Humber Bridge Toll Reductions Confirmed

The Humber Bridge tolls for buses with 17 seats or more will be reduced from £12.10 each way to £4 each way from 1st April. Currently buses do receive a discount, which I presume will disappear, however I don't think the discount is anything like the approximately two thirds toll reduction being introduced.

Bridge tolls are only a small part of the costs involved in providing cross Humber bus services, and reduced car tolls may make the bus less attractive. However at least it appears bus operators have got a very fair deal.

Now the challenge for Stagecoach and EYMS is to promote the ease of using the bus, and how when parking costs and petrol are included, the bus can still be cheaper than using the car especially for those travelling alone. The Megarider Humber (and EYMS equivalent) is a fantastic £22 per week. Return car bridge tolls for a 5 day week will become £15. Unless you have free parking at work, parking in Hull City Centre and petrol will be more than £7 a week, so the bus is still cheaper.

Interconnect 3 Update

From today's Grimsby Telegraph

"Petition launched to save 'lifeline' number 3 bus service to Lincoln This is Grimsby: Gary Nolan, the managing director of Stagecoach, said Lincolnshire County Council had asked for details of how much it would cost to run one bus every two hours, but that no decision had yet been reached."
Stagecoach are planning to reduce the frequency on the Interconnect 3 between Grimsby and Lincoln to twice a day in April, plus extra short journeys between Grimsby and Laceby. A Life of Lincolnshire Travel had reported it will instead operate every two hours, but it appears that is just an option being investigated.

Full article, including details on a petition to ensure the frequency is not reduced to just twice a day between Grimsby and Lincoln.

Hornsby win service 60 tender?

Today Hornsby Travel have registered service 60 between Scunthorpe and Whitton. This is a North Lincolnshire Council tendered service currently operated by Stagecoach, but operated by Hornsby in the past. I am guessing Stagecoach have lost the contract to operate the route to Hornsby.

VOSA - Bus Registration Search Results: PB0001410/29 - HORNSBY TRAVEL SERVICES LTD, 51 - 53 ASHBY HIGH STREET, SCUNTHORPE, DN16 2NB
Registration Accepted
Starting Point: Scunthorpe Bus Station
Finish Point: Whitton
Via: Burton Upon Stather
Service Number: 60
Service Type: Normal Stopping
Effective Date: 16-APR-2012
Other Details: Monday to Saturday 7am til 7pm No Service Sundays or Bank Holidays

Current timetable

Mitigating Stagecoach in Grimsby Cleethorpes's proposed April cuts

Last week I noted the Grimsby Telegraph report on Stagecoach Grimsby Cleethorpes's April service changes - though since disputed in part. So what could be done to reduce the cuts? Which are the most likely to be a priority to avoid?

Interconnect 3 (Grimsby-Lincoln)

The proposed cut from hourly to 2 journeys per day as reported by the Grimsby Telegraph was arguably the biggest shock amongst the changes - though A life of Lincolnshire Travel reports the cut will be to 'just' 2 hourly. This would have a far less severe impact, and would probably make it less likley Lincolnshire County Council would step in with funding. A 2 hourly service would still allow for commuting, shopping and hospital trips. Backwards step - yes. Disaster - no.

Late evening service withdrawal on the 8/9/46

I can't see these cuts being a priority for North East Lincolnshire Council to reverse. With last journeys proposed between 8-9pm the services will still be useful for hospital visting (on the 8/9) for example. It's not like the services are being cut from 6pm.

Having said that there could be options to retain the late evening service on a reduced frequency and/or on certain nights of the week. The 8 (Grimsby-New Waltham-Humberston) and 9 (Grimsby-Waltham) currently operate hourly late evening, each requring 1 vehicle. Could each service operate every two hours, sharing 1 vehicle between them and retaining a limited evening service? And/or just operate the services on say Fridays and Saturdays when demand maybe higher than earlier in the week? Similarly with the 46 (Cleethorpes-Grimsby-Immingham), also hourly but requiring 2 vehicles, reduce the frequency to 2 hourly and/or reduce the operating days?

Sunday services withdrawal on the 7/8/16

These cuts affect the hourly 7 (Grimsby-Grange Estate), 8 and 16 (Asda-Grimsby-Willows-Wybers Wood). Again I don't suspect these are priority cuts to reverse - North East Lincolnshire Council have bigger issues (see the 12 below). The Sunday service on 7 only started in April 2010.

But like the evening cuts, there are options to retain a limited service. Currently the 7 and 8 operate hourly on Sundays, but they could each operate 2 hourly instead, saving 1 vehicle.

