull at 0620 from Monday will now leave Barton Station at 0700 and run 7 minutes earlier throughout. So no 15 minute waits in Barton!

And the 'missing' balancing evening cut from Scunthorpe to Hull I had previously wondered about is the 1840 departure.

New timetable valid from Monday 7th November 2011

A63/M62 Corridor EYMS service consultation

EYMS have announced details of a consultation on their bus services along the A63/M62 corridor between Hull, North Ferriby, Brough, South Cave, Gilberdyke, Howden and Goole. More details here and here. Certainly seems the way to go about reviewing services.

350 Humber Fastcat November Changes Update

Last week on bus posters appeared on EYMS 343 'Kitty' advising customers that EYMS would cease to operate the 0620 Hull-Barton and 0653 Barton-Hull from Monday 7th November, and that instead Stagecoach would operate these journeys. Last month I reported that the Stagecoach 0620 Scunthorpe to Barton would extend to Hull, and that the 0707 Barton to Scunthorpe would start from Hull. At the time it appeared these extensions would duplicate EYMS's journeys, but the on bus posters indicate otherwise. So no early morning Fastcat competition. (As a side note, no registration change from EYMS on the VOSA website as off 25/10/11 at 10pm.)

What is interesting, to me anyway, is why these changes are happenning.
1. Did Stagecoach register their extensions without consulting EYMS (they can consult due to a qualifying agreement for the route), and EYMS decide it's not worth trying to defend?
2. Did Stagecoach approach EYMS and EYMS agree?
3. Did EYMS approach Stagecoach to try and 'offload' these journeys?
Guess we will never know the answer!

For passengers there will be winners and losers. As the EYMS poster noted, EYMS discount cards will be unable to be used, and instead full price fares will have to be paid. However connecting passengers from the Humber Flyer will, I presume, not need to buy a separate ticket from Barton to Hull, since both services will now be operated by Stagecoach. And passengers travelling between the North Bank and South Ferriby/Winteringham/Winterton/Roxby and Scunthorpe no longer need to change buses in Barton.

Traveline East Midlands also confirms, as I expected, that the new Monday to Saturday 1825 Hull to Scunthorpe replaces the current 1810 and 1840 departures. Not a huge change in the overall scheme of things, but I remember back in late 2008, having some rather boring walks round St Stephens Tesco Extra while I was waiting for the 1925 departure, having just missed the then 1830. Hopefully not many passengers will be inconvienced, or if many are, then Stagecoach will move the 1825 back to 1840.

Also notable for this is the first cutback to the 350 since the March 2009 relaunch. However Stagecoach and EYMS are to be commended for the stability on the route in the past 2 and a half years. Beyond some very minor 2-3 minute retimings to individual journeys there were no changes at all until September this year, and that was to enhance the evening service. Compare this to the multiple changes some services see.

However one issue that still remains to be cleared up is the lack of a balancing cut to an early evening Scunthorpe to Hull service, as part of the diagram swap that looks set to take place between Scunthorpe and Hull depots, as explained here. With changes less than 2 weeks away, I'd expect an announcement from Stagecoach soon, which should clear this issue up.

Further X62 Changes on the way?

Just come across this interview on the Focus Transport website with the Stagecoach East Midlands Managing Director, from earlier this month. Of particular note to the Humber area is that the X62 Ridings Express between Hull, Brough, Goole and Leeds may see an increased frequency with smaller vehicles than the present double deckers used. The service has seen frequent changes, sometimes reductions, in the past few years, but any attempt to reinvigorate the service again has to be welcomed.

Hornsby 22 Re-route

Hornsby Travel operated Scunthorpe Town Service 22 will be re-routed in September. Details here.

Hull-Hedon cutbacks

As well as changes to Hull-Withernsea services that serve Hedon, EYMS are altering 'short' Hull-Hedon journeys on services 78/79/80 from 31st October. Looks like EYMS's cuts are starting.

