Love Your X

Today (Saturday 15th February) saw the start of a new timetable for Stagecoach's X62 Ridings Express - or as it is now branded - Love Your X - between Hull, North Ferriby, Brough, Goole, Eggborough, Glasshoughton Junction 32 Shopping Outlet and Leeds.

The service has been increased from 7 return trips Monday to Saturday and 2 on Sundays to 9 Monday to Saturday and 4 on Sunday.

Monday to Saturday Old Departure Times:
Hull - 0630, 0930, 1030, 1200, 1400, 1500, 1700
Leeds - 0900, 1200, 1300, 1430, 1630, 1730, 1910

Monday to Saturday New Departure Times:
Hull - 0450, 0630, 0910, 1010, 1110, 1330, 1430, 1530, 1740
Leeds - 0645, 0845, 1125, 1225, 1325, 1540, 1640, 1740, 1940

Sunday Old Departure Times:
Hull - 1030, 1530
Leeds - 1230, 1730

Sunday New Departure Times:
Hull - 0910, 1010, 1430, 1530
Leeds - 1125, 1225, 1640, 1740

What stands out most is the new 0450 from Hull to Leeds, particularly on Saturdays, which seems to be a bold move catering to very early-bird commuters and those connecting further afield at Leeds. It won't have any 'feed' from local services in Hull. The 0645 return from Leeds, and retimed later last departure from Hull, allows Stagecoach to offer a commuting option into Hull.

It's not just an improved timetable that has been introduced; double deckers have been replaced by coaches, the service has been rebranded, promotional offers started in association with shops in Hull and at Junction 32, and a new Megarider X weekly ticket introduced.

For most of the past decade the X62 has seen fairly frequent timetable changes - this post covers up to 2009. However since an October 2012 change (and that was only for an amended weekday timetable), the timetable has been constant. I presume that timetable has been a success and given Stagecoach the confidence to invest further in the X62 with today's relaunch. Good luck to them.