Sunday 31 May 2015

Stagecoach Scunthorpe Minor Changes

Tomorrow (Monday 1st June), Stagecoach are making to slight changes to selected intermediate times on the anti-clockwise journeys on Scunthorpe Town Service circular route 10. Meanwhile Traveline East Midlands shows early morning Scunthorpe Town Service circular route 13 as starting from Scunthorpe Bus Station instead off High Street East.

Saturday 30 May 2015

Humber Fastcat Early Morning Changes

On Monday 1st June, Stagecoach are amending the times of the first three Monday to Saturday journeys on the 350 Humber Fastcat between Scunthorpe, Barton and Hull, in order to improve reliability.

The current 0620 Scunthorpe to Hull service, omitting Winteringham (the only journey to do so), departing Barton Interchange 0653 and arriving at Hull Interchange at 0720 will instead leave Scunthorpe Bus Station at 0605, serve Winteringham, depart Barton Interchange at 0650 and arrive at Hull Interchange at 0717. The addition of Winteringham to this journey is good news for the village.

This journey currently connects with both the 0555 Grimsby to Barton Humber Flyer which arrives at Barton Interchange at 0640, and the 0600 Cleethorpes to Barton train service, which arrives at Barton Interchange at 0648. While the Humber Flyer connection will be retained, the train to bus connection becomes just 2 minutes which is very tight, probably too tight. The alternative connection for train passengers to Hull is the 0740 Barton to Hull Humber Fastcat, which gives an hour later arrival in Hull than at present. While I presume Stagecoach are anxious to provide an early arrival time into Hull, the journey times between Barton and Hull are not extended with the new timetable (remains 27 minutes), just between Scunthorpe and Barton. So why couldn't the first Humber Fastcat not wait an additional three minutes at Barton Interchange, leave at 0653 and arrive in Hull at it's current 0720 arrival time? As far as I can tell the vehicle and driver will still have a break at Hull Interchange until 0805 so I don't think interworking with other services is the issue. Maybe no-one uses this particular train to bus connection so Stagecoach aren't bothered about it, but it's sad to see it lost for the sake of 3 minutes extra waiting that would not appear to require any extra resources or impact on the rest of the timetable. Plus, while the train may compete with Stagecoach's Humber Flyer from Grimsby, it doesn't from many other places like Habrough, Goxhill and New Holland, so I can't see competition being a reason for dropping the connection.

The following two departures from Scunthorpe at 0705 and 0735, which depart Barton Interchange a 0750 and 0820 will operate 10 minutes earlier at 0655 and 0725 from Scunthorpe leaving Barton Interchange at 0740 and 0810. The arrival time into Hull Interchange is only 5 minutes earlier though with journey times between Hull Royal Infirmary and Hull Interchange on these two journeys increased from 12 to 17 minutes. It's probably quicker to walk, and on Saturdays I'm sure that will be overly generous. However it does provide some "padding" for any rush hour delays and gives commuters a realistic arrival time into Hull City Centre. If anything it's the Hull Royal Infirmary times which may be unrealistic, but if the service ran early that is the last place you would want to wait until your scheduled departure time.

The new 0810 departure time from Barton Interchange also has two other little benefits. The connection from 0700 Cleethorpes to Barton train which arrives at 0748 is currently advertised as the 0820 Humber Flyer from Barton Interchange (incorrectly shown as 0817 in the Northern Rail timetable), arrives Hull 0847, but this will now become a 0810 Humber Fastcat departure from Barton Interchange, arrival into Hull at 0847. This means 10 minutes less waiting at Barton Interchange and on Saturday's at least almost certainly an earlier arrival into Hull. Secondly with the (long term) temporary Humber Flyer timetable, both it and the Humber Fastcat currently have 0820 journeys from Barton Interchange to Hull, but the Humber Fastcat now becomes an 0810 departure, providing an improved spread of peak time departure times. (However if the previous permanent Humber Flyer timetable is restored then the Barton Interchange departure time becomes 0810...)

