East Riding Bus Cuts Proposals - Some Thoughts

Having reviewed the list of services in the East Riding of Yorkshire that are and aren't proposed to loose their council subsidy, some thoughts.

While the "balanced scorecard" used to rank services has been weighted against some variables, such as low passenger numbers, evening and Sunday services and the availability of "substantially similar local bus services", there are no pre-conditions used. So no outright refusal to fund evening and Sunday services, no requirement to ensure communities retain a bus service, no minimum passenger threshold or maximum subsidy threshold. Therefore some villages could no longer be served by a traditional bus service, while the council continues to fund evening services between Bridlington and Bempton, and Hull and Goole, and Sunday services between Hornsea and Bridlington/Withernsea (the latter Summer only). Right or wrong? It is easy to criticise, but I guess East Riding of Yorkshire Council would argue that the evening and Sunday services proposed to keep their funding meet their varied criteria to do so, even after being penalised in the "balanced scorecard" for the times of the day/week they operate.

The worst performing service in the "balanced scorecard" is the funding for a small number of Sunday diversions to EYMS service 75 between Hull and Withernsea, to serve Burstwick. This is very much a contract I would question why it is being funded now anyway. Either EYMS should provide it commercially, or Burstwick should be able to suffice without, given the vast majority of Sunday 75's serve Burstwick commercially. Annual passengers are 295, average 1 per journey at a £2.34 per passenger subsidy.

The next worst performing service is Thornes 2 on Fridays between Bubwith and Market Weighton, which duplicates EYMS service 18. I'm not sure if the 2 and 18 follow the exact same route, but if need be hopefully the 18 could have a Friday variation. Another contract that I question why it is being funded anyway now.

Another service which I am really rather surprised is currently being funded is the 3 day a week Humbleton and Garton diversion on service 221. It has 97 annual passengers, at an £8.79 per passenger subsidy. If this was one day a week, 97 annual passengers wouldn't be quite as bad, but funding 3 days a week seems excessive. Also neither village would be left unserved by a bus service (though parts of Humbleton would be unserved).

Contracts with a per passenger subsidy of less than 25p have been heavily weighted in the "balanced scorecard" (where a high score is bad news) - I presume in the belief that they should be able to work commercially, possibly in a revised form. This covers the contribution to Acklams 5 (25p per passenger - I presume that is rounded up from 24 point something pence), Stagecoach 9 (6p per passenger) and EYMS 88 (7p per passenger).

Some contracts have very low average passenger per journey numbers. In addition to the 221 at average zero passengers per journey:
Average 1 passenger per journey:

• 10 Wawne extensions - not proposed to have funding withdrawn
• 75 Sunday Burstwick diversion (see above)
• 78 Paull diversions Monday to Saturday
• 79 Paull diversion Monday to Saturday
• 142 Middleton-Holme Saturday
• S1-3 Market Weighton area shoppers

Average 2 passengers per journey:

• 121 Bridlington-Driffield Monday to Saturday morning
• 121 Nafferton-Leconfield Monday to Saturday peak

Average 3 passengers per journey:

• 155 South Cave-Goole Sunday
• 180 Walkington-Beverley Monday to Friday peak
• 199 Huggate-Pocklington Tuesday
• 246 Hornsea-Beverley peak

A comment on earlier post noted that Paull is proposed to have funding removed for all subsidised journeys into the village, while Easington is due to keep 60 services a week. In carrying out it's "balanced scorecard", East Riding of Yorkshire Council seem to have assessed each contract they currently issue, "as is", and not considered the potential to reduce some services to contribute to savings, an "all or nothing" approach to each contract. Maybe it was felt to consider reduced contracts would add too many variables into the mix? Whatever the reason, hopefully this is something that will be considered. Would dropping the 502 evening service Monday to Thursday, and retaining on a Friday and Saturday be a better option? Running the 242 2 or 3 days a week rather than 6? A Summer Sunday service on the 130 but not in Winter? Retaining some service but "creating" funding to reduce the number of contracts being cut entirely?

