Hessle Town Service returns

After withdrawal on 31st March (Easter Saturday), the 183 Hessle Town Service made a return on Friday 31st August, in a much reduced form compared to the previous service, but rather better than no service at all.

It is now operated by Acklams Coaches, on a Friday only, as opposed to the hourly Monday to Saturday service provided until March. The reinstated service starts at Hessle Square (in Hessle town centre), serving Davenport Avenue, Heads Lane, Jenny Brough Lane (where significant new housing is being built) and Tranby Avenue before routing via Beverley Road, Darleys Roundabout, Boothferry Road and First Lane to Sainsburys. After arriving at Sainsbury's, the service then routes Sainsbury's-Hessle Square-Sainsbury's-Hessle Square and starts it's circular of the town again.

Boothferry Road and First Lane were not served by the previous Hessle Town Service - Boothferry Road lacks links into Hessle and to Sainsbury's, whilst First Lane has links into Hessle Square but not to Sainsburys, so the extension to these areas adds useful new links. Serving additional areas of Hessle requires a lower frequency than the previous approximately half hourly service provided until March however. If the service had operated as a more continuous circular apart from the driver's rest break, it could have operated every 40 minutes, or every 45 minutes with some brief 'recovery time' built in, but for whatever reason operates on an approximately hourly frequency. This then necessitates the 'back and forth' between Sainsburys and Hessle Square so that inbound passengers can get to Hessle Square without a long (15 minute) wait at Sainsburys, and passengers from Sainsburys can get back home without a long wait at Hessle Square. Normally I would advocate an even interval 'same time every hour' timetable, but this seems like a very good case for an exception to that.

The most important thing though is that the service is back, and many parts of residential Hessle that became 'bus-less' or without links to Hessle Town Centre and Sainsbury's, have services restored again.

Acklams takeover 504

On Monday 3rd September, Acklams Coaches tookover operation of service 504 between Bridlington, Buckton and Bempton from East Riding of Yorkshire Council (ERYC), with an improved timetable. The 504 had been operating on Monday, Wednesday and Friday only since early May, but with the transfer to Acklams Coaches in September, increased to operate Monday to Friday. Three journeys are provided from Bempton at 0930, 1230 and 1600, and two from Bridlington Bus Station at 1200 and 1530; ERYC had provided three departures from Bridlington between Monday 23rd July and Friday 31st August so this is a slight cutback, but arguably more than compensated for by the addition of Tuesday and Thursday services.

Acklams Coaches are running the 504 under contract to ERYC, and also tookover the contract for the Carnaby Industrial Estate to Bridlington service 131 at the same time. The 131 and 504 now appear to interwork, and with the 131 operating at peaktimes and late lunchtime, it 'dovetails' with the 504 quite nicely.

Airmyn and Hook changes

Since Monday 3rd September, the residual service 88 between Rawcliffe Bridge, Rawcliffe and Goole has additionally served the village of Airmyn. The service provides one journey in each direction on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and is operated by EYMS with financial support from East Riding of Yorkshire Council (ERYC).

A check on the Goole Gofar website shows their Friday link between Airmyn, Hook and Goole finished on Friday 31st August. The 88 is a slightly improved replacement for Airmyn, whilst Hook is now served by the Tuesday 358/Howdenshire MiBus between Holme On Spalding Moor, Howden and Goole, also operated by Goole Gofar.

EYMS 151 extended to Willerby Parkway

From Sunday 2nd September, EYMS amended many of it's Hull area services, mostly just changes to improve punctuality. Service 151 between Hull, Anlaby, Kirk Ella and Willerby Square however saw a bigger change, with the extension of most services to Willerby Parkway and Well Lane. The 151 operates mostly hourly Monday to Saturday daytimes and evenings, though morning peak and evening services still terminate at Willerby Square.

Willerby Parkway and Well Lane are also served the 35/35A/44A, offering a service approximately every 90 minutes to/from Hull City Centre and Hull Royal Infirmary. These services operate 'clockwise' in Willerby, serving Willerby Square before Well Lane and Willerby Parkway, and not offering a link from Willerby Parkway and Well Lane to Willerby Square, whereas the 151 operates an 'anti-clockwise' loop from Willerby Square via Kingston Road, Willerby Parkway and Well Lane back to Willerby Square, offering travel in both directions between Willerby Parkway/Well Lane and Willerby Square.

EYMS 142 Schoolday Change

Until July, EYMS had been operating a 1535 departure from Beverley Sow Hill Bus Station to Holme on schooldays, serving Cherry Burton, Etton and South Dalton en-route. The main purpose was to serve Longcroft School students, but by starting back at the Bus Station, could also be useful for the wider population.

However in September due to changes to the Longcroft School day, the journey became a 1520 departure from Longcroft School, not serving Sow Hill Bus Station. I presume there is not time to start back at Sow Hill Bus Station due to whatever the driver and/or vehicle is doing before hand? This isn't a huge loss to Cherry Burton and Etton which have an Acklams departure on route 142 from the Bus Station at 1500, but the last service from Beverley to South Dalton and Holme is now Acklam's 1200(Wed)/1210(Mon/Tue/Thu/Fri) departure.

EYMS Bridlington Town Service September Changes

From Monday 3rd September, EYMS made a couple of changes to their Bridlington Town Service Network, that was introduced in early May.

Service 2 to the southern part of the town retained it's previous timetable but with a change of route, to serve George Street and the northern part of Cardigan Road inbound to the town centre, instead of the northern part of Kingsgate. Kingsgate is also served by the 130 and 136, and the re-routing via George Street is in line with the old 503 route that operated until May.

Service 3 to the West Hill estate has lost it's 1515 departure from Bridlington Bus Station on schooldays, leaving a 2 hour 10 minute gap in the timetable; it still operates during school holidays and on Saturdays. Until the May changes West Hill had enjoyed two buses an hour, albeit with one dropped journey on schoolday afternoons creating an hour's gap in the timetable.

East Riding September Contract Changes

The start of September saw a number of East Riding of Yorkshire Council supported services change operators, including the following:

Monday to Friday Service 135 between Driffield, Wetwang and Sledmere passed from direct operation by East Riding of Yorkshire Council to Busking
Monday to Saturday Service 136 between Driffield, North Frodingham, Skipsea and Bridlington passed from Busking to EYMS
Monday to Friday Service 131 between Carnaby Industrial Estate and Bridlington passed from EYMS to Acklams Coaches, now interworked with service 504, of which more in a future post

Wednesday and Thursday Service 124 between Driffield, Burton Fleming and Bridlington passed from North Holderness Community Transport (HART) to Acklams Coaches
Monday to Friday Service 220 between Hornsea and Bilton passed from Acklams Coaches to HART