Sunday 27 April 2014

Transdev 36 to Sutton Upon Derwent

From tomorrow, Monday 28th April, Transdev York service 36 (a City of York Council tendered service?) between York and Elvington is extended to Sutton upon Derwent in the East Riding of Yorkshire. By extending the 36, the village will benefit from a significantly improved service; 5 journeys will operate from Sutton upon Derwent into York, with three return journeys Monday to Saturday daytimes. Peak time links will continue to be provided by the X36, and the 195/196 continue to provide some additional daytime services on certain days of the week.

From reviewing the new timetable, it seems that service 36 will have a 30 minute layover in Sutton Upon Derwent. Could be the 36 be further enhanced by using these 30 minutes to serve additional villages, such as Newton upon Derwent ot Melbourne, delivering significant enhancements to these villages bus services? Additionally extending the 36 to Newton upon Derwent could enable the 196/196 to eliminate their 'detour' to the village (except for maybe a Pocklington shopping link on certain journeys); the 195 in particular is already a lengthy journey.

Saturday 26 April 2014

Stagecoach North Hull Changes

Last November Stagecoach in Hull made significant changes to North Hull services 32 and 51, which from Monday 28th April will be further refined.

The main change is the renumbering of the 32A and 51A variations to numbers 31 and 52 respectively, following customer feedback. The 'new' 31 will follow the current 32A route except the inward journeys towards Hull will operate via Robson Way and enter Sutton Village from Wawne Road. The new '52' follows the current 51A route except in Hull City Centre it will operate via Drypool Bridge and Alfred Gelder Street, following the same route as service 31/32, instead of serving North Bridge and George Street. This improves links to the Old Town area of Hull City Centre.

Interestingly one of the reasons for introducing the 32A was to link Howdale Road and Dunvegan Road to the Old Town as it could not be done without putting extra resources into service 51, yet now service 51 variant, new route 52, is being routed via the Old Town.

Also of note is a slightly increased peak time service on routes 31/32; currently the 32/32A provide a service every 10 minutes combined but from next week the 32 will operate every 10 minutes into Hull for half an hour in the morning peak, and from Hull for an hour in the evening peak, supplemented by service 31 every 20 minutes.

The other main change concerns evening services on routes 30, 31 and 32. There is currently a completely different service 31 that operates every hour in the evening (daily) between Hull City Centre and North Bransholme via parts of both routes 30 and 32. This service is to end, replaced by increasing evening service 32 from hourly to half hourly. Additionally service 30 shall operate half hourly all evening Monday to Saturday, rather than until just mid-evening as at present when it then reduces to hourly. The odd thing is that all evening, and all day Sunday, journeys on service 30 shall operate via Leads Road, but not use the 30A prefix used for the Leads Road diversion in the daytime. While removing the old 31 simplifies the network, the numbering of evening and Sunday service 30's add confusion. Why not use the 30A number?
UPDATE 3/5/14 - While the 30 in the evenings and Sundays is now serving Leads Road it is not using the same route as the 30A. So that is probably why the 30A number is not being used. However it does add further complexity to the network.

Another service ending is weekday peak time 31X, which had provided two morning journeys from Wawne into Hull via North Bransholme, Noddle Hill Way, Barnstaple Road, Holwell Road and Garden Village, plus three evening return services. The increased service 32 along Noddle Hill Way previously mentioned provides a replacement for that area, though without the Holwell Road link. In the morning the 0750 30A from North Bransholme starts back in Wawne at 0747 and operates as a service 30W, omitting Bodmin Road but serving Garden Village, to provide a partial replacement for the 31X (returning to the service level provided until last November). Similarly in the afternoon the current 1710 30A from Hull Interchange becomes a 30W.

There are also changes to the weekday late afternoon service on the route 30 corridor. The current 1457, 1557 and 1657 30W's from Wawne will start at North Point at 1520, 1620 and 1720 with the current 1510, 1610 and 1710 30's from Bodmin Road starting at Wawne instead. The 1440 30A from North Bransholme moves to 1445 with the 1450 service 30 from North Bransholme to Hull withdrawn.