Hull Bus Cuts

Hull City Council are consulting on changes to subsidised services in the city, with an intention to make savings of £50,000 - i.e. cuts are coming.
Hull City Council press release:

Hull City Council will be carrying out a series of public consultations for bus users to share their views on which services are important to them.

Currently the Council offers bus companies subsidies to support their local services where there is a social need, as the stand-alone bus fares would not be enough to cover the cost of transport.

However with the need for ongoing savings to the Council's budget, a number of services will be reviewed, including:

The services which will be affected by any changes are:

1e/d Sibelius Road to Mizzen Road

Service 16 City Centre - Marfleet Village

Service 9 Grammar School Road

Service 9 James Reckitt Avenue

Service 9 Dorchester Road - Kestrel Avenue

Service 50 Lambwath Road - Broadway Drive

Councillor Martin Mancey, Portfolio Holder with responsibility for transport, said:

"With a significantly reduced budget the Council is required to make savings, and we will try to do this in a way that minimises the impact on bus users.

"Reviewing these services has been difficult, and that's why we want your views as we seek to make them more sustainable as the long-term austerity measures continue."

Public drop-in sessions will also take place at Hull's Paragon Interchange on:

Thurday 23rd June, 10am - 4pm

Friday 24th June, 9am - 4pm

Monday 27th June, 2pm - 4pm

Tuesday 28th June, 9am - 4pm

Please make sure that your response reaches the Council before 22nd July 2016 - https://www.snapsurveys.com/wh/s.asp?k=146548534123  

It should be noted the 9 between Noddle Hill/Bransholme, Hull and Cottingham is only supported on certain parts of the route, and that East Riding of Yorkshire Council are proposing to withdrawn their contribution to the route. Whether the remainder of the route would be viable without any council financial support is unknown.
Cabinet Papers from 23rd May

East Riding Bus Cuts Proposals - Extra Details

On Tuesday, the cabinet of East Riding of Yorkshire Council will decide whether to proceed with a public consultation over cutting £600,000 of subsidised bus service funding. The cabinet agenda and supporting papers contain a large amount of information about these proposals (Item 13 in the Agenda, and page 212 onwards in the Supporting Papers).

In terms of identifying what to cut, and what not to cut, a "balanced scorecard" was used, considering:

• Annual number of passengers
• Average passengers per journey
• Subsidy per passenger (£)
• Category of journey
• Proximity of potential alternative services, including walking/cycling
• Environmental impact

Category of journey has been split down into:

• Rural Work (Peak) - 1
• Urban Work (Peak) - 2
• All - 3
• Rural All Day - 4
• Town Service - 5
• Rural Shopping Off Peak - 6
• Urban Shopping Off Peak - 7
• Rural Evening - 18
• Urban Evening - 19
• Rural Sunday - 20
• Urban Sunday - 25
• Non Statutory School - 30

The number given is a value in the "balanced scorecard", with the lower the number, the higher priority. As can be seen peak services are the priority, evening and Sunday services are very much not a priority, and rural services are given prominence over urban and town services.

Having applied the balanced scorecard, the below are proposed for withdrawal entirely:

From 1st April 2017:

• 2: Bubwith-Market Weighton, Thornes, Friday - EYMS service 18 is an alternative
• 88: Goole-Thorne, EYMS, Monday to Saturday daytime - only receives "a small amount of de minimis funding"
• 126: Boynton-Driffield/Ruston Parva-Bridlington, EYMS, Wednesday and Thursday - potential demand responsive alternative
• 160: Staddlethorpe-Goole, EYMS, Wednesday and Saturday - potential demand responsive alternative
• 173: Withernsea-Hull, EYMS, Saturday - potential demand responsive alternative
• 195: Pocklington-York, EYMS, Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday/Saturday - potential demand responsive replacement (the 'oddball' Tuesday 1255 Newton upon Derwent to York would remain)
• 196: Aughton-York, EYMS, Tuesday - potential demand responsive alternative
• 199: Pocklington-Huggate, EYMS, Tuesday - potential demand responsive alternative
• 241: Albrough-Beverley, EYMS, Monday and Wednesday - potential demand responsive alternative, 242 and 243 also cover the Skirlaugh-Beverley section
• 355: Airmyn-Goole, Council operated - potential demand responsive alternative
• 358: Holme on Spalding Moor, Acklams, Tuesday - potential demand responsive alternative
• 486/487: Selby-Hensall-Snaith circular, Utopia, Monday and Friday - potential demand responsive alternative
• 488: Hut Green-Goole, Utopia, Wednesday - potential demand responsive alternative
• S1: Market Weighton-Pocklington, EYMS, Tuesday and Friday - potential demand responsive alternative
• S2: Market Weighton-Hotham circular, EYMS, Tuesday and Friday - potential demand responsive alternative
• S3: Market Weighton-Goodmanham, EYMS, Friday - potential demand responsive alternative