Currently the 78 and 79 operate roughly hourly combined Monday to Saturday daytime, but from the end of October almost all 79 journeys will cease to operate, while many 78 journeys are retimed to replace service 79.

New 78-80 timetable

Humber Fastcat November Changes get interesting

Traveline East Midlands has the new timetable up for the 350 Humber Fastcat from 7th November. Some of the changes are minor retimings, but some potentially interesting early morning changes.

The Stagecoach 0620 Scunthorpe to Barton is now extended to Hull and the 0707 Barton to Scunthorpe starts at Hull. Between Barton and Hull these services operate at the exact same times as the 0620 Hull-Barton and 0653 return EYMS journeys. However the EYMS journeys are not shown as cancelled. Stagecoach's early morning services are now shown as operating on Saturdays as well as weekdays. Saturday early morning services between Barton and Hull were withdrawn in 2006 North Lincolnshire Council cut backs.

These changes indicate that Stagecoach's Scunthorpe and Hull depots maybe 'swapping diagrams'. Hull depot would take over the current Scunthorpe diagram including the 0815 from Scunthorpe. This currently includes the 1840 from Hull to Scunthorpe. However Traveline East Midlands shows a new 1825 departure from Hull. My guess is that this replaces the current 1810 departure and the 1840 is cancelled. This would ensure the diagram starts in Hull (at 0620) and finishes in Hull.

Scunthorpe depot would operate the current Hull diagram starting with the 0805 from Hull (after a 45 minute layover in Hull). However there is no new evening journey from Hull to Scunthorpe shown on Traveline East Midlands, while the 1840 Scunthorpe to Hull, currently the last journey on this diagram is still shown as operating. So the diagram starts in Scunthorpe (at 0620) and finishes in Hull (at 1952). Unless Stagecoach plan to run out of service back to Scunthorpe, this does not add up.

So certainly more to come here. The early morning changes are very interesting though. I'd guess that EYMS get quite a few people buying weekly and return tickets on the 0653 from Barton. Are Stagecoach deliberately trying to snatch this revenue and weaken EYMS's position on the service. Or is it a 'side effect' from swapping diagrams and potentially altering (reducing?) evening services? Do EYMS not make as much as I think from the 0653 and are planning to give it up?

Hull-Withernsea October Changes Details

EYMS have released the timetables for revised Hull-Withernsea services from Sunday 30th October. As noted earlier in the month this is in response to customer feedback following cuts earlier in the year.

Currently there is one service 75 each hour between Withernsea and Hull, Monday to Saturday daytime, serving Burtswick and Holderness Road, and one service 74 each hour between Keyingham and Hull serving Ryehill and operating directly into Hull, omitting Holderness Road.

From late October the 74 is gone, while the 75 returns to being a peak time, evening and Sunday service. Monday to Saturday daytimes sees the return of the 76 from Withernsea to Hull every hour via Ryehill and Holderness Road, while the 77 will operate all day again, hourly between Withernsea and Hull via Burstwick but not Holderness Road. Both the 76 and 77 will serve Waxholme Road in Withernsea - I think only one of these services used to serve Waxholme Road prior to EYMS's first set of changes to the corridor earlier in the year.

A couple of short Keyingham-Hull journeys remain in the late afternoon, operating as either service 75 or 77. Also of note is that one Withernsea to Hull and return evening service now no longer operates Sunday to Thursday (the 7pm-ish departure from Withernsea and 8.15pm return from Hull). Meanwhile a morning gap in service is plugged with a new 0945 Hull to Withernsea on weekdays, and a 1011 Hedon-Withernsea on Saturdays.

Other timing changes affect the 277 (Hedon-Hull) and 71 (Easington-Withernsea). The 2.30pm weekdays Hull-Patrington appears to have been withdrawn.

Humber Fastcat November Changes

From Monday 7th November changes will be made to the 350 Humber Fastcat timetable. Traveline East Midlands says this affects early morning times at Barton Market Place.