Finally KC Stadium service 31F is renumbered 40F; following the changes to the 31 described above the 31F number would no longer make sense.

Thursday 24 April 2014

EYMS Service 705

The following registration appeared on the VOSA website today. I presume from the service number it is a special event park and ride, but does anyone know for what special event?

PB0000328/442 - EAST YORKSHIRE MOTOR SERVICES LTD, 252 ANLABY ROAD, HULL, HU3 2RS

  • Registration Accepted by SN
  • Starting Point: Hessle
  • Finish Point: Barton
  • Via:
  • Service Number: 705
  • Service Type: Normal Stopping
  • Effective Date: 03-MAY-2014
  • Other Details: Hessle - Barton

EYMS 510 Changes - Again, Plus Service 100 Returns

EYMS are amending service 510 between Bridlington and Flamborough again from Monday 28th April.

Last June, EYMS diverted the 510 to operate via Bridlington Promenade instead of Quay Road. They also increased the Summer School Holiday frequency to half hourly, replacing previous peak Summer sevice 100. Then in September, following passenger feedback the service was re-routed back via Quay Road.

The latest change will incorporate both routes. Services from Flamborough will operate via Quay Road to Bridlington Bus Station before returning to Flamborough via the Promenade. Through journeys are available from Quay Road back to Flamborough with a five minute wait at Bridlington Bus Station. Services will now leave Bridlington Bus Station at :55 rather than :50 minutes past the hour. All services will leave Flamborough at :25 past the hour as opposed to the current mix of :18 and :25 minute past the hour departures. This means 'short' journeys will wait at Flamborough Dog and Duck for a rather long 12 minutes, which I guess might not please passengers who board on Southsea Road, on the Flamborough 'loop' these journeys follow. A trade off between minimising waiting time at Flamborough, minimising waiting time at Bridlington Bus Station, and standard interval timetables.

The peak Summer frequency increase will be provided this year by the return of service 100, operating between Belvedere Turning Circle, south of Bridlington Town Centre and Thornwick Camp, daily between 20th July and 30th August. Services operate every 55-65 minutes with only alternate journeys serving Belvedere Turning Circle. The 100 is well spaced between journeys on service 510. As a result of the reintroduction of service 100, North Landing and St Aidan Road will not benefit from the Summer frequency increase they enjoyed last year.

Saturday 19 April 2014

Acklams Beverley Town Service Changes

From Tuesday 22nd April, Acklams Coaches Beverley Town Service 522 will depart Beverley Bus Station 10 minutes earlier, at :35 past the hour instead off :45 past the hour. Arrival times back into Beverley Bus Station are unchanged.

Acklams Beverley Town Service 6 also has a very minor change with the 0925 from Beverley Parklands to Beverley Bus Station departing 3 minute earlier.

All info is based on comparing the current timetable on Acklams Coaches website to Traveline Yorkshire. All the change apply Monday to Saturday.

Friday 18 April 2014

EYMS Weekday Bridlington Changes

From Monday 28th April, EYMS are adjusting weekday services in Bridlington
  • Service 504 will gain a new weekday 0910 Bridlington-Bempton journey; the previous first journey was at 1010. The 0910 currently, and will continue to, operate on Saturdays
  • The 505 Bridlington-West Hill circular sees the current part-route schoolday 0925 West Hill-Bridlington journey start back at Bridlington Bus Station at 0905, matching the equivalent school holiday and Saturday journey.
  • The 512 Bridlington Town Service journey at 1405 will no longer operate on Wednesdays during school term time. This shall create a 2 hour 15 minute gap in the service, though service 513 covers most of the route, operating as a circular service in the opposite direction to the 512
  • The 517 journey at 1607 from New Pasture Lane to Bridlington Town Centre is withdrawn on schooldays
Rather confusing is the change to service 507. The EYMS announcement (as off 18/4/14) states:

"The 2.20pm Service 507 from Bridlington Bus Station will now run on Wednesdays during school term time."