Wednesday 27 May 2015

EYMS 45/46 Changes

Sunday 24th May saw EYMS amend their 45/46 services between York, Pocklington, Market Weighton, Driffield and Bridlington. A peak time enhancement on weekdays saw the 0745 service 46 from Pocklington to York replaced by a 0723 service 46 from Market Weighton. The other major enhancement sees a new link added to York Maze on Monday to Saturdays during East Riding of Yorkshire School Summer Holidays. During this time the 1025 service 46 from York to Pocklington becomes a 46M, serving York Maze but not the University of York. A new return journey on the 46M is added from Pocklington at 1600.

The Monday to Saturday 0600 Pocklington to York service 46 has been retimed to a 0555 departure and extended to York Station, with the 0637 York to Pocklington service 46 replaced by a 0635 X46 from York Station. The 0700 Mon-Fri/0710 Sat service 45 from Bridlington to York was retimed to a 0650 departure 6 days a week, while the Sunday 0835 service 45 from Bridlington to York has been retimed to 0830.

Tuesday 26 May 2015

Hornsby 4 July Change

Hornsby Travel are amending their service 4 between Scunthorpe and Brigg at the end of July. From VOSA:

PB0001410/4 - HORNSBY TRAVEL SERVICES LTD, 51-53 ASHBY HIGH STREET, SCUNTHORPE, DN16 2NB
  • Variation Accepted: Operating between Scunthorpe Bus Station and Brigg, Cary Lane given service number 4 effective from 31-Jul-2015. To amend Timetable.

Sunday 24 May 2015

EYMS X46/X47 Changes

EYMS revised their X46/7 services between Hull, Beverley, Market Weighton, Pocklington and York today (Sunday 24th May). Most journeys have timetable revisions and extended journey times, but there are some slight enhancements:
  • The first departure from Pocklington Monday to Saturday is extended to start back in York at 0635, replacing the previous 0637 service 46 from York to Pocklington that connected into the 0720 (0735 Sat) X46 from Pocklington to Hull
  • A new Monday to Saturday 1905 X46 Hull to Pocklington is added, which Monday to Thursday will be the last departure from Hull. Previously the last departure Monday to Thursday was at 1815
  • As part of improved services on the Hull to Beverley corridor most inbound journeys in Hull will operate via the city centre loop.

EYMS Hull-Hornsea Changes

Today, Sunday 24th May, EYMS are making changes to their services between Hull and Hornsea, driven by changes to their Hull to Beverley services. The 246 between Hull, Beverley and Hornsea has a new route in Beverley; instead of operating via Hull Bridge Road to/from both Hull and Hornsea, between Hull and Beverley services will operate via Flemingate, to serve a new retail park and East Riding College, with Hull Bridge Road still served between Beverley and Hornsea. Most Monday to Saturday daytime service 246's now leave Hornsea at :30 minutes past the hour rather than :15 minutes past the hour and Hull at :40 minutes past the hour rather than :50 minutes past the hour. Additionally most service 246 will operate inbound in Hull via the City Centre loop.

As a result of the changes to service 246, other Hull to Hornsea services also see timetable changes; the 240 will generally leave Hornsea at :10 past the hour Monday to Saturday daytimes rather than :45 minutes past the hour, but still leave Hull at :15 minutes past the hour. The Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday only service 230 will leave Hull at 1320 rather than 1310, and on Tuesday and Thursday only leave Hornsea at 0950 rather than 0920 (Saturdays remain 0930). Service 220 also sees minor timetable changes, as do Sunday times on services 240 and 246.

Saturday 23 May 2015

X4 Wicstun Express Changes

From Tuesday 26th May, EYMS are revising the morning service on their X4 Wicstun Express route between Hull, Brough, South Cave, Market Weighton and York. The Monday to Friday 0630 Hull to York (0635 Saturday) moves to 0555 (0615 Saturday), in order to give an earlier arrival into York. The 0846 from York to Hull will now start in Market Weighton at 0936 on weekdays and be withdrawn entirely on Saturdays. In most cases the X4 is duplicated by either the X46 or Petuaria Express, though the villages of Sancton and North Newbald do lose their ability to have a day out in Hull on a Saturday (first arrival 1336, last departure just two hours later at 1545).