From 1st April 2018:

• 76C: Humbleton-Withernsea, Pearsons Coaches, Monday/Tuesday/Thursday/Friday/Saturday - potential demand responsive alternative
• 158: Brough Town Service, EYMS, Monday to Saturday daytime
• 183: Hessle Town Service, Busking, Monday to Saturday offpeak
• 270: Driffield-Beeford, Busking, Monday to Friday evening peak - an alternative service on route 136 operates at 1540
• 549: Withernsea Town Service, Pearsons Coaches, Monday/Tuesday/Thursday/Friday/Saturday

The following are proposed to have their entire evening service withdrawn:

From 1st April 2017:

• 78/277: Hull-Hedon, Stagecoach, Monday to Saturday - service 75 would provide a partial alternative for Hull to Hedon, but not for Paull, Preston, Sproatley or Bilton. An 1810 departure from Hull could be retained

The following are proposed to have their entire Sunday service withdrawn:

From 1st April 2017:

• 45/46: Bridlington-Driffield-Pocklington-York, EYMS - services 121, X46 and X47 would provide a partial alternative over parts of the route 
• 78/277: Hull-Hedon, EYMS - service 75 would provide a partial alternative for Hull to Hedon, but not for Paull, Preston, Sproatley or Bilton
• 142: Beverley-Middleton, EYMS
• 155: South Cave-Goole, EYMS
• 180: Beverley-Cottingham, EYMS
• 361: Goole-Swinefleet, EYMS
• 400/401: Goole-Selby, EYMS
• 502: Bridlington-Bempton, Busking
• 506: Bridlington Town Service, EYMS
• 508: Bridlington Town Service, EYMS
• 520: Beverley Town Service, EYMS
• 522: Beverley Town Service, EYMS
• 523: Beverley-Molescroft, EYMS

From 1st April 2018:

• 18A: Holme On Spalding Moor-York, EYMS
• 220: Hornsea-Aldbrough, EYMS

The following services would see alterations:

From 1st April 2017 - Monday to Saturday daytime:

