Goodbye service 160

After operation on Wednesday 29th March EYMS service 160 from Staddlethorpe to Goole via Howden will be withdrawn, following the withdrawal of subsidy by East Riding of Yorkshire Council. The route operates on Wednesday and Saturday, with a 1000 departure from Staddlethorpe arriving in Goole at 1046, and a 1330 return service from Goole.

As a result the following villages will be left without a bus service (except schools):
Staddlethorpe
Blacktoft
Yokefleet
Laxton
Skelton
Howdendyke
Knedlington
Barmby on the Marsh

Laxton is served by Saltmarshe railway station, and Staddlethorpe by Gilberdyke station.

The 160 carried an average 9 passengers per journey, at a cost of £5.70 per passenger journey. I wonder if a reduction to one day a week could have 'saved' the service? Maybe this is too simplistic, but if some of the passengers from the 'dropped' day travelled on the one remaining day the service operated the average loading per journey may have increased and the subsidy per passenger reduced?

As an aside, the 160 managed 15 years without a timetable change, from 1999 to 2014 when the current timetable was introduced.