New East Hull Services 40 and 41

Hull City Council tendered service 50 was withdrawn after operation on Saturday 27th February, following around 25 years of operation across various routes, but always including Hull City Centre and East Hull. It was initially numbered service 70 and also briefly had a spell as service 58. The 50 latterly was operated by East Yorkshire and linked Hull Paragon Interchange, Holderness Road Shops, Laburnum Avenue, James Reckitt Avenue, Ings Road, Maybury Road, Jalland Lodge, Maybury Road again, Broadway Drive and Holderness Road Morrisons. Four journeys were provided in each direction on a 90 minute frequency Monday to Saturday mornings and early afternoon.

Following retendering the contract was won by Stagecoach and two new services were introduced as a replacement - 40 and 41. I say replacement, but the 40 doesn't do much to replace the 50, rather it reinstates useful links that haven't been provided recently.

The 40 operates as a circular from Holderness Road Morrisons. Going anti clockwise it serves Ings Road, Cavendish Road, Lambwath Road, James Reckitt Avenue (Garden Village), Mount Pleasant and Holderness Road shops. There are four anti-clockwise and three clockwise journeys Monday to Saturday daytimes. The section of Ings Road between James Reckitt Avenue and Cavendish Road has been unserved apart from the 677 Cranswick Foods workers service since the 9 was withdrawn early in the COVID-19 pandemic last year, whilst Lambwath Road has been unserved since then. The section of James Reckitt Avenue served by the 40 also has service 12a, but unlike the 12a, the 40 offers links to the main Holderness Road shopping area and to Morrisons, so has a clear purpose alongside the 12a.

The 41 also operates from Holderness Road Morrisons, via Portobello Street to Broadway Drive then back onto Portobello Street and as per service 14 before replacing the 50 along parts of Staveley Road, Marfleet Lane (Jalland Lodge), Maybury Road and Broadway Drive back to Morrisons. An hourly service is provided Monday to Saturday daytimes, with one 90 minute gap. For Jalland Lodge, Maybury Road and Broadway Drive, through links to Hull City Centre and Holderness Road shops have been traded for increased frequency and a slightly later afternoon service - connections are available to other services on Holderness Road.

The section of James Reckitt Avenue between Ings Road and Gillshill Road is now unserved, as is Laburnum Avenue. James Reckitt Avenue passengers will need to walk to either Ings Road, the stops near the James Reckitt Avenue and Gillshill Road junction, or through East Park to Holderness Road. Laburnum Avenue passengers will need to walk to James Reckitt Avenue or Holderness Road for alternative services.

There are clearly a few positives here, probably more than the negatives. Maybe the 50 could have been retained on a Saturday though, with the 40 and 41 operating weekdays only. That would have avoided any roads becoming unserved and retain all previously provided through links. My other suggestion would be that as the combined 40 and 41 timetable has 17 minutes layover per hour, the 40 could perhaps make a 'double run' along currently unserved Chamberlain Road, using the roundabout at the junction with Stoneferry Road to turnaround - something the 50 and 70 used to do earlier in their history.