• 5: Beverley-Model Farm, Acklams - the Norwood Grange part of the route would have it's funding withdrawn
• 9: Noddle Hill/Bransholme-Hull-Cottingham, Stagecoach - the Bricknell Avenue diversion funding would be withdrawn
• 45/46: Bridlington-Driffield-Pocklington-York, EYMS - the 1345 45 from York to Bridlington would have it's funding withdrawn between Pocklington and Bridlington, leaving a 4 hour gap in services to Bridlington. The 1545 46 between Bridlington and York would have it's funding withdrawn between Bridlington and Pocklington.
• 45/46: Bridlington-Driffield-Pocklington-York, EYMS - on Saturdays, the 0905 46A Pocklington to Driffield and 1255 45 between Driffield and York would have their funding withdrawn between Driffield and Market Weighton, leaving Kirkburn and Tibthorpe without a Saturday bus service
• 78/80: Hull-Hedon, EYMS - the funding for diversions into Paull village would be withdrawn, leaving a limited daytime commercial service
• 78: Hull-Hedon, EYMS, the Monday to Friday 1500 Hedon to Hull would have it's funding withdrawn. leaving a 4 hour 15 minute gap
• 79: Hull-Hedon, EYMS - the Saturday 0725 Hedon to Hull would have it's funding withdrawn
• 80: Hull-Hedon, EYMS, Monday to Friday morning - the funding for the diversion into the Westlands Estate in Hedon would be withdrawn, leaving the estate without a bus service
• 115: Hull-Cottingham, EYMS - the Monday to Friday 0755 Cottingham to Hull and 1540 Hull to Cottingham would have their funding withdrawn
• 121: Hull-Scarborough, EYMS - the 0653 Driffield to Scarborough and 0635 Hull to Scarborough would have their funding withdrawn between Driffield and Bridlington. The first service between Driffield and Bridlington would be at 0848 (0843 Sat). The 0628 from Nafferton to Hull would have it's funding withdrawn between Naferton and Leconfield, with an alternative service 28 minutes later. The Monday to Friday school holiday and Saturday 0815 from Bridlington to Driffield would have it's funding withdrawn, with alternative service 121's at 0635 or 0925
• 142: Beverley-Middleton, EYMS, Saturday - funding would be withdrawn between Holme and Middleton, leaving just one lunchtime Acklams journey
• 180: Swanland-Beverley, EYMS, - the Monday to Friday 0719 Cottingham to Beverley would have it's funding withdrawn from Walkington onwards, with an alternative service one hour later
• 221: Hull-Hornsea, EYMS, Monday, Wednesday and Friday - funding for the diversion via Humbleton and Garton would be withdrawn
• 246 - Hull-Hornsea, EYMS, Monday to Saturday - funding for some journeys between Beverley and Hornsea would be withdrawn
• 277: Hull-Hedon, EYMS - the Saturday 0650 Hull to Hedon would have it's funding withdrawn, with first service at 0750 instead
• 517: Bridlington Town Service - the Monday to Saturday 1750 departure from Bridlington Bus Station would have it's funding withdrawn
• X36: Pocklington-York, EYMS - this Saturday peak service would have it's funding withdrawn

From 1st April 2017 - Monday to Saturday evening:

• 45/46: Bridlington-Driffield-Pocklington-York, EYMS - the 2110 46 York to Pocklington, 2225 46 Pocklington to York and 2305 45A York to Pocklington would have their funding withdrawn. (One evening service from Pocklington to York is operated commercially)
• 121: Hull-Nafferton - the 2135 Hull to Nafferton would have it's funding withdrawn between Driffield and Nafferton, with the last bus operating two hours earlier. A rail alternative is also available
• 350: Hull-Scunthorpe, EYMS - the Monday to Saturday 1925 from Hull and 2110 return (the last service from Scunthorpe) would have their funding withdrawn. I think North Lincolnshire Council also contribute to these journeys

From 1st April 2017 - Sundays:

• 75: Hull-Withernsea, EYMS - the funding for the diversion of two services via Burstwick would be withdrawn; all other journeys on this hourly service operate via Burtswick commercially
• 105: Hull-Cottingham, EYMS - the 0930 and 1030 from Hull and 0905 and 1005 from Cottingham would have their funding withdrawn
• 153: Hull-North Ferriby/Welton, EYMS - funding withdrawn between Anlaby and North Ferriby/Welton

From 1st April 2018:

• 45/46: Bridlington-Driffield-Pocklington-York, EYMS - the Monday to Saturday 1635 45 from Bridlington to York would have it's funding withdrawn; the last bus from Bridlington would be at 1345. The Monday to Saturday 1835 45 York to Bridlington would have it's funding withdrawn, with the last bus to Bridlington at 1545
• 122: Beverley-Molescroft, EYMS - the Monday to Saturday 0800 'round trip' from Beverley would be withdrawn, with a later service at 0835 (0935 Sat), and an earlier weekday service from Molescroft at 0751
• 246 - Beverley-Hornsea, EYMS - funding for 3 of the 4 Sunday journeys each way would be withdrawn (the 4th service is effectively for positioning purposes only)
• 520: Beverley Town Service, EYMS - the Monday to Saturday 0725 'round trip' from Beverley Bus station would have it's funding withdrawn with an alternative service at 0825

Commercial registrations of any service proposed for (part) withdrawal are always possible.

