Maybe the biggest changes in Stagecoach's Hull September service changes were to associated services 11 and 111. These major improvements were funded by Hull's Bus Service Improvement Plan allocation.
Previously service 11 operated between Hull Paragon Interchange and Kingswood Retail Park via Holderness Road, Bellfield Avenue, Spring Cottage, Bransholme North Point Shopping Centre and Bodmin Road; the frequency was half hourly Monday to Saturday daytimes, hourly evenings and Sundays. Service 111 operated via the service 11 route between Paragon Interchange and Kingswood with a short diversion in East Hull via Salthouse Road for Wilberforce College, before extending to Beverley via Dunswell and Woodmansey; there were two morning journeys from Beverley on college days, one college day only afternoon service to Beverley and one Monday to Friday afternoon service to Beverley.
Since 1st September, service 11 has been extended from Kingswood Retail Park to Castle Hill Hospital in Cottingham via Kingswood Leisure Park, Orchard Park and Cottingham Village Centre. The 11 now operates hourly Monday to Saturday daytimes along it's full route, along with early morning and evening Paragon Interchange to Kingswood Retail Park shorts - that might sound like a frequency cut, but practically speaking it's not, as I will explain shortly.
The extended 11 provides a number of useful new all day links - from the Ings Estate, Spring Cottage and Bransholme to both Castle Hill Hospital and Kingswood Leisure Park, from Cottingham to Kingswood and from Orchard Park to Bransholme North Point and East Hull. The only slight negative comment I have here is that similar peak service 80 and college service 83 haven't been renumbered to better link in with the 11 - say to 11A and 11C.
On a more minor note, the first Monday to Friday departure from Kingswood is now at 0548 rather than 0613. Sunday's though the first departure is later at 0821 rather than 0739.
Previous service 111 has been renumbered service 110, with morning services reduced to one departure from Beverley, but all journeys now operating year round Monday to Friday. Why the renumbering? Well the 111 number is used for something far more substantial now.
The 'new' 111 runs from Paragon Interchange to Kingswood Leisure Park as per service 11, then extends to Beverley via the A1079 and Flemingate. The 111 operates hourly daily daytimes and Monday to Saturday evenings, perfectly co-ordinated with the 11 for a half hourly service over the common section of route. The new 111 even includes a very late last service from Beverley at 2342 on Saturdays. The 'new' 111 gives access from large parts of East Hull to Beverley and from Beverley to Kingswood. Personally I would have routed via Dunswell and Woodmansey as opposed to a non-stop run via the A1079, but maybe there were concerns about Bus Service Improvement Plan funding causing revenue abstraction from the 41 and 43 between Dunswell and Beverley?
Overall a significant set of improvements with notable new connections. Hopefully these changes are a success.
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2 comments:
I’ve used the 111 a lot to travel between Kingswood and Beverley and passenger numbers I’ve witnessed are increasing. The only negative is that the first bus doesn’t arrive in Beverley until around 0945 (Mon-Fri) so commuting is out. By contrast, an early morning service is provided on the 11 to Cottingham.
I think there is a gap in this 11 covered by an 83 all very confusing now especially with the 80in the equation
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