Saturday 28 September 2013

Brigg Town Service Changes

From Tuesday 1st October, the Brigg Town Service is being amended; it is operated by Hornsby Travel for North Lincolnshire Council and was last amended in June 2006 according to the date on Hornsby's current timetable. The service, comprised of 3 routes, operates on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, with differing levels of service on each day.

The first route is the 91 which has two variations. Almost all journeys currently operate from Cary Lane in Brigg Town Centre via St Helens Road and Churchill Avenue before some journeys operate via the neighbouring village of Wrawby and return to Cary Lane via their outwards route; other journeys operate from Churchill Avenue via Woodbine Avenue back to Cary Lane. Three journeys operate on a Tuesday, four on a Saturday and five on a Thursday.

In the new timetable:
  • The current 0915 from Cary Lane to Wrawby and return becomes an 0913 from Wrawby to Brigg
  • There is a new 0945 from Cary Lane to the Churchill Avenue/St Helens Road area and return
  • The current 1025 Thursday and Saturday only journey from Cary Lane to Chuchill Avenue and Woodbine Avenue becomes a Thursday and Saturday only 1050 serving the Churchill Avenue/St Helens Road area only
  • The 1145 from Cary Lane to Wrawby and return moves to 1130 and returns from Wrawby directly into Brigg, not serving Churchill Avenue
  • The current 1245 from Cary Lane to Chuchill Avenue and Woodbine Avenue becomes a 1240 serving the Churchill Avenue/St Helens Road area only
  • Similarly the Thursday only 1400 from Cary Lane moves to 1340 with the same route alterations.
Nice and simple - not. Surely the timetable could be a bit more simplified and easier to understand than this? One idea I have wondered about in the past is whether the 68 Villager service could provide a regular weekday service to the St Helens Road and Churchill Avenue areas?

The second route is the 92 which operates from Cary Lane to Polar Drive in Northern Brigg via Redcombe Lane, Grammar School Road and Spring Bank, with two Tuesday journeys, three on Saturdays and six on Thursdays. The new timetable adds an extra journey on Tuesdays and Saturdays, a welcome improvement, while retaining six on Thursdays. Times are revised by up to 20 minutes.

The final Brigg Town Service route is the 93, between Cary Lane and Brigg Garden Centre, which currently has two journeys on a Tuesday, four on a Thursday and three on a Saturday. However from next week the route is substantially revised. It now becomes a Cary Lane-Garden Centre-Howsham-Cadney-Cary Lane circular service with a 1000 departure from Cary Lane serving Brigg Garden Centre before Howsham and Cadney and an 1150 return serving Cadney and Howsham before Brigg Garden Centre. These journeys will operate Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. This change reintroduces a bus service for the villages of Howsham and Cadney while still maintaining a basic link for Brigg residents to visit Brigg Garden Centre.

Overall it seems the entire Brigg Town Service timetable has been rewritten to incorporate Howsham and Cadney. Reintroducing bus services to these villages is a positive step forward, but it's a shame to see such irregular pattern timetables remain on the 91 and 92, and with three different timetables for the three days of the week the service operates. The Brigg Town Service is probably never going to see significantly increased usage, but irregular pattern timetables aren't going to help increase usage, even a little bit.

(The new timetable was taken from Traveline East Midlands. Apologies if there are any errors - with multiple 'codes' the timetable isn't the easiest to read)

Friday 27 September 2013

Stagecoach Service 37 Alterations

From Monday 28th October, Stagecoach are altering their Monday to Saturday daytime Scunthorpe Town Service 37 between Scunthorpe Bus Station, Scunthorpe Hospital, the Berkeley area and Skippingdale Retail Park.

From Scunthorpe Bus Station services will operate at :40 minutes past the hour rather than :55 minutes past the hour, and have an increased running time of 25 minutes rather than the present 20 minutes. Returning from Skippingdale Retail Park journeys will depart at :05 minutes past the hour rather than  :15 minutes past the hour. Additionally a new 1740 from Scunthorpe Bus Station shall be added (current last departure 1655), returning at 1805 (current last departure 1715).

Thursday 26 September 2013

Hornsby 60 November Change

Hornsby Travel be amending their service 60 in November. From VOSA:

PB0001410/29 - HORNSBY TRAVEL SERVICES LTD, 51-53 ASHBY HIGH STREET, SCUNTHORPE, DN16 2NB
  • Variation Accepted: Operating between Scunthorpe Bus Station and Whitton given service number 60 effective from 25-Nov-2013. To amend Route and Timetable.