Peak time Goole Town Service Withdrawn

From Monday 3rd October the peak time element of the Goole Town Service will be withdrawn. This comprises the 0630 and 0730 service 4 journeys, and the 1615, 1715 and 1815 service 5 journeys. Funding has been withdrawn by Goole Town Council.

The Goole Town Service is operated by EYMS.

New York Pullman X36

Since Monday (5th September) York Pullman have started operating a new weekday service X36 between Pocklington and York, replacing withdrawn services on EYMS route 195. The X36 leaves Pocklington at 0635, returning from York at 1740.

Timetable

Goodbye 51X

Since Monday (5th September) Stagecoach's 0725 51X from Louth to Grimsby has become a 0710 service 51, additionally operating via Louth Hospital and Holton Le Clay. This means the end of the 51X variant to the InterConnect 51.

Changes that haven't happenned

The 360 to Scunthorpe Colleges hasn't been truncated to Barton and still starts at East Halton, correcting this post from last month.

And the 2 and 20 in Grimsby haven't ceased running, with the re-registration of service 20 appearing on the VOSA website today.

Hull-Withernsea back to half hourly

Yesterday EYMS warned of forthcoming service cuts, yet today are announcing that they will reverse a frequency cut they made earlier in May, reintroducing half hourly services from Withernsea into Hull.

There had been opposition from those affected by the May changes, and this has been a reason why EYMS are reversing the cut. On one hand it is good to see them listen to feedback, but on the other does this mean deeper cuts will have to be made elsewhere to compensate? After all the service must be struggling as it was cut back in the first place. Or does this show that EYMS and local communities working together can avoid some of the proposed cuts having to take place?

EYMS: Service Cuts and Fares Increases Coming

On This is Hull, EYMS is warning that service cuts and fare increases are coming. Every service will be reviewed and cuts will likely hit rural and late evening services hardest; the intention is to phase in cuts to reduce their impact. A fare increase is expected before the end of the year.

On a personal note for the Humber Fastcat I suspect a fare increase is likely, probably to make fares in line with Stagecoach again. I'll put up with that, the reasons are understandable. However I hope no service cuts, particularly to the last departure in the evening (2110 from Scunthorpe Mon-Sat, 1955 from Ashby Sun) which is very handy to have as an option coming home from work.

Revised Hull Nightbus Network

From this coming weekend Stagecoach in Hull are making significant changes to their nightbus network in Hull.

Almost all Friday services are withdrawn. There wil no longer be any nightbuses on services N15, N32 or N43 on Friday nights (early hours Saturday morning). On the N2 and N51 only the 0000 and 0100 departures from Ferensway shall remain, with the 0200 and 0300 withdrawn. Return services from Hessle on the N2 are apparently unaffected - the service 2 timetable still includes an 0225 from Hessle despite the 0200 from Ferensway being cancelled.

On Saturdays the N2 and N51 are unaltered but the N15 will now start at Witham and operate via George Street (opposite direction compared to present) before joining the current route via Carr Lane and Ferensway in the City Centre. Wilberforce Drive and Alfred Gelder Street will no longer be served. Neither will Kingswood, with services curtailed to Orchard Park.

Both the N32 and N43 shall now start at Hull University's Asylum nightclub (except the first journey on each service) with the N32 operating via Newland Avenue and Queens Road to join the current route at the Welly Club, while the N43 shall operate via Cottingham Road and Beverley Road. In Hull City Centre both services shall now operate via Ferensway, Castle Street, Lowgate and Alfred Gelder Street before rejoining their current routes on George Street; currently they operate direct via Prospect Street between Ferensway and George Street. The N43 also increases from 3 to 4 journeys.

Finally something that may or may not be new, a Wednesday night N15 from Hull University Asylum to Lowgate in the City Centre. This operates via Princes Avenue (daytime 15 route) rather than Beverley Road (Saturday N15 route).

K1 Changes

Since yesterday (Monday 5th September), Hull City Council funded and Stagecoach operated service K1 has been revised to reflect changes to the Stagecoach network.

