After operating today (Saturday 7th May), Stagecoach are withdrawing Scunthorpe Town Service 40, which had linked Scunthorpe Bus Station, West Common Lane/John Leggott College, the Westcliff area (Plymouth Road, Bristol Road, Swinburne Road, Lichfield Avenue), Scotter Road and Tesco. The service operated half hourly Monday to Saturday daytimes, but with morning peak, late afternoon and most evening peak journeys not operating on college days. Apart from parts of Lichfield Avenue and a very small part of Scotter Road, the rest of the route has other services into Scunthorpe Town Centre.
Instead from Monday (9th May), Stagecoach are diverting town circulars 31 and 32 via Tesco, except for weekday morning peak and late afternoon journeys. The 31 and 32 each operate every 20 minutes Monday to Saturday daytimes (Evening and Sunday services 31A and 32A already serve Tesco). This provides access to Tesco from far more areas of Scunthorpe than the 40 served, and maintains the links from Westcliff area to Tesco that the 40 had provided. While the 31 and 32 will serve Tesco, the surrounding area is also home to a relatively new out of town retail park that includes Marks and Spencer and Debenhams, making it an increasingly important shopping destination rivalling Scunthorpe Town Centre.
Stagecoach will also be revising intermediate times on town circulars 33 and 34 from Monday, while the Monday to Saturday 1840 Westwoodside-Epworth-Scunthorpe will operate 5 minutes later.