The following supported services are not proposed for change:

• 1: Holme Upon Spalding Moor-Selby, Thornes, Monday to Friday
• 4: Selby-Goole, Arriva - certain Monday to Friday journeys between Hemingbrough and Howden
• 6: Beverley Town Service, Acklams, Monday to Saturday
• 10: Hull-Wawne, Stagecoach, Monday to Satutrday
• 18: Holme Upon Spalding Moor-York, EYMS, Monday to Saturday
• 71: Withernsea-Easington, EYMS, Monday to Saturday
• 78/277: Hull-Hedon, EYMS, Monday to Friday departures from Hull at 0700 and 1600
• 129: Hornsea-Withernsea, EYMS, Monday to Saturday and Summer Sunday
• 130: Hornsea-Bridlington, EYMS, Weekends and Winter Weekdays
• 131: Bridlington-Carnaby Industrial Estate, EYMS, Monday to Friday
• 134: Driffield-Skerne, EYMS, Tuesday and Thursday
• 135: Driffield-Wetwang, EYMS, Monday to Friday
• 136: Driffield-Bridlington, Busking, Monday to Saturday
• 142: Beverley-Bainton, Acklams, Monday to Friday 0920 Bainton to Beverley, Monday to Saturday 1200/1210 Beverley-Middleton, Monday to Saturday 1250 Bainton to Beverley
• 143: Melton-Beverley, EYMS, Monday, Wednesday and Saturday
• 155: Hull-Goole, EYMS, Monday to Friday 0620 Hull-Elloughton, 1507 Gilberdyke-Hull, Monday to Saturday 0725 Elloughton to Goole and evening service
• 180: Beverley-Hessle, EYMS, Monday to Friday 0740 and 1710 from Beverley and Saturday 0800 from Beverley
• 230: Hornsea-Hull, EYMS, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday
• 242: Hedon-Beverley, Stagecoach, Monday to Saturday
• 360/361: Goole-Scunthorpe, EYMS, Monday to Saturday
• 502: Bridlington-Buckton, Busking, Monday to Friday 1715 from Bridlington and Monday to Saturday evening service
• 520: Beverley Town Service, EYMS, Monday to Saturday, section of route via Grovehill Road roundabout and Holme Church Lane
• 522: Beverley Town Service, Acklams, Monday to Saturday
• 530: Driffield Town Service, Busking, Monday to Friday
• 550: Hornsea Town Service, EYMS, Monday to Saturday
• 747: Pocklington-York, EYMS, Monday to Saturday
• Goole Town Services, EYMS, Monday to Saturday
• X36: Pocklington-York, Transdev, Monday to Friday - subject to City of York Council consultations
• X57: Hull-Goole, EYMS, Monday to Saturday - 1912 from Newport to Goole

(Please let me know about any corrections needed to the above)

If you have the time it is worth reading the entire papers, including for details of subsidy and passenger usage of tendered services.

East Riding Subsidised Bus Services, Cuts Coming

East Riding of Yorkshire Council are proposing to cut £600,000 of it's £1.3 million support for subsidised bus services.

East Riding of Yorkshire Council Press Release:

East Riding of Yorkshire Council has unveiled its proposal for the future of public transport services which it supports financially. The proposal, unveiled today (Monday 20 June), follows the most extensive review of bus and passenger services ever carried out in the East Riding.  The nine-month survey involved the council working together with town and parish councils to discover what people’s transport needs actually are across the East Riding. The survey also involved the community in shaping the way forward.  

Now, subject to approval by the council’s Cabinet on Tuesday 28 June, an eight-week public consultation will begin to seek residents’ views on the proposal, starting on Wednesday 29 June and running until Sunday 28 August.  

Due to a significant reduction in the funding it receives from the Government, East Riding of Yorkshire Council has had to make major savings to its budget. Since 2010 the council has made savings of £118million across the whole of its budget. It still needs to save a further £60million over the next four years.  