Following changes to service 52, the Kestrel Avenue loop is now shorter, omitting most of Howdale Road as well as Church Street in Sutton. The Dorchester Road section of the service remains, but between North Point and Kingswood the K1 is revised to operate directly via Bude Road, omitting Noddle Hill Way, which now has the 31 to Kingswood, and Bodmin Road. The K1 is then extended from Kingswood to North Bransholme, replacing a link offered by the now axed service 20.

Greatfield, Bilton Grange, Ings Circular Changes

From Monday 5th September, Stagecoach in Hull will revise their 'circular' 43 and 54 services that operate from Hull City Centre to Greatfield and Bilton Grange. Currently both the 43 and 54 operate every 10 minutes on weekday daytimes and peaktimes, but the 54 shall reduce to operate every 15 minutes, meaning 2 service 43's each hour shall not interwork with the 54 but instead operate as 'standalone' service 43B. Early morning 43's on weekdays shall now also start at Diadem Grove in Bilton Grange.

However Bilton Grange still retains 6 buses an hour into Hull City Centre with route changes to service 52, part of the Ings Circular, that links Salthouse Road into central Hull. This currently serves the southern part Staveley Road in Bilton Grange, but from Monday will serve the northern part of Staveley Road and Barham Road instead.

The other part of the Ings Circular, interworked service 53 also sees it's own route revision, now serving Dunvegan Road, duplicating the 51, and the eastern part of Howdale Road, currently only served by the weekday daytime K1, though the K1 will be re-routed away from Monday.

Goodbye 38, Hello 31

From Monday 4th September, Stagecoach are replacing service 38 with a new service 31. Currently the 38 operates hourly Monday to Saturday between Hull City Centre and Bransholme North Point Shopping Centre via Garden Village and Leads Road, with peak time extensions to Kingsbury Way and Kesteven Way as service 38A.

The new 31 will operate via the current 38 route as far as Barnstaple Road, close to North Point. From there is will operate via Wawne Road, Noddle Hill Way (also served by the 32) and Bude Road to Kingswood Retail Park. Services will operate half hourly Monday to Saturday, with peak variations 31A also serving Kingsbury Way and Kesteven Way. The Noddle Hill Way to Kingswood link is currently provided by the hourly weekday daytime K1, which will be re-routed away from most of Noodle Hill Way.

I'm slightly surprised to see North Point omitted from the route, though I think Barnstaple Road is within walking distance for the able-bodied at least. Other than that a significant frequency improvement for those currently served by the 38 and the K1, and some useful new links to Kingswood from Garden Village.

Replacing the 20/20W

From Monday 5th September Stagecoach in Hull are making major changes to some of their routes serving Kingswood, Bransholme, North Bransholme and Wawne with the cancellation of the struggling 20/20W which operates between Hull and Wawne via Beverley Road, Kingswood and Kingsbury Way/Kesteven Way.

The first 'unique' section of route served by the 20/20W is the Runnymede Way area of Kingswood. Stagecoach have decided to divert service 15 as a replacement, giving a significant frequency increase, from every half hour Monday to Saturday daytimes on the 20/20W to every 10 minutes on the 15, albeit via a longer, less direct route into Hull. But you can't have everything!

The 15 frequency is also dropping from every 7-10 minutes weekday daytimes to every 10 minutes. Nothing major, and hopefully it may lead to the end of two 15's following each other which does often happen on what is a very busy route that has to navigate some very congested areas.

The other notable change to the 15 is that it will now only serve Kingswood Leisure Park on evenings and Sundays meaning the leisure park is now unserved Monday to Saturday daytimes. Can see why certainly on schooldays, but surprised it will be unserved on Saturday daytimes at least.

The 20/20W also provided the main service to Kingsbury Way/Kesteven Way; this function has now passed to a revised service 28. Currently the 28 operates between Hull, Beverley Road, Sutton Park and Bransholme every 12 minutes on weekday daytimes (every 10 minutes at peak times) and every 15 minutes on Saturdays. Monday to Saturday evening and Sunday daytime services operate half hourly, and hourly services run on Sunday evenings.