Yet the timetable shows the 1420 service 507 journey as no longer operating on Wednesday's in school term time?

Thursday 17 April 2014

EYMS 103 June Change

EYMS have registered a variation with VOSA to service 103 between Hull and Cottingham from mid-June.

PB0000328/426 - EAST YORKSHIRE MOTOR SERVICES LTD, 252 ANLABY ROAD, HULL, HU3 2RS
Variation Accepted: Operating between Hull and The Lawns given service number 103 effective from 15-Jun-2014. To amend Route and Timetable.

Tuesday 15 April 2014

Hornsby 16/327 June Changes

Hornsby Travel will be amending two Scunthorpe area tendered services in early June. From VOSA:

PB0001410/26 - HORNSBY TRAVEL SERVICES LTD, 51-53 ASHBY HIGH STREET, SCUNTHORPE, DN16 2NB
Variation Accepted: Operating between parklands Scunthorpe and Scunthorpe bus station given service number 16 effective from 09-Jun-2014. To amend Timetable.

PB0001410/33 - HORNSBY TRAVEL SERVICES LTD, 51-53 ASHBY HIGH STREET, SCUNTHORPE, DN16 2NB
Variation Accepted: Operating between SCUNTHORPE BUS STATION and DRAGONBY given service number 327 effective from 09-Jun-2014. To amend Timetable.

Monday 14 April 2014

EYMS 195/196/199 (Updated)

EYMS are making major changes to their 195 Pocklington-Elvington-York service from Monday 28th April, as well as making a smaller change to service 196 between Aughton, Elvington and York and withdrawing part off Pocklington local service 199. According to EYMS, the changes are due to funding cuts from East Riding of Yorkshire Council, as well as lack of use of some journeys. The services are mostly tendered.

Service 195

The current Monday and Thursday 0920/Saturday 0935 from Pocklington to York War Memorial is replaced by a Wednesday and Saturday departure at 0930, which will additionally divert via Allethorpe and Thornton but terminate at York Piccadilly rather than extending through the city centre to the War Memorial. Returning from York the Monday and Thursday 1330/Saturday 1440 departure from York War Memorial is replaced by a Wednesday 1345/Saturday 1445 departure from York Merchantgate, again also additionally serving Allerthorpe and Thornton. As a result Allethorpe and Thornton gain new links to York.

The current weekday 0930 departure from Newton upon Derwent to Pocklington will continue to operate, but only on Tuesdays and Thursdays and will additionally serve Allerthorpe and Thornton. The 1240 return, which currently operates on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays and runs as far as Sutton on Derwent, will instead operate on Tuesdays and Thursdays, additionally serve Allethorpe and Thornton, also extend beyond Sutton on Derwent into York. A return option is available for some villages using Transdev York service X36.

Finally the Tuesday only 1255 from Newton upon Derwent to York is unchanged apart from it will now terminate at York Piccadilly and not continue to the War Memorial.

Overall while the changes are service reductions, with some links going from 3 to 2 days a week, they could have been a lot worse and there are even a couple of positives. And I doubt a Monday 0930 from Newton upon Derwent to Pocklington with no return option until Tuesday was well used in the first place!

Service 196

This Tuesday only service, which provides a shopping link into York, will see it's return journey from York War Memorial operate 7 minutes later throughout, departing at 1337 rather than 1330.

Service 199

The Pocklington-Allerthorpe-Thornton part of the 199 is being withdrawn; it provides two journeys in each direction on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays which the 195 changes described above will replace. The Tuesday only Pocklington-Huggate section of the 195 is unaffected.

If anyone can clarify the situation, or add any extra info about part of East Yorkshire that I am not overly familiar with, please post a comment.