The 16 is a bit different, it only uses 1 vehicle already on a Sunday, and could not easily be interworked with another service on a reduced frequency unless the Asda extension was dropped. Furthermore the Willows Estate has the 46 as it's main Sunday service. Diverting the 46 via Wybers Wood could be an option but it would mean the Cleethorpes to Immingham journey times would be over an hour. So probably not a viable option. Unless the 16 can be 'saved' in it's current form, I can't see another easy way to 'save' Wybers Wood's Sunday service.

Complete withdrawal of the 12 (Bradley Park-Grimsby-Cleethorpes-New Waltham)

For North East Lincolnshire Council this is almost certainly priority number 1. Unlike all the other cuts, this cut would leave certain areas completely unserved.

Currently the 12 operates hourly Monday to Saturday daytime and requires two vehicles, which the timetable would indicate also do schools work. A simple option would be to reduce the frequency to two hourly, retaining a basic service with 1 vehicle. Alternatively a more elaborate option could retain the current frequency (or even better) for part of the route.

West of Grimsby Town Centre the 12 currently serves Bradley Park (where it is the only service), Grange Estate (also served by the 7) and Littlefield Lane (only service). The 7 currently operates half hourly to from Grange to Grimsby Town Centre (and beyond) via Laceby Road and Bargate which have other services. Journey time of the 7 from Grange to Grimsby Bus Station is 17 minutes, compared to 16 minutes on the 12. So all or some 7's could be diverted via Littlefield Lane quite easily replacing the 12. Chances are this would need to be just altenate journeys as the current 7 route does serve Franklin College.

This does leave Bradley Park unserved and the 7's have no time to make the 10 minute roundtrip from Grange to Bradley Park. But perhaps hourly 13's could divert via Bradley Park instead?

Between Grimsby and Cleethorpes the 12 provides the only service for Wellington Street, Queen Mary Avenue and Brereton Avenue. My idea would be to divert the Humber Flyer, also hourly, along this route rather than Hainton Avenue/Weelsby Road/Clee Road, just as the Humber Flyer's predecessor, the X1, did. Journey times on the Humber Flyer would be unaffected, Hainton Avenue would still have the 3, part of Weelsby Road the 7 and Clee Road has no history of regular Mon-Sat bus services that I know off.

This just leaves the Cleethorpes to New Waltham section, and I see no obvious options to re-route other services here. The 7 could be diverted around Belvoir Road, but this does not provide a solution for places like Trinity Road. So maybe a Cleethorpes-New Waltham could remain, requring only 1 bus for an hourly service. There would also be time to extend daytime services to Waltham once again, providing a more direct Waltham-Cleethorpes link than the 9/9A do. Or perhaps offer a Holton Le Clay-New Waltham-Waltham link.

Removal of off-peak 45's from South Killingholme/Withdrawing the 150 from Habrough

As I noted here I can not see why the 150 (East Halton-Immingham-Grimsby) is being re-routed away from Habrough in the first place, and the 150 could also divert via South Killingholme to act as a partial replacement for the loss of the off-peak 45 to Immingham and Grimsby - otherwise South Killingholme will just be left with the very basic 250 (Barton-Immingham-Grimsby) off peak.

Interconnect 51 (Grimsby-Louth)

Apparently the plan is to reduce the Interconnect 51 from half hourly to hourly between Holton Le Clay and Louth - i.e. how it used to be until 2005. Given an hourly service will remain south of Holton Le Clay I suspect this won't be a priority cut for Lincolnshire County Council to reverse.

I also wonder if there will still be a half hourly service from the Chatsworth Drive area of Louth into the town centre - as there was pre-2005 when the 51 was only hourly to Louth.

Hopefully some or all of the cuts will be reversed in full, but what I have tried to do in this post is to set out some options if this is not possible. Ideas that could at least partially reverse the cuts

Interconnect 3 to two hourly?

A life of Lincolnshire travel reports that the Interconnect 3 between Grimsby and Lincoln will be reduced to two hourly, not just 2 journeys per day (plus extra short workings to Laceby) as reported by the Grimsby Telegraph.

In fairness to the Grimsby Telegraph they did indicate that the chnages were not 100% finalised (despite the changes being registered with VOSA), so maybe the information they published was Stagecoach's intention at one point? Or maybe it was inaccurate?

New 150 April Timetable

Traveline East Midlands has the new timetable for service 150 (East Halton-Immingham-Grimsby) from 2nd April. As already noted the service will omit Habrough from this date. Frequency remains 2 hourly on weekday daytimes. What is surprising though is that journey times will slightly increase as a result. What's being saved then by omitting Habrough other than a very small amount of fuel? Apparently it will take 16 minutes from Immingham County Hotel to North Killingholme. Really? The changes are rather strange to me. The only scenario I can think off is that the Harbough diversion is commercial and that Stagecoach want North East Lincolnshire Council funding for it.