Under the 28's revised timetable, services will be reduced to operate every 15 minutes during weekday daytimes as well as on Saturdays; peak services on weekdays remain operating every 10 minutes. Stagecoach say larger low floor buses will be used which should replace the capacity lost by the frequency reduction.

Almost all services will now extend beyond Bransholme, generally alternately to Kingsbury Way/Kesteven Way, and to Kingswood Retail Park via Bodmin Road; Kingswood Retail Park services being numbered 28A. This shall increase journey times slightly between Kingsbury Way and Hull City Centre compared to the 20, but shall provide all day links to the North Point Shopping Centre from Kingsbury Way. Furthermore the 28A creates a new Sutton Park-Kingswood link and retains the Kingswood to Beverley Road link currently provided by the 20/20W.

On Monday to Saturday daytimes both Kingsbury Way and Kingswood get half hourly extensions. In the evenings, and on Sundays, when the main Hull to Bransholme service is half hourly, each extension shall operate hourly. For Kingsbury Way this is an increase on the irregular frequency Friday and Saturday evening/Sunday daytime service provided by the 20. On Sunday evenings just an hourly Hull-Kingsbury Way service shall operate, providing a new Sunday evening service to Kingsbury Way.

Hopefully by attaching Kingsbury Way services to the established 28 it shall be a more viable way of serving the area.

The other major destination served by the 20W is the East Riding Village of Wawne. Again Stagecoach have decided to serve Wawne by an extension of an established service, the 30 between Hull, Bransholme and North Bransholme. Not the first time this has happenned. Wawne will see 30W extensions hourly during the day, 7 days a week, and half hourly during weekday peak times. Monday to Saturday this is broadly in line with the current 20W, but the restoration of an hourly Sunday daytime service, probably commercially, is an improvement on the current limited Sunday service of one bus in each direction. Additionally the daily 2240 and 2320 departures from Hull will extend through to Wawne. The reintroduction of the 30W also restores the Wawne-North Point link while removing the Wawne-Kingswood link provided by the 20W - again though, can't have everything!

The 30 also sees other changes, with the North Bransholme loop dropped and services operating the same route in and outbound on the estate instead. There is also a new 0555 Hull-Bransholme 30X via Sutton Fields Industrial Estate on weekdays. In the weekday afternoon peak services between Branhsolme and Hull are increased to operate every 7-8 minutes.

Finally the K1 will be revised to maintain the 20W's current link between North Branhsolme and Kingswood, but I will cover that in another post.

14's Loss is 13's Gain

Stagecoach Hull are making changes to services 13 and 14 to Orchard Park from Monday 5th September. Currently these services both operate every 10 minutes on weekdays and every 15 minutes on Saturdays.

From next week however the 13 will operate every 10 minutes on Saturdays as well as weekdays (not that Stagecoach promote this enhancement). Two journeys per hour on the 13 Monday to Saturday daytime will extend to Orchard Park Tesco, following the route taken by evening and Sunday services. Seems like a useful new shopping link for very little extra mileage.

However the 13's gain appears to come from the 14's loss. The weekday service 14 frequency drops to the Saturday frequency of every 15 minutes. I am 99% certain the 13 and 14 interwork at Orchard Park 'Pint & Pot', and therefore with only 4 14's an hour but 6 13's, I guess the opportunity was taken to run 2 13's an hour 'independently' and extend them to Tesco.

The cutback to the 14 is not a major loss - it's still frequent, and Beverley Road also has the Stagecoach 28 plus EYMS services.

Stagecoach in Hull Service 51 Changes

From Monday 5th September Stagecoach in Hull will be altering service 51 which links Hull City Centre to Kingswood via Holderness Road and Bransholme.