Finally, according to itravel York, some journeys on Transdev York service 36 between York and Elvington are to be extended to Sutton on Derwent from late April.

NOTE - The original version of this post suggested the 199 could possibly be withdrawn entirely, as when it was written on Monday night the Huggate-Pocklington part of the service was not showing on EYMS's website. At some point on Tuesday the website was updated to re-add the timetable for the Huggate-Pocklington link and this post has been reflected to update that.

Sunday 13 April 2014

Introducing new EYMS Service 18

From Monday 28th April, EYMS introduce new service 18 between Market Weighton, Holme On Spalding Moor, Bubwith, North Duffield, Wheldrake, York Designer Outlet, Fulford and York, replacing EYMS service 34 between Market Weighton and Holme On Spalding Moor, and Transdev York service 35/X35 between Holme On Spalding Moor and York.

Transdev 35/X35 has been operated under contract to City of York, North Yorkshire and East Riding of Yorkshire Councils, and provides a two hourly Monday to Saturday daytime service, with extra weekday peak journeys and a basic Friday and Saturday evening service. It does not serve York Designer Outlet. EYMS service 34 provides an hourly morning/early afternoon Monday to Saturday service.

New EYMS service 18, which is only receiving funding from City of York and East Riding of Yorkshire Council's for some journeys, will provide a broadly two hourly service Monday to Saturday daytimes and continue the basic Friday and Saturday evening service.

Weekdays have departures from Market Weighton to York are at 0630, 0915, 1015, 1215, 1415 and 1615 with extra short departures from Holme On Spalding Moor to York at 0715 and North Duffield to York at 1731. The Friday evening service has 1835 and 2200 departures from Holme On Spalding Moor to York. Saturday departures from Market Weighton to York are at 0700, 0915, 1015, 1215, 1415 and 1615, with evening journeys from Holme On Spalding Moor to York at 1835 and 2200.

In the reverse direction services depart York on weekdays at 0830, 1040, 1140, 1340, 1540, 1640 (to North Duffield), 1740, 1820 (to Holme On Spalding Moor) then on Fridays only to Holme On Spalding Moor at 1940 and 2200 (on the 35 the evening departures are at 2105 and 2325). Saturday departures are the same as Fridays except there is no 1640 or 1820.

As a result the Holme On Spalding Moor to York section retains a broadly similar level of service; the first service from York is over two hours later but I guess the 0620 from York is largely an 'in-service positioning journey' from Transdev's depot. Between Market Weighton and Holme Upon Spalding Moor the morning/early afternoon frequency is reduced, and the link to Langlands Garden Centre provided by the 34 is lost, but journeys are spread over a longer period of the day.

However what matters most here is that EYMS are operating the new 18 on a part-commercial basis and with current funding cuts, particularly in North Yorkshire, if the service wasn't operated on a part commercial basis the remaining service could have been a lot worse. Good luck to EYMS, and the diversion via York Designer Outlet, all-day connections onto the X46 at Market Weighton, plus the through journey opportunties from linking the old 34 and 35 services into one route, should hopefully help attract new passengers.

Finally worth pointing out that for a number of years EYMS have provided the tendered Sunday service between Holme Upon Spalding Moor and York operating via Elvington Air Museum instead of Fulford, with four journeys provided each way. That service continues meaning EYMS will offer a 7 day a week service on the Holme Upon Splading Moor to York route.

New timetable

Thursday 10 April 2014

EYMS 180/X80 June Change

EYMS are amending service 180 (Swanland-North Ferriby-Hessle-Cottingham-Beverley) and/or service X80 (Hessle-Cottingham-Beverley) from 4th June. From VOSA:

PB0000328/50 - EAST YORKSHIRE MOTOR SERVICES LTD, 252 ANLABY ROAD, HULL, HU3 2RS
Variation Accepted: Operating between Beverley and Swanland given service number 180/X80 effective from 04-Jun-2014. To amend Route and Timetable.