I am also surprised that the service isn't being diverted into South Killingholme as a partial replacement for the withdrawal of the off peak service 45 from the village.

Scunthorpe Town Services Changes in April - Details

Traveline East Midlands now has details of the changes to Scunthorpe Town Services operated by Stagecoach from 2nd April.

Service 10, currently an hourly Monday to Saturday daytime service, mostly operating via 'side roads' in eastern parts of Scunthorpe, now forms a circular back into Scunthorpe. Traveline doesn't have a detailed route, but a commentor says from Ashby the 10 will operate to Beacon Hotel (my geography of Scunthorpe isn't good enough to know where that is) and then as the current 33/34 route via Westcliff (Bristol Road area) and John Leggott College. Frequency remains hourly. The service will run as route 10 in both directions, in contrast to other circulars in Scunthorpe that have a different route number in each direction.

The 10 has run as a circular before, with the 11 in the opposite direction. This happenned when the Scunthorpe Town Service network was recast in 2006. Back then the 10/11 operated from Ashby via Priory Lane, Bridges Road, Bristol Road, Scotter Road, Tesco and Scunthorpe Hospital.

Changes to circular service 31 are not showing (to me anyway) on Traveline East Midlands yet but a commentor suggests some early and/or late journeys will start/finish at Ashby rather than operate a full circular to/from Scunthorpe Bus Station.

The 31A, the Evening and Sunday Scunthorpe Town Service has some very minor timing changes on Monday to Saturday evenings and the Friday and Saturday 2330 departure from Scunthorpe Bus Station will terminate in Ashby rather than operate back into Scunthorpe 'in service' as at present. The mileage and time saving to their depot, close to Scunthorpe Bus Station, will be marginal.

The 32, which is the 'opposite' of the 31 sees the first two journeys Monday to Saturday start in Ashby rather than Scunthorpe Bus Station. Otherwise the mostly 20 minute frequency in unaltered.

The 32A, which runs in the opposite direction to the 31A also sees minor timing changes in the evening and the Fri/Sat only 2330 from Scunthorpe truncated in Ashby.

The biggest change comes to the 33/34 circulars; currently half hourly Monday to Saturday daytime, they will be reduced to hourly. However the changes to the 10 compensate for this around Westcliff.

It also won't be a disaster for passengers along Cemetery Road, Old Brumby Street, Alvingham Road and Collum Avenue who have the half hourly Hornsby 12 - though gone is the co-ordinated 15 minute frequency between the 12 and 34 from Scunthorpe Bus Station. Furthermore I suspect Stagecoach have just given Hornsby a big present here as they will have an inferior frequency compared to their independent rival.

In Bottesford passengers also have others services; the 11 and 22. It's Yaddlethorpe and Riddings that will be most affected, but these areas are 'roughly' half way on the 33/34 so passengers have 2 services an hour into Scunthorpe Town Centre. Still it's a big reduction compared to 2003 when High Leys Road and Quebec Road for example had the 341 every 20 minutes and either the 323/333 or 322/332 every half hour.

Overall these changes could have been a lot worse, and unless there are specific journeys that cause an issue, I can't see the changes causing hardship. I suspect however the 10/33/34 changes could mean a PVR reduction (by 1?) and combined with the cancellation of the 90/590, Stagecoach's Scunthorpe depot will see a significant loss of work in April.

Potential significant cutbacks by Stagecoach Grimsby Cleethorpes

The Stagecoach Grimsby Cleethorpes April service changes aren't just severe, they are very severe. The Grimsby Telegraph has the details

Interconnect 3 - Reduced from hourly to just 2 per journeys per day to Lincoln, with 6 further short journeys to Laceby
7 - Sunday daytime service between Grange Estate and Grimsby Town Centre withdrawn
8 - Evening service after 2045 and Sunday service withdrawn
9/9A - Evening service after 2040 withdrawn
12 - Withdrawn entirely
13/14 - All services to serve Morrisons (an enhancement?)
16 - Asda extensions reduced to half hourly and Sunday service withdrawn. The service is getting new vehicles however
45/46 - Ending extenions to Immingham MIC and off-peak South Killingholme services. Evening service withdrawn after 2015 and Sunday service to also serve Waltham
Interconnect 51 - Reduced from half hourly to hourly between Holton Le Clay and Louth
150 - To no longer serve Habrough

While passengers are not being urged to panic, the changes have already been registered with VOSA. Negotiations are taking place with local authorities however which could hopefully mitigate the proposed changes, being caused by BSOG reduction and issues with concessionary fare reimbursement.

Briefly some comments:

• The 3 would probably have to leave the Interconnect network unless the current hourly frequency was maintained on the southern section of the route from Lincoln. Arguably the biggest shock for me, I'd have thought the Interconnect network would be safe, but clearly not


• Bradley Park, Littlefield Lane, Wellington Street, Queen Mary Avenue, Brereton Avenue, Trinity Road, Belvoir Road and parts of New Waltham could be left unserved by the 12 withdrawal. The proposed change likely to cause the biggest public concern?