But despite the challenging financial times, East Riding of Yorkshire Council believes it is vital that residents have a public transport system that meets their needs and that essential bus services need to be protected.

The council is proposing to reduce the financial support it gives to some bus journeys by £600,000.  The vast majority of bus services will be unaffected by the proposal. There are almost six million bus journeys taken by passengers in the East Riding every year. Less than 5% of those will be affected by the proposed changes.  

Most of the changes would see some passengers travelling at a different time or on a different bus service. The council will be working closely with bus operators and community transport groups and every effort will be made to provide alternatives if services are reduced.  

The council has already helped to generate £1million worth of external funding for the area’s community transport groups and it has pledged to help secure further funding to boost their fleet and the amount of journeys they can offer the public.  

Paul Bellotti, head of housing, transportation and public protection services at East Riding of Yorkshire Council, said: “The council faces significant financial pressures across all services that we can’t ignore. Many other councils have been forced to make similar savings in the cost of bus subsidies, some have cut subsidies all together.  

“A great deal of work has gone into finding out what people’s transport needs are, and then using that information to produce a proposal which minimises, as much as possible, the impact on bus users.  

“In most cases, where there will be changes, it may mean passengers travelling on a different bus, at a different time, or on a different day, and we will do our best to ensure no community is left without a bus service.  

“We are working closely with community transport groups and bus operators to make sure as best we can alternatives will be available for journeys that may be lost.  

“Communities, passengers and operators have all been given the chance to get involved and help shape our proposal. “Now we want to hear from the public how the proposed changes might affect them before any decisions are made. “I would urge anyone who cares about public transport to take part in our consultation and let us know their views, so we can secure the best outcome for residents for the future.”  

The council currently provides financial support through a public subsidy to 10% of the East Riding’s overall bus network. It gives financial support to 90 bus contracts at a cost of £1.3million. Those contracts include full journeys, parts of journeys and diversions off existing bus routes. Without council funding these are deemed not commercially viable to run.  

The proposed changes  

In most cases the council’s proposal may only affect bus services at one particular time during its full day’s timetable. Passengers could still catch the same bus, or an alternative one, at other times during that day. For example:  

•Service 45 (York-Pocklington-Driffield-Bridlington Monday to Friday service) – The council currently pays for the 14.30 departure from Pocklington to Bridlington, which under the proposal would cease. But passengers could travel instead on the same 12.30 or 16.30 journeys from Pocklington to Bridlington operated commercially by EYMS.  

•Service 75 (Withernsea-Patrington-Burstwick-Hull Sunday service) – The council currently pays for four Sunday journeys to divert to the village of Burstwick. These will stop under the proposal. But passengers could still catch any of the other 24 other Service 75 journeys which run through Burstwick on Sundays, which are operated commercially by EYMS.  

•Service 80 (Hull-Hedon-Hull Monday to Friday service) – The council pays for this bus to visit the Westfield Estate, in Hedon, at 9.24 and 11.43 each morning. This would stop under the proposal. However, the nearest bus stop is a short walk away on New Road, the main road through Hedon.  

There may be an opportunity for bus operators to take on some of the services affected under the proposal, and run them on a commercial basis, but the council understands the financial pressures facing the bus industry.  

Transport survey  

To help create an up-to-date picture of residents’ public transport needs in all towns and villages across the East Riding, the council launched a major survey in September 2015, working together with town and parish councils, ward members and key local groups.  

All 168 town and parish councils were invited to take part in the process. Parish representatives were given the task of carrying out surveys in their local communities to find out if the current services provided met people’s needs, if there were any needs not currently being met, and how best to use the current services. The needs of elderly and disabled people were especially researched and were taken into consideration during the survey and the proposal. Council staff also met with protected groups.  

A total of 3,398 responses were collected from members of the public. They have all been analysed and those results form the basis of the new bus consultation. Information on any unmet transport needs identified through the survey have been passed on to local bus operators. Town and parish councils will continue to promote the use of buses in their local communities and to seek out sources of possible funding for pilot bus schemes.  