Alternate late afternoon journeys on weekdays from Hull will terminate at Bransholme North Point, operating as service 51B. This retains a 10 minute Hull-Bransholme frequency while reducing Kingswood extensions to every 20 minutes.

On Saturdays the daytime frequency will be reduced from every 10 minutes to every 15 minutes

677 extra journey

Not that Stagecoach have mentioned it in their September service changes list, but weekday Stagecoach in Hull service 677 will gain an extra 1800 Hull-Cranswick Foods Preston service and 1845 return, extending to Beverley Road/Clough Road, from Monday 5th September.

New timetable

When an "improved early evening timetable" isn't totally improved

Stagecoach in Hull say that 1/2 to Boothferry Estate will have an "improved early evening timetable Monday to Saturday" from 5th September. Is that true - Yes in part, but mostly No.

Taking service 1, departures currently leave Hull Interchange at 1800, then every 15 minutes until 1900, then every half hour Mon-Thu, and every 15 minutes Fri/Sat. Yet from September that becomes every 20 minutes between 1800 and 2100 then every half hour. So thats a worse services between 1800 and 1900 (1 less bus per hour), and from 1900 onwards on Friday and Saturday (1 less bus per hour). The only benefit is between 1900 and 2100 Monday to Thursday (1 extra bus per hour). The same cutbacks also affect service 2, and journeys from Boothferry Estate back into Hull are similarly affected.

If cuts need to be made, fine, but surely better to be totally honest about them. Whats wrong with saying "a early evening revised timetable including extra journeys Monday to Thursday after 1900". Don't have to admit directly to cuts, but equally not misleading anyone.

Stagecoach in Hull cut Service 32 weekday frequency

From Monday 5th September, the weekday frequency of Stagecoach in Hull's service 32 to Bransholme will be cut from every 12 minutes to every 15 minutes, matching the Saturday frequency. Weekday peak times continue to see buses operating every 10 minutes.

Chnages to the N32 nightbus will be covered in a separate post.

350 Humber Fastcat thoughts

Just a few little things:

1. Stagecoach now call the Barton Interchange, Barton Rail Station, in their timetable, but continue to use Interchange in the journey codes section. Not that it makes much difference, but I wonder why the change?

2. Stagecoach's new timetable has the incorrect timings for EYMS's 2110 Scunthorpe-Hull, which since May has run 3 minutes later between Barton and Hull to maintain a train connection. Again not the most important thing in the world, but the timetable is slightly incorrect. EYMS and Stagecoach not talking? Though to be fair EYMS still have the wrong timings on their website too.

3. EYMS have not noted Stagecoach's new evening journeys on the 350 on their website. Not surprising I suppose as they do compete with EYMS, but an example of the joint operation not being displayed in public. EYMS don't actually display times for any Stagecoach 350 services on their website, having withdrawn the link to the Stagecoach pdf timetable. Use their website and the 350 only runs every 3 hours!

Is the Hull City Circular service viable?

Another set of service changes in Hull, and once again the City Circular service 10 is included. Over the past few years since Stagecoach took the service on commercially it has seen regular changes as Stagecoach try to cut costs and/or increase usage. For a time in late 2008/early 2009 the city circular was half hourly on weekdays, with a service 11 variant, and hourly on Saturdays. Since then Bricknell Avenue Estate has been added to the route, Kingswood removed to speed up journey times and peak time services via the University of Hull trialled. Earlier this year the Saturday service was withdrawn and now further cutbacks to an already basic weekday service are planned from Monday 5th September.

The 1325 clockwise service from Hull Interchange will terminate at Greatfield, the 1425 will cease to run and the 1525 will now start from Bransholme North Point at 1610. Anti-clockwise the 0745 from Hull Interchange now departs at 0730, the 1410 terminates at North Point rather than running full route and the 1510 short to Bilton Grange is withdrawn.