• The only evening service after 9pm in Grimsby and Cleethorpes would be the 13/14


• The 16 is getting new vehicles but could see it's Sunday service end...


• Habrough could only be left with peak time bus services, but does it really cost that much to divert the 150 via Habrough?

Petuaria Express Changes

As noted by a commentor, EYMS are making some quick alterations to the Petuaria Express from Monday 27th February. They partly reverse some of the reductions from the changes earlier this month.

Firstly the X56, which currently serves South and North Cave but not Newport or Gilberdyke, will now serve Newport and the B1230 in Gilberdyke. It will not however have time to serve Gilberdyke Village Centre. This means Newport and Gilberdyke have a roughly hourly bus to Hull, and have Monday to Saturday daytime links with South and North Cave restored.

Secondly all Petuaria Express journeys will now serve Goole Hospital inbound to Goole, a location which the previous 156 served, and the residual 155 Goole journeys still do serve. There is however no time to serve Goole Hospital on outbound journeys from Goole, but on most journeys passengers can board at Goole Hospital inbound and travel via Goole Town Centre to Howden and beyond.

Hornsby 16 to Ashby on Thursdays

The changes to Hornsby Scunthorpe Town Service 16 (Parklands Caravan Site-Brumby Wood Lane-Scunthorpe Bus Station) from 15th March see the Thursday service diverted to serve Ashby instead of Scunthorpe Town Centre. The Tuesday and Friday service is unaffected and will continue to serve Scunthorpe Bus Station.

Info tfrom Traveline East Midlands

Hornsby 35 Changes

From yesterday (13th February) Hornsby service 35 between Scunthorpe, Keadby and Amcotts saw minor changes. Some times are slightly adjusted by 1/2 minutes, while 3 journeys are extended to serve Chapel Lane in Keadby.

The service is operated under contract to North Lincolnshire Council and operates every hour Monday to Saturday daytimes between Scunthorpe and Keadby, with some services extending to Amcotts.

Info from Traveline East Midlands

Hull Bus Forum Notes, 13th February

Today saw the first Hull Bus Forum for around two years, attended by Stagecoach in Hull, EYMS and CT Plus as well as Hull City Council.

Some notable (to me) points:

Stagecoach in Hull April Service Changes

Firstly I should preface this with Jon Donnelly's (Stagecoach East Midlands North Commercial Manager) note at the start of the forum that the changes are still to be finalised. Despite this he did reveal some details of what is planned.

Some of April's changes will be related to reliability/punctuality so not every service is seeing major changes. One route this applies to is the 46.

Major Changes are coming to Bransholme services. The 31 in it's current form is withdrawn. Part of the replacement will see alternate journeys on service 30 operating via Leads Road and Midmere Avenue. There will also be a new route that is a 'hybrid' of services 30 and 32. In Orchard Park all journeys on the 13/14 will extend to Tesco. Meanwhile in East Hull the 42 will switch from serving Maybury Road to Portobello Street while the 54 shall make the reverse switch.

It has been reported on yahoo groups that Stagecoach in Hull are receiving new single deckers for the 43/54. It would seem the displaced Dennis Dart SLF's will be staying in Hull as from 2nd April the 10, 52 and 53 will go low floor. Apparently only around 3 vehicles in the Stagecoach Hull fleet will not be low floor from April.

Humber Bridge tolls

Currently the Humber Bridge Board grant a discount for buses. However when (hopefully) the tolls are reduced the discount may be removed, potentially negating the impact of lower tolls. Even if the tolls remain discounted for buses other cost pressures mean cross Humber fares won't be reduced. Jon Donnelly noted that the bridge tolls are only a small part of the costs incurred on cross Humber bus services.

Peter Shipp (EYMS Owner/Chairman) also noted that as tolls are hopefully reduced, some current bus passengers may use the car instead and that potentially bus services could see reduced use. Yes, there is a potential negative from reducing the bridge tolls!

Further Arriva changes between Selby and Goole

More changes are due for Arriva's services between Selby and Goole in April

VOSA - Bus Registration Search Results: PB0001672/5 - ARRIVA YORKSHIRE NORTH LTD, 24 BARNSLEY ROAD, WAKEFIELD, WF1 5JX
Variation Accepted: Operating between Selby Bus Station and Goole, North Street given service number 400/401/8 effective from 02-Apr-2012. To amend Timetable.