Sunday 22 September 2013

Scunthorpe Service 38 Retimed

From Monday 28th October, Stagecoach are retiming most journeys on their Scunthorpe Town Service 38, which provides an hourly circular services to/from the Crosby area of the town on Monday to Saturday daytimes. All journeys from 0935 to 1735 inclusive will now operate 15 minutes earlier, leaving Scunthorpe Bus Station at :20 minutes past the hour. The 0732 and 0832 departures are unaffected.

Saturday 21 September 2013

5 Minutes Earlier

From Monday 28th October, Stagecoach Scunthorpe Town Service 11 will operate 5 minutes earlier, departing Scunthorpe Bus Station on the hour as opposed to at 5 minutes past the hour, and operate 5 minutes earlier throughout. The 11 operates a circular route to Ashby and Bottesford every hour Monday to Saturday daytimes.

Reversing Changes in Flamborough

Due to passenger feedback, EYMS are reversing the changes they made to the route of service 510 between Bridlington and Flamborough from Monday 30th September. The services will resume operating via Quay Road and Queensgate in Bridlington, instead off the Promenade.

In Flamborough, some services once again will serve High Street and South Sea Road, meaning the frequency to North Landing is reduced from hourly to every two hours.

EYMS had altered the 510 in June, and added extra journeys during the school summer holidays, partially replacing previous service 100. It is unclear if those extra journeys will return in 2014, and if so in what 'format'.

[These changes had previously been noted by a commentor on this blog post]

Friday 20 September 2013

EYMS University, West Hull and Cottingham Changes

EYMS have released details of their changes to services in West Hull and Cottingham from Sunday 29th September.

Currently the main services between Hull and Cottingham are the 105 and 115; the 105 operates from Hull Interchange via Beverley Road, Cottingham Road (Hull University) and Cottingham Village Centre to The Lawns Halls of Residence, while the 115 operates from Hull Interchange to Castle Hill Hospital via Princes Avenue, Newland Avenue, Cranbrook Avenue, Endike Lane and Cottingham Village Centre. The Monday to Saturday daytime frequency on both routes is every 20 minutes.

Supplementing the 115 are the 215 and 315 between Hull and Endike Lane which operate every 20 minutes Monday to Saturday daytime, giving a 10 minute frequency combined with the 115 between Hull, Newland Avenue and Endike Lane. The 315 is a short working of the 115, while the 215 operates via Cottingham Road instead of Cranbrook Avenue. In the morning the 215 operates from Hull City Centre and the 315 back into Hull City Centre, before the two services reverse direction in the afternoon.

In addition to these routes two University term time only services have also been operated by EYMS, the 102 and 103. The 102 was extra workings of the 105, principally between the University and The Lawns only every 20 minutes on weekday daytimes. The 103 is an amalagm of the 105 and 115 routes, operating from Hull Interchange via Princes Avenue, Newland Avenue, Cottingham Road and Cottingham Village Centre to The Lawns. During the last University year the 103 had operated occasionally on weekday daytimes and every hour on Monday to Saturday evenings and Sunday daytimes.

EYMS's late September changes see the 102, 215 and 315 withdrawn in favour of a much enhanced 103. The 103 now becomes a year round service operating every 20 minutes Monday to Saturday daytimes and every hour Monday to Saturday evenings and Sunday daytimes - a change which seems to be positive for almost everyone.

Combined the 103 and 115 will maintain EYMS's 10 minute Monday to Saturday daytime frequency along Princes Avenue and Newland Avenue currently provides by the 115/215/315 combination. The changes also mean that the Hull to Cottingham via Cottingham Road service increases from every 20 to every 10 minutes, and likewise so does the Princes Avenue/Newland Avenue-Cottingham frequency. Meanwhile in the evenings and Sunday the currently University semester time only journeys on the 103 become year round.

The two areas that don't benefit are Cranbrook Avenue and Endike Lane. Cranbrook Avenue also has Stagecoach in Hull service 15 so no major issues there, but Endike Lane reduces from a 10 minute frequency to every 20 minutes.

Endike Road aside this is a significant improvement to services in West Hull and Cottingham, and with the withdrawal of the 102, 215 and 315 the network is simplified into three services, the 103, 105 and 115.