Sunday 17 May 2015

EYMS Significant Hull to Beverley Improvements

In a week's time, on Sunday 24th May, EYMS are substantially improving their services between Hull and Beverley (it's actually Tuesday 26th when the biggest improvements start, but the Sunday is the timetable change date).

Currently on Monday to Saturday daytimes there are three buses per hour between Hull and Beverley, the 121 and 246 that operate via Beverley Road, Dunswell, Woodmansey, Swinemoor Lane, Hull Bridge Road and Norwood, and the X46 that operates via Beverley Road, the A1079 and Victoria Road. Each route operates hourly.

EYMS's new network of services between Hull and Beverley provides an extra service each hour and even-interval departures every 15 minutes from Hull Interchange and Beverley Sow Hill Bus Station Monday to Saturday daytimes. The 121 and new service 122 will each operate every hour (half hourly combined) via Dunswell, Woodmansey, Swinemoor Lane, Hull Bridge Road and Norwood. The 121 continues from Beverley to Scarborough via Molescroft, Driffield and Bridlington, while the new 122 continues to Molescroft. However the 121 will no longer serve Beverley Community Hospital, instead only stopping nearby on Swinemoor Lane. As well as providing an extra hourly journey between Hull and Beverley, the new 122 will also replace the hourly Monday to Saturday journeys on the 523 between Beverley and Molescroft.

The hourly 246 will continue to serve Dunswell and Woodmansey before operating a slightly shorter route into Beverley via Flemingate and continuing to Hornsea via Norwood and Hull Bridge Road. This new route within Beverley will serve the new Flemingate Retail Park and East Riding College site and avoid the need for the 246 to serve Hull Bridge Road and Norwood twice as currently occurs. Finally the hourly X46 continues with it's current route, continuing beyond Beverley to Market Weighton, Pocklington and York.

Another notable element of the change sees all inbound services (except during the evening peak) from Beverley in Hull route via the City Centre loop, with a new drop off stop at Primark in addition to Spencer Street and Hull Interchange.

Beyond the routing change to the 246, there are no major changes to evening and Sunday services which are generally operate once or twice an hour combined between the 121, 246, X46 and X47 (which operates via Cottingham).

A significant improvement to services not just between Hull and Beverley, but also for residents of Dunswell, Woodmansey and Molescroft. The only slight negative is the loss of links to Beverley Community Hospital with services stopping close by instead.

Tuesday 12 May 2015

Stagecoach North East Lincolnshire July Changes

Stagecoach have registered variations with VOSA for some of their North East Lincolnshire services from 6th July:

3/4 Laceby Road Morrisons-Grimsby-Cleethorpes (route as well as timetable)
5 Grimsby-Immingham-South Killingholme
6 Wybers Wood-Willows Estate-Grimsby
8 Grimsby-New Waltham-North Sea Lane
9/10 Waltham-Grimsby-Cleethorpes-North Sea Lane
53 Grimsby-Caistor-Market Rasen (route as well as timetable)
150 Immingham-East Halton (route as well as timetable)

The registration for service 12 has been cancelled with VOSA:

PB0001484/276 - LINCOLNSHIRE ROAD CAR CO LTD, PO BOX 15, DEACON ROAD, LINCOLN, LN2 4JB           
Cancellation Accepted: Operating between Bradley Park and New Waltham given service number 12/12W effective from 06-Jul-2015.

Monday 11 May 2015

Hornsby Travel 22 June Change

Hornsby Travel are amending their service 22 Scunthorpe Town Service at the end of June. From VOSA:

PB0001410/23 - HORNSBY TRAVEL SERVICES LTD, 51-53 ASHBY HIGH STREET, SCUNTHORPE, DN16 2NB
  • Variation Accepted: Operating between SYCAMORE CRESCENT, TIMBERLANDS and SCUNTHORPE BUS STATION given service number 22 effective from 30-Jun-2015. To amend Timetable.

Thursday 7 May 2015

Hornsby Travel 60 June Change

Hornsby Travel will be amending their service 60 at the end of June. 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 29-Jun-2015. To amend Route and Timetable.