Stagecoach in Hull April Service Changes

Most Stagecoach in Hull services are changing from April 2nd. All details taken from the VOSA website:

1/2/N2 Hull-Boothferry Estate
10 Hull City Circular
13/14 Hull-Orchard Park
15/N15 Hull-Orchard Park-Kingswood
28/28A Hull-Sutton Park-Bransholme-Kingswood
30/30W Hull-Bransholme-North Bransholme-(Wawne)
31 Hull-Kingswood
32 Hull-Bransholme
41/42 Hull-Greatfield
43/N43 Hull-Greatfield
46 Hull-Marfleet Village
51/N51 Hull-Bransholme-Kingswood
52/53 Hull-Bilton Grange/Ings Estate-Salthouse Road
54 Hull-Bilton Grange
70/677 (Beverley Road)-Hull-Ferry Terminal-(Cranswick Foods Preston)
110 Hull-Bricknell Estate-Cottingham-Castle Hill

(Note: when multiple services are registered on the same license, only some services may change)

So far at least no changes due for the K1, 123, 242, 350 Humber Fastcat, Humber Flyer and (X)62

Stagecoach Grimsby Cleethorpes April Service Changes

Stagecoach Grimsby Cleethorpes have cancelled service 12 between Bradley Park, Grimsby, Cleethorpes and New Waltham (with one journey each way also serving Waltham) from April 2nd. If not re-registered or replaced by other services this would leave Bradley Park, parts of New Waltham and some side roads in Grimsby and Cleethorpes without a bus service.

VOSA - Bus Registration Search Results: PB0000163/41 - GRIMSBY CLEETHORPES TRANSPORT CO LTD T/A STAGECOACH GRIMSBY CLEETHORPES, PO BOX 15, DEACON ROAD, LINCOLN, LN2 4JB
Cancellation Accepted: Operating between Bradley Park Grimsby and New Waltham given service number 12B/12/12W effective from 02-Apr-2012.

Services being amended from the same date are:
3 Grimsby-Caistor-Market Rasen-Lincoln
7 (Laceby)-Grange Estate-Grimsby-North Sea Lane
8 Grimsby-New Waltham-North Sea Lane
9/9A Waltham-Hospital-Grimsby-Cleethorpes-North Sea Lane
13/14 Bradley Cross Roads-Grimsby-Cleethorpes
16 Wybers Wood-Willows-Grimsby-Asda
45/46 (Cleethorpes)-Grimsby-Immingham-South Killingholme-(Ulceby)
51 Grimsby-Louth
150 Grimsby-Immingham-East Halton

(Note: when multiple services are registered on the same license, only some services may change)

Stagecoach Scunthorpe April Service Changes

Stagecoach have today registered with VOSA the Thursday and Saturday North Lincolnshure Council contracted Goxhill-Ulceby-Brigg-Scunthorpe service on the Lincolnshire Road Car license from April 2nd. The service is currently operated on the Grimsby Cleethorpes Transport license by Grimsby depot, so I presume is transferring to Scunthorpe depot.

Stagecoach Scunthorpe Town Services with changes registered with VOSA from the same date are:
10
31/31A/32/32A
33/34

Plus the 101/601 to Gainsborough

(Note: when multiple services are registered on the same license, only some services may change)
UPDATE - Grimsby Cleethorpes Transport have cancelled their 366 reigistration

Stagecoach also cancel the 90

It's not just the 398 Stagecoach have cancelled today, also the commercial hourly 90 between Brigg, Ashby, Scunthorpe and Crowle, along with college day variant 590

VOSA - Bus Registration Search Results: PB0001484/4 - LINCOLNSHIRE ROAD CAR CO LTD, PO BOX 15, DEACON ROAD, LINCOLN, LN2 4JB
Cancellation Accepted: Operating between Brigg and Garthorpe given service number 90/590/90C effective from 02-Apr-2012.

The 90 currently provides a 'fast' service between Brigg and Scunthorpe in contrast to Hornsby service 4 that operates via Broughton. Some journeys also divert via Scawby. Between Scunthorpe and Crowle Sweyne Coaches also provide alternative services on weekdays, though at a far lower frequency. Stagecoach operated Saturday tendered service 357 also links Scunthorpe and Crowle on Saturdays.

Stagecoach cancel 398

From VOSA:

VOSA - Bus Registration Search Results: PB0001484/115 - LINCOLNSHIRE ROAD CAR CO LTD, PO BOX 15, DEACON ROAD, LINCOLN, LN2 4JB
Cancellation Accepted: Operating between Gainsborough and Belton given service number 398 effective from 02-Apr-2012.

The 398 is a Tuesday 'shopping' service from the Isle of Axholme to Gainsborough. I'm unsure if it is tendered or not, so it could simply be transferring to another operator.