Thursday 12 September 2013

More Stagecoach November Alterations

Stagecoach in Hull are altering three more 'service groups' in November, all of which saw changes earlier this month. From VOSA:

PB0001484/243 - LINCOLNSHIRE ROAD CAR CO LTD, PO BOX 15, DEACON ROAD, LINCOLN, LN2 4JB
Variation Accepted: Operating between Hull Interchange and Kingswood Asda given service number 15/N15 effective from 03-Nov-2013. To amend Route and Timetable.

PB0001484/246 - LINCOLNSHIRE ROAD CAR CO LTD, PO BOX 15, DEACON ROAD, LINCOLN, LN2 4JB
Variation Accepted: Operating between Hull Interchange and North Point Shopping Centre given service number 32/31/31F/31X/32A effective from 03-Nov-2013. To amend Route and Timetable.

PB0001484/250 - LINCOLNSHIRE ROAD CAR CO LTD, PO BOX 15, DEACON ROAD, LINCOLN, LN2 4JB
Variation Accepted: Operating between Hull Interchange and Kingswood given service number 51/51A/51F/N51 effective from 03-Nov-2013. To amend Route and Timetable.

Wednesday 11 September 2013

Stagecoach November Alterations

Stagecoach in Hull are altering their 28 and 30 'corridors' in North Hull from early November. Neither service groups were altered in Stagecoach's changes earlier this month. From VOSA:

PB0001484/244 - LINCOLNSHIRE ROAD CAR CO LTD, PO BOX 15, DEACON ROAD, LINCOLN, LN2 4JB
Variation Accepted: Operating between Hull Interchange and Kingswood given service number 28A/28 effective from 03-Nov-2013. To amend Route and Timetable.

PB0001484/245 - LINCOLNSHIRE ROAD CAR CO LTD, PO BOX 15, DEACON ROAD, LINCOLN, LN2 4JB
Variation Accepted: Operating between Hull Interchange and North Bransholme Wawne given service number 30X/30/30A/30B/30W effective from 03-Nov-2013. To amend Timetable.

Monday 9 September 2013

LinQ Revisited

Earlier this month I previewed the new Saturday night LinQ service in Hull, operated by Stagecoach. I had thought the service had received some sort of funding, as it would make more sense for Stagecoach to strengthen frequencies on existing services instead, making existing evening services stronger.
"I'm wondering if Stagecoach have received some funding for this service as an attempt to connect many key locations in Hull's evening/night life economy? From Stagecoach's perspective I would have thought however it would make more sense to strengthen Saturday evening frequencies on existing routes such as the 15 along Princes Avenue and Newland Avenue, and the 51 along Holderness Road and Ings Road. Both routes also serve Kingswood, another important leisure destination. It will be very interesting to see how the LinQ performs." 
Today I see Stagecoach have been speaking to the Hull Daily Mail about the new service, and the article gives the impression it is a commercial venture by Stagecoach. Good to see them trying to develop new opportunities and support the night time economy of Hull.

It seems the service has two main aims - to link East Hull to the Avenues, and to serve the Old Town area of Hull City Centre - both the Avenues and the Old Town are key areas of nightlife. However I'm still a bit sceptical that LinQ is the best way to do this. The Old Town can easily be served by slightly re-routing existing city centre services that don't currently serve it.

The direct East Hull to the Avenues link isn't something any existing evening routes offer, but LinQ only serves a limited part of East Hull anyway. Stagecoach are also hoping other East Hull travellers will catch existing services to connect with the LinQ, but if so, then why not just promote existing connections available at Paragon Interchange? Is it really so inconvenient to travel into the City Centre en-route to the Avenues? On a cold rainy night wouldn't it be better to wait in an undercover staffed Interchange than at an exposed on-street bus shelter? Other options to improve cross-Hull connectivity could be to consider offering - and promoting - cross Hull evening services similar to the N15/N51 nightbuses. Stagecoach could also consider starting the N43 in the Avenues area before serving the City Centre.

By Stagecoach;s own admission "it's very much a tester", with the service only guaranteed until the start of next year. Initially Stagecoach are aiming for 600 travellers a night, with sustainability reached if 1000 travellers use the service each night. If LinQ is successful, it could also operate on extra nights.

Stagecoach's intentions are good, but personally I'm not convinced they are implementing them in the best way. Time will tell.