It's clear Stagecoach have been trying with the service, but the regular changes, cutbacks, and seemingly failed initiatives to increase usage lead me to wonder, does the Hull City Circular have a viable future? It's the sort of service which is 'sensitive', providing cross city links, and therefore not easy to withdraw, but it appears to be struggling. It is worth mentioning that I'm not familiar with usage of the service, but if it didn't exist would the City Circular be missed?

Looking at the route in detail, clockwise from the city centre, it duplicates the 13 between Hull and Orchard Park, except for the diversion into the Bricknell Avenue Estate. This part of Hull is only a recent addition to the City Circular, and it too does not appear to be good bus territory. It's services have been chopped and changed over the past few years too, and I guess was added to the City Circular to try and get one good service out of two bad services. The Estate currently has the hourly weekday 10, and the hourly Monday to Saturday 110 between Hull and Cottingham, of which the diversion into the Estate receives council funding.

If the 10 didn't exist, would the 110 be enough - it's certainly deemed enough on a Saturday. And even if it was not deemed enough it does not need the 10 to give the Bricknell Avenue Estate a half hourly service into Hull. Extra short journeys on the 110 or a half hourly 110 along the whole route could do that.

However it should be noted that the Bricknell Avenue Estate is home to Wyke College. I am not at all familiar with travel patterns to/from the college, but suspect this may generate some traffic to Orchard Park and Bransholme. Even still these passengers could change in the City Centre, or extra college buses be provided, including a limited daytime service for those with part days at college; the 10 would appear to currently need either 3 or 4 vehicles, such a service to the college would only need 1.

The next major link the City Circular provides is Orchard Park to Bransholme via the Sutton Park Estate. Without the City Circular such links could be made by changing at Kingswood or on Beverley Road. Or possibly the newly extended Orchard Park Tesco journeys on the 13, or the newly extended 28A journeys to Kingswood could be further extended to maintain Orchard Park-Bransholme links.

The 10 is the only service along a small part of Cheltenham Avenue in Sutton Park, but if this road requires a service then possibly the K1 could be diverted to service it.

Links between Bransholme and Midmere Avenue/Sutton provided by the 10 are duplicated by the 51 and 32 respectively; the next major destination served by the 10 is Salthouse Road, also home to Wilberforce College. Salthouse Road to Bransholme passengers could change from the 53 to the 52 to complete their journey, and there is also the college day lunchtime 123 between Beverley, Bransholme and Wilberforce College. Essentially other options exist.

The City Circular then serves Bilton Grange, Greatfield and Preston Road. Passengers from these areas wishing to reach Bransholme could either change in Hull City Centre, or on Holderness Road. The 10 does provide access from these areas to Wilberforce College, but again other options exist. Bilton Grange has the 52 to Wilberforce College, and Greatfield/Preston Road passengers can connect onto the 52 on either Holderness Road or at Bilton Grange (using the 43/54).

Finally the 10 does have a role for some local journeys within Bilton Grange, Greatfield and Preston Road. It is the only service along part off Hopewell Road, but if that needs a service the 50 could be extended. The 10 also links Falkland Road and Preston Road Medical Centre, but some 46 journeys could be diverted from Marfleet to serve Falkland Road instead.

Changing isn't ideal, but that combined with alterations to some other services lead me to believe, as an outsider, that if the City Circular didn't exist it would not cause any major hardship. Withdrawing services is not easy, and I've witnessed the anger of Greatfield residents at a Hull Bus Forum in the past, but if Stagecoach ever concluded the 10 was no longer viable, I think Hull could live without it.

Any comments welcome.

Stagecoach in Hull September Service Changes

Stagecoach in Hull have released details of their September service changes on their website. Not had time yet to review the changes in detail, but some very major network revisions, especially in the Bransholme and Kingswood areas.

360 truncated to Barton

The Traveline East Midlands website shows that from September Stagecoach's college day service 360 to Scunthorpe will no longer serve East Halton, Goxhill or Barrow. Instead all services will start from Barton. While Barrow passengers can connect onto the 360 at Barton using service 250, this option is not available from East Halton, while Goxhill passengers would need to use the train to Barton and face some very long connection times.