Interconnect 51 Changes

From February 20th Stagecoach Interconnect 51 between Grimsby and Louth will have a revised route in Louth town centre due to congestion and most journeys from Louth will run 5 minutes earlier throughout

New timetable

Hull Bus Forum

On Monday (13th) there will be a Bus Forum held at the Guidhall in Hull, starting at 12 Noon. This must be first bus forum, as opposed to surgery, in Hull for around two years. The one previous forum I attended in 2009 got very heated after controversial changes to service in East Hull.

The event is organised by the City of Hull and Humber Environment Forum and will be attended by bus operators and Hull City Council.

Snow

Credit to everyone trying to keep bus services running during tonight's snow. Hopefully the driver of Stagecoach 22757 on the Humber Fastcat will get home safely - I passed the bus stuck in a queue of waiting traffic on the almost blocked A1077 between Barton and South Ferriby tonight while having to walk home myself in the opposite direction.

Also credit to EYMS for keeping their twitter feed updated on a Saturday night.

Not bus related, but also credit to those in 4x4's/Landrovers coming to the rescue of those who were stuck in the snow.

Holloways 55 Changes

Holloways Coaches service 55 between Scunthorpe, Appleby and Winterton, operated under contract to North Lincolnshire Council, is being amended from 5th March.

VOSA - Bus Registration Search Results: PB0001403/10 - HOLLOWAYS COACHES LTD, COTTAGE BECK ROAD, SCUNTHORPE, DN16 1TP
Variation Accepted by SN: Operating between Scunthorpe Bus Station and Winterton given service number 55 effective from 05-Mar-2012. To amend Route and Timetable.

York Pullman cancel service 10

No sooner do I cover the takeover of York Pullman's local bus operations by Transdev, and they cancel the 10, a month after the takeover occurs. The cancellation could simply be related to the takeover, so eyes out for a Transdev re-registration.

VOSA - Bus Registration Search Results: PB1081341/5 - YORK PULLMAN BUS COMPANY LTD, Wetherby Road,, RUFFORTH, YORK, YO23 3QA
Cancellation Accepted: Operating between Stamford Bridge and Poppleton given service number 10/10A effective from 25-Mar-2012.

No cancellation yet for any other York Pullman service however.

Transdev acquire York Pullman

Route 1 magazine reports that from February 25th Transdev will acquire the local bus operations of York Pullman. This includes two tendered routes into East Yorkshire; the daily evening and Saturday morning service 10 from Nether Poppleton and York to Stamford Bridge and the weekday X36 commuter service from Pocklington to York via Elvington.

Transdev's Yorkshire Coastliner route already operates into East Yorkshire, with a limited service from Bridlington to Malton, York and Leeds.

Colins of Goole 156 to no longer serve Elloughton

It seems that Colins of Goole tendered service 156 will only operate from Goole to North Cave from Sunday, no longer extending to Elloughton. No doubt related to EYMS replacing the Sunday 155 with the X57 serving North and South Cave and Gilberdyke (3 out of 4 journeys only).

VOSA - Bus Registration Search Results: PB1072985/3 - THOMAS WHEELER T/A COLINS OF GOOLE, MORDEN, MAIN STREET, HEMINGBROUGH, SELBY, YO8 6QU
Registration Accepted by SN
Starting Point: North Cave
Finish Point: Goole
Via: Gilberdyke, Eastrington, Howden
Service Number: 156
Service Type: Normal Stopping
Effective Date: 05-FEB-2012
Other Details: Sunday service and Bank Holidays

Hornsby 16 Changes

Hornsby have applied to alter tendered Scunthorpe Town Service route 16 in March. The service was last revised in August when a Friday service was added.

VOSA - Bus Registration Search Results: PB0001410/26 - HORNSBY TRAVEL SERVICES LTD, 51 - 53 ASHBY HIGH STREET, SCUNTHORPE, DN16 2NB
Variation Accepted: Operating between parklands Scunthorpe and Scunthorpe bus station given service number 16 effective from 15-Mar-2012. To amend Timetable.

National Express Changes

East Riding of Yorkshire Council reports that Beverley will lose it's National Express service to Newcastle, Edinburgh and Glasgow next month.

Future bus service changes: National Express, Service 534 Hull to Glasgow - will no longer serve Beverley from 27th February 2012.

Colins of Goole 156 Changes

East Riding of Yorkshire Council reports that Colins of Goole tendered Sunday service 156 is changing as a result of the A63 corridor service changes by EYMS. EYMS are replacing their Sunday service on the 155 between Brough and Hull (with one journey also serving South Cave) with service X57 between Gilberdyke, South Cave, Brough and Hull (plus changes to the 153).

Future bus service changes: Colins of Goole, Service 156 Goole to Elloughton - Sunday service will be revised because of the changes being introduced by East Yorkshire Motor Services from 5th February 2012.