Stagecoach in Hull Service 13 Changes

One Stagecoach in Hull change that commenced last Monday (2nd September) that I didn't cover at the time was alterations to the 13 between Hull and Orchard Park Tesco via Spring Bank, Chanterlands Avenue, Fairfax Avenue and Hall Road. Previously all journeys followed this route, with the exception of some weekday morning journeys that operated via Kelvin Hall School, numbered 13S.

Since last Monday however, a much more frequent service has been provided via Kelvin Hall School and Hotham Shops, omitting Fairfax Avenue and numbered service 13A. Every half hour Monday to Saturday daytimes, and every hour evenings and Sundays, journeys on route 13 have become 13A's. Journey times on the 13A are the same as on route 13 despite the longer route.

New route map showing the 13A diversion

Also worth noting is that the 13B suffix has been withdrawn. The 13B used to represent journeys that did not operate as a circular with service 14 - such journeys are now are just highlighted in the timetable.

Friday 6 September 2013

Stagecoach Scunthorpe October Changes

Stagecoach are revising three Scunthorpe town service routes from Monday 28th October, plus launching a new route 40 between the town centre, West Common Lane (John Leggott College) and Gallagher Retail Park (home to Tesco amongst other stores, and in the future a new Marks and Spencer will be located opposite).

From VOSA:

PB0001484/157 - LINCOLNSHIRE ROAD CAR CO LTD, PO BOX 15, DEACON ROAD, LINCOLN, LN2 4JB
Variation Accepted: Operating between Scunthorpe Bus Station and Skippingdale Retail Park given service number 37 effective from 28-Oct-2013. To amend Timetable.

PB0001484/158 - LINCOLNSHIRE ROAD CAR CO LTD, PO BOX 15, DEACON ROAD, LINCOLN, LN2 4JB
Variation Accepted: Operating between Scunthorpe Bus Station and Old Crosby given service number 38 effective from 28-Oct-2013. To amend Timetable.

PB0001484/159 - LINCOLNSHIRE ROAD CAR CO LTD, PO BOX 15, DEACON ROAD, LINCOLN, LN2 4JB
Variation Accepted: Operating between Scuntorpe Bus Station and Valley Veiw Drive given service number 11 effective from 28-Oct-2013. To amend Timetable.

PB0001484/296 - LINCOLNSHIRE ROAD CAR CO LTD, PO BOX 15, DEACON ROAD, LINCOLN, LN2 4JB
  • Registration Accepted
  • Starting Point: Scunthorpe Bus Station
  • Finish Point: Gallagher Retail Park
  • Via:
  • Service Number: 40
  • Service Type: Normal Stopping
  • Effective Date: 28-OCT-2013
  • Other Details: A new off peak half hourly service between Scunthorpe Bus Station, West Common Lane and Gallagher Retail Park. Hail & Ride will operate where traffic and safety conditions allow.

Stagecoach North East Lincolnshire October Changes

Stagecoach have registered alterations to three service groups in North East Lincolnshire from Monday 28th October. From VOSA:

PB0001484/274 - LINCOLNSHIRE ROAD CAR CO LTD, PO BOX 15, DEACON ROAD, LINCOLN, LN2 4JB
Variation Accepted: Operating between Grimsby Bus Station and North Sea Lane given service number 8 effective from 28-Oct-2013. To amend Timetable.

PB0001484/275 - LINCOLNSHIRE ROAD CAR CO LTD, PO BOX 15, DEACON ROAD, LINCOLN, LN2 4JB
Variation Accepted: Operating between Waltham and North Sea Lane given service number 9/9A effective from 28-Oct-2013. To amend Timetable.

PB0001484/281 - LINCOLNSHIRE ROAD CAR CO LTD, PO BOX 15, DEACON ROAD, LINCOLN, LN2 4JB
Variation Accepted: Operating between Grimsby and South Killingholme given service number 45M/45/45C/46 effective from 28-Oct-2013. To amend Timetable.

Brigg Town Service Change

Hornsby Travel Services will be altering their Brigg Town Services from Tuesday 1st October. From VOSA:

PB0001410/17 - HORNSBY TRAVEL SERVICES LTD, 51-53 ASHBY HIGH STREET, SCUNTHORPE, DN16 2NB
Variation Accepted by SN: Operating between Brigg Carey lane and Brigg Carey lane given service number 091 effective from 01-Oct-2013. To amend Timetable.

