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