144 to Brough

From February, and as part of the A63 Corridor Changes by EYMS, service 144 will gain a Thursday journey, as well as it's current Tuesday and Friday journeys. It will also start back in Elloughton, operating via Brough, Welton and Melton before picking up it's current route from North Ferriby, Swanland and Kirk Ella to Willerby, Castle Hill Hospital, Cottingham and Beverley. The current frequency of one journey each way will remain.

Combined with service 143, Melton, Welton, Brough and Elloughton will have a link to Beverley 6 days a week.

Wicstun Express to Brough

As part of February's A63 corridor changes by EYMS, the X4 Wicstun Express from Market Weighton to York will be extended to start from Brough, also serving Elloughton, South Cave and Sancton. 4 journeys will operate on weekdays, and 3 on Saturdays, providing links for commuters and leisure travel.

The changes do mean a slight reduction between Market Weighton and York from the current 5 weekday/4 Saturday journeys into York, but the X4 does gain a later last departure from York under the new timetable, ideal for commuting. Market Weighton also has the hourly X46 and hourly 746 into York.

Good to see EYMS trying out new links from Brough, Elloughton and South Cave into York, with a nice quick, direct route.

I guess the X4 will pass from Pocklington to Elloughton depot as part of these changes.

The Humber Linc

Contained within the minutes of a December Barton Town Council meeting is a proposal by the Barton to Cleethorpes Community Rail Partnership to rename the Barton to Cleethorpes rail route to 'The Humber Linc'. The idea hasn't gone well with Barton Town Councillors however who resolved to strongly object, feeling that retaining Barton and Cleethorpes in the route's title would be more appropiate.

EYMS A63 Corridor Changes Announced

EYMS has released details of changes to the A63 corridor following consultation last year, coming into effect on Sunday 5th February. My first impression - complicated. Gone is the relatively simple arrangement of the hourly (Mon-Sat daytime) 155/6 between Hull and Goole serving every settlement in between, supplemented by the fast X55 Petuaria Express between Gilberdyke, Brough and Hull (hourly weekdays, 2 hourly Saturday). Now there will be the 155, X55, X56 and X57 (plus the occasional 153 as now). There are clear advantages for some in the new arrangements however, but it's not good for everyone.

Under the new arrangements on Monday to Saturday daytimes the Petuaria Express remains hourly between Hull, Brough and Elloughton. It then operates either via South and North Cave as the X56, or as the X55 via Gilberdyke before provding an hourly service to Howden and Goole. Some journeys will serve both South and North Cave and Gilberdyke, operating as the X57. The X57 also operates on Sundays, with 4 return journeys between Hull and South Cave, with 3 extending to Gilberdyke.

The 155 is a roughly two hourly service between Hull, Brough and South Cave with odd extensions to North Cave, Gilberdyke, Howden and Goole. It remains the only Monday to Saturday evening service along the corridor, but the Sunday service is axed, replaced by the X57 and changes to the 153.

Let's look in detail at what the changes mean for certain areas or links. I've not looked into peak times where things get rather complicated, including 153's to Gilberdyke, but EYMS say the Petuaria Express now has earlier and later journeys.

Boothferry Road, Hull

The Hull to Goole service has been the main bus service along Boothferry Road, between the Anlaby Park Road Junction and Darley's Roundabout for some years. Even after the doubling to half hourly of the 350 (Humber Fastcat) and the diversion of the Humber Flyer along Boothferry Road, I've still seen customers wanting to know if they could buy a ticket on a Humber Fastcat/Flyer and return on the 155. The perception seems to be that the 155 is the main bus service along this stretch of road.

Now the 155 will most certainly not be the main service here. It will be pretty token compared to the 3 buses an hour provided by the Humber Fastcat/Flyer. And an interesting side note, EYMS are effecticely giving up the stretch of road to Stagecoach, who operate all of the Humber Flyer and most of the Humber Fastcat. It's not a key stretch of road, but interesting anyway.

Hessle

Within Hessle the 155 provides the main or only bus services for a number of roads to the west of the town centre; part of Swanland Road, Barrow Lane and Ferriby Road. These roads will see their bus service halved Monday to Saturday daytimes and their Sunday service withdrawn.

North Ferriby

Currently North Ferriby has 2 buses an hour into Hull City Centre, the 153, via Swanland and Anlaby, and the 155 via Hessle. Under the new arrangements, with the 155 frequency cut, North Ferriby is left with 1.5 services an hour with EYMS into Hull City Centre Monday to Saturday daytimes. It also looses it's Sunday 155 service, but this is unlikely to be a great loss given the 153 operates hourly on Sunday daytimes.

Melton and Welton

Two more communities that loose out from the 155 cutbacks on Monday to Saturday daytimes. However they don't loose out on Sundays, with the 153 extending to these two communities every 2 hours as a replacement for the axed 155 Sunday service.