‘Dial-a-ride’ community transport  

Community transport in the East Riding is a huge success, with 100% coverage across the area. These are ‘dial-a-ride’ bus services run by local volunteers which residents can ring to book a seat. They provide door-to-door journeys for residents who may find it difficult to use conventional buses or where no conventional bus services exist.  

Three local community transport groups – HART (Holderness Area Rural Transport), Goole GOfar and Beverley Lift – together carry 121,000 passengers per year. Other groups include Bridlington Dial-A-Ride and the Nafferton Millennium Community Minibus.  

Paul Bellotti said: “These groups will play a greater role in meeting the transport needs of communities, especially those with smaller passenger numbers. “These services are often wrongly seen as being solely for the elderly and disabled, when in fact they are potentially open to everyone.”  

The council also runs Medibus services in the Beverley, Bridlington, Driffield, Goole, Hornsea, Pocklington and Withernsea areas, transporting people to local hospitals, GP surgeries, clinics and dentists. Passengers can also use the service to visit friends and relatives in hospital.  

Total Transport  

East Riding of Yorkshire Council is leading force in the Government’s Total Transport initiative. The aim of the initiative is to get public sector bodies working together to share vehicles and journeys to ensure residents have greater access to transport for health services, shopping, education and employment. The council is talking with local organisations, including health trusts, to try to pool more transport resources.  

One good example involves a bus allocated to take passengers to an adult day centre which, rather than laying empty in the depot, now provides a shopping journey during the day time which would not otherwise exist. The council’s proposal outlines hopes to take advantage of more opportunities like this, particularly with patient transport.  

The Total Transport scheme also aims to secure alternative sources of funding to allow bus operators and community transport groups offer more local services.  

Journey planning help provided  

If the council’s proposals are given the go-ahead following the consultation, anyone who has trouble accessing public transport to travel to their job will be offered personal journey-planning assistance from the council.  

The journey-planning service will also be available to people who rely on public transport because of a disability.  

Have your say  

As part of the eight-week consultation residents will be encouraged to have their say by completing a questionnaire which will be available from Wednesday 29 June. The questionnaire, together with the full proposal, will be available on the council’s website www.eastriding.gov.uk and also via email and post on request.  

A series of 11 drop-in sessions will also be held across the East Riding through July and August to give residents the chance to meet transport officers to discuss the proposals.  

At the end of the consultation process all questionnaires and views will be taken into consideration before any decision is made.

Cleethorpes to Scarborough Experience further details

Community Rail Humber have issued further details about the Cleethorpes to Scarborough Experience.

The organisation which oversees community rail activities in the Humber region has won a top award from the Department of Transport.

Community Rail Humber Ltd (CRH), which works. in partnership with the Barton Cleethorpes Community Rail Partnership and the Yorkshire Coast Community Rail Partnership, has won a Heritage and Community Rail Tourism Innovation Competition award.

The £31,000 award will enable CRH to develop the Cleethorpes to Scarborough Experience.

`We will create a web-based Heritage and Tourism Trail that starts from Cleethorpes in North East Lincolnshire stretching all the way to Scarborough in North Yorkshire,’ said Community Rail Officer Gill Simpson.

` It will identify all points of interest along the way, highlight connectivity with other forms of public transport and community services such a cycle hire and walking routes,’ she said.

There are tourist information resources currently available but this project will create a complete journey that has been tried and tested for its quality and reliability by the volunteers working for the Community Rail Partnerships and will be updated as part of their future work.

The project will be completed in time for the launch of Hull City of Culture, sharing the success of the City with its surrounding towns and villages. It will encourage people to come and stay in the area all year round rather than just being a seasonal: day or short stay visitor, as is most common now.

Gill added: `By creating a journey planner of this size we will be able to highlight features of the most commonly known attractions in the area such as Bridlington Spa whilst making people aware of the smaller less know but equally interesting venues, such as Julian’s Bower turf-cut maze in Alkborough.

`The journey planner may be used in conjunction with ticketing and reservation systems, or just to provide scheduled information. The volunteers will test journeys to validate transport links and connectivity incorporating multimodal solutions and taking in to consideration seasonal changes.’