PB0001410/18 - HORNSBY TRAVEL SERVICES LTD, 51-53 ASHBY HIGH STREET, SCUNTHORPE, DN16 2NB
Variation Accepted by SN: Operating between Brigg Carey lane and Brigg Carey Lane given service number 092 effective from 01-Oct-2013. To amend Timetable.

PB0001410/19 - HORNSBY TRAVEL SERVICES LTD, 51-53 ASHBY HIGH STREET, SCUNTHORPE, DN16 2NB
Variation Accepted by SN: Operating between Brigg Carey lane and Brigg Carey Lane given service number 093 effective from 01-Oct-2013. To amend Route and Timetable.

Sunday 1 September 2013

LinQ (plus 15 Change and N31 Axed)

Saturday 7th September sees the launch of an unusual route by Stagecoach in Hull, the 'LinQ'. It's not just the name that makes it unusual, but when it operates, Saturday evenings only, and the frequency, up to every 10 minutes - a greater frequency than any other evening service in Hull I think. .

Between 1800 and 2100 the LinQ will operate a 10 minute frequency on a clockwise loop from Clough Road Mecca Bingo via Holwell Road, Sutton Road, Cavendish Road, Ings Road, Holderness Road, Witham, George Street, Alfred Gelder Street, Carr Lane, Ferensway, Princes Avenue and Newland Avenue.

From 2130 the loop becomes anti-clockwise, with departures from Clough Road every 10 minutes until 2300, followed by three part-route journeys to Alfred Gelder Street at 2310, 2320 and 2330. There are then 3 more anti-clockwise loops departing Clough Road at 2350, 0040 and 0130.

I'm wondering if Stagecoach have received some funding for this service as an attempt to connect many key locations in Hull's evening/night life economy? From Stagecoach's perspective I would have thought however it would make more sense to strengthen Saturday evening frequencies on existing routes such as the 15 along Princes Avenue and Newland Avenue, and the 51 along Holderness Road and Ings Road. Both routes also serve Kingswood, another important leisure destination. It will be very interesting to see how the LinQ performs.

While on the subject of evening services, the 15 (Hull-Orchard Park-Kingswood) will divert via George Street, Wilberforce Drive and Alfred Gelder Street on all inbound journeys after 1800 from Monday 2nd September. Again I presume this is about better serving evening leisure destinations, with plenty of bars and clubs in the Old Town area of the city centre around George Street and Alfred Gelder Street.

Stagecoach have also axed the N31 nightbus - it last operated in the early hours of this morning (the night of Saturday 31st August). The service had latterly operated on Saturday nights only, operating from Hull Old Town to North Bransholme via Holderness Road, Summergangs Road, Gillshill Road, Sutton Road, Holwell Road, Barnstaple Road, Wawne Road and Noddle Hill Way. The new LinQ service provides a partial replacement for Holderness Road and Sutton Road.

58 replaces 50

One change to Hull City Council tendered services that is going ahead, is the replacement of service 50 with new service 58. The new 58, like the 50, will be operated by EYMS, and commences tomorrow, Monday 2nd September.

The new 58 will operate between Hull Interchange and Broadway Drive. It will operate along Beverley Road before serving Clough Road, Chamberlain Road, Laburnum Avenue, Holderness Road, Summergangs Road, James Reckitt Avenue and Ings Road en-route to a terminus at Broadway Drive. The EYMS timetable also has a timing point at Holderness Road Morrisons shortly, but this is not shown on the Traveline Yorkshire route map? The service will operate every 80 minutes Monday to Saturdays (with a longer lunchtime gap) with departures from Hull Interchange between 0810 and 1730, and from Broadway Drive between 0900 and 1650.

Until yesterday (Saturday 31st August), the 50 had operated a more direct route from Hull Interchange up Holderness Road to Laburnum Avenue. After serving James Reckitt Avenue and Ings Road it then served Maybury Road, Jalland Lodge, Maybury Road (again) and Broadway Drive before terminating at Holderness Road Morrisons. There was a 90 minute Monday to Saturday morning frequency and a limited afternoon service.

So the new 58 is a definite frequency improvement, and provides a new daytime service for Clough Road, home to Hull's recently opened main police station, which seems to be the main reason for recent increases in bus services along the road (see also Stagecoach's 101/rerouted 677). The only negative I can see is the loss of a bus service to Jalland Lodge.