Humber Fastcat Gets Hourly Evening Service

Traveline East Midlands shows that from Monday 5th September, Stagecoach are adding one extra journey in each direction Monday to Saturday between Hull, Barton and Scunthorpe on the 350 Humber Fastcat, giving an hourly evening service. There will be a new 2010 service from Scunthorpe and a new 2025 from Hull. A very welcome, if slightly surprising enhancement, and one that may be off use to myself.

Based on the timetables it would appear that Scunthorpe depot will operate the extra journeys, and the current 1 hour layover of a Scunthorpe vehicle in Hull during the evening will cease.

If this is successful, hopefully Stagecoach and EYMS will look at the uneven Sunday timetable, designed to connect to a train service that runs 4 months of the year. Some later evening services, at least on Fridays and Saturdays would also be nice. But lets see how the new mid-evening journeys do first!

16 now on Fridays too!

Hornsby Travel Scunthorpe Town Service 16 is now operating on Fridays as well as Tuesdays and Thursdays, since the start of the month.

Service 16 timetable

Hornsby won the North Lincolnshire Council contract for the service from Stagecoach almost a year ago.

EYMS September Service Changes

EYMS are making various relatively small changes to services from Sunday 4th September.

Service 246 gains an extra Sunday journey in each direction between Hornsea and Beverley. Other journeys will also be retimed.

Retimings also include the X46 between Hull and York, as well as the 746 between Market Weighton, Pocklington and York. Some under used 746 journeys are withdrawn.

Service 743 between Pocklington and Driffield will now serve George Street in Driffield, and some journeys will also serve Kirkburn and Tibthorpe.

Meanwhile the Monday to Friday 0645 Pocklington-York and 1715 Pocklington-York services on route 195 are withdrawn. These are currently commercially operated but relied on interworking with lost East Riding of Yorkshire Council contracts to be commercially viable. I have noticed the loss of some Woldgate College work to Transdev York on the VOSA website - is it this which has caused the withdrawal of these journeys? An oddity is that the weekday 0900 York-Pocklington 195 remains, despite the lack of a return journey on Mondays and Thursdays. Also the commercial Saturday peak time journeys remain.

Stagecoach Scunthorpe Town Service Changes

Monday and Wednesday service 17 in Scunthorpe, that operated to the Hilton Avenue area, has been withdrawn. Instead service 37 will divert via Hilton Avenue from Monday, providing a much improved hourly daytime service Monday to Saturday.

New 37 Timetable

Stagecoach Grimsby Cleethorpes September Changes

Stagecoach Grimsby Cleethorpes are planning some service changes in September. Note the cancellation of the 2 and 20 registrations, though of course they could always be re-registered.

VOSA - Bus Registration Search Results: "PB0000163/44 - GRIMSBY CLEETHORPES TRANSPORT CO LTD T/A STAGECOACH GRIMSBY CLEETHORPES, PO BOX 15, DEACON ROAD, LINCOLN, LN2 4JB
Cancellation Accepted: Operating between Grimsby Bus Station and Europarc given service number 20/2 effective from 05-Sep-2011.

PB0000163/49 - GRIMSBY CLEETHORPES TRANSPORT CO LTD T/A STAGECOACH GRIMSBY CLEETHORPES, PO BOX 15, DEACON ROAD, LINCOLN, LN2 4JB
Variation Accepted: Operating between Grimsby Bus Station and Louth Bus Station given service number 51/51C effective from 05-Sep-2011. To amend Timetable.

PB0000163/59 - GRIMSBY CLEETHORPES TRANSPORT CO LTD T/A STAGECOACH GRIMSBY CLEETHORPES, PO BOX 15, DEACON ROAD, LINCOLN, LN2 4JB
Variation Accepted: Operating between Grimsby Bus Station and Grimsby to Market Rasen given service number 3/3A/3B effective from 05-Sep-2011. To amend Timetable."