Brough and Elloughton to Hull

Currently Brough and Elloughton have 2 buses an hour into Hull on weekday daytimes, the X55 Petuaria Express and slower 155. On Saturdays the X55 is just every 2 hours. From February Mondays to Saturdays see 1.5 buses an hour into Hull City Centre from EYMS, the Petuaria Express hourly and two hourly 155. So a weekday reduction, and Saturdays the same, but with more faster Petuaria Express buses instead of slower 155's. Sundays see the current 4 services into Hull City Centre, but now on the faster X57, rather than the 155.

Of course prior to the launch of the Petuaria Express, Brough only had one EYMS service an hour into Hull. And it what impact could the proposed BAe redundancies have on demand for bus travel?

Brough and Elloughton to North and South Cave

Ignoring the 3 day a week 144, currently Brough and Elloughton are linked to North and South Cave by 155 every hour Monday to Saturday daytimes. From February this link will be maintained by a combination of the 155 (mostly just to South Cave), an extended X4 Wictsun Express (just to South Cave) and the X56, with some rather uneven interval timings. Let's take an example from Elloughton:

1000 (X4) 1003 (155) 1051 (X56) 1216 (155), 1249 (X56), 1300 (X4), 1431 (155), 1449 (X56)

From South Cave:

0933 (X56) 0938 (X4) 1020 (155) 1128 (X56) 1228 (X4) 1235 (155) 1328 (X56) 1526 (155) 1528 (X4) 1528 (X56)

Not too bad from South Cave, but still not the easiest to remember. I'm guessing Brough/Elloughton-South Cave isn't the biggest traffic flow, but equally I doubt it is non-existant.

Brantingham

Another 155 casualty, as it's hourly service becomes about every two hours Monday to Saturday, with no more Sunday services.

North and South Cave to Hull

Currently both North and South Cave have the 155 hourly into Hull. From February they both get the 2 hourly, but much faster X56. South Cave (and occasionally North Cave) still has the reduced 155 giving an approximately hourly service combined with the X56 into Hull, and 2 buses every 2 hours coming back. Simplicity sacrificed in favour of some faster services.

North Cave does gain a Sunday link into Hull on the X57, and South Cave goes from 1 to 4 Sunday services into Hull, so clear improvements one day a week.

North and South Cave to Gilberdyke

Hopefully no one makes this journey much, since the changes make doing so Monday to Saturday daytimes near impossible.

Gilberdyke to Hull

Gilberdyke looses out big time. It's hourly Petuaria Express becomes two hourly, and the 155 disappears Monday to Saturday daytimes. From 2 buses an hour on weekdays, to 0.5. Maybe Gilberdyke's train service is responsible? Sundays do see Gilberdyke gain 3 journeys to Hull however.

Newport Industrial Estate

Newport Industrial Estate gains a new link from Hull and Brough; an X55 arrives at 0743 on weekdays, with a return at 1622.

Links to Howden and Goole

Howden and Goole retain an hourly EYMS service, on the X55/6 Petuaria Express rather than the 155/6. So an hourly link between the two, and to Brough and Hull, and two hourly rather than hourly to Gilberdyke, North and South Cave. Journey times to North Cave, South Cave, Brough and Hull are significantly reduced on the Petuaria Express compared to the 156/155.

As far as I can tell the Petuaria Express will not serve Goole Hospital, as the 156 currently does.

However just to confuse things, early morning, late afternoons and evenings still see 155 journeys to Howden and Goole (and these will serve Goole Hospital). Seems very messy, especially as the 155 and Petuaria Express do not have a joint timetable. Could things have been made simplier for example by operating the 0725 Elloughton-Goole 155, the only morning 155 to Goole, as an X57 (with a diversion via Goole Hospital if needed)?

Conclusion

Faster journey times have been the priority here. The Petuaria Express has been a success. The focus is on the major settlements, and links into Hull. Frequency, and smaller settlements have suffered as a result. As has simplicity. The 155 is left to 'pick up pieces' not served by the Petuaria Express. I'll let passengers judge if EYMS have made the right decisions.

Any comments, corrections or oversights to my post welcome.

133 Summer 2012 Changes

The 133 is a Summer weekend only service between Driffield and Malton

VOSA - Bus Registration Search Results: PB1084446/5 - BUSKING LTD, 52, MAIN STREET, NORTH FRODINGHAM, DRIFFIELD, YO25 8LG
Variation Accepted: Operating between Driffield and Malton given service number 133 effective from 07-Apr-2012. To amend Timetable.

The case for rail electrification to Hull

Last month it was announced that the Manchester to Leeds via Huddersfield Transpennine rail route would be electrified. It now seems clear that the Leeds to York section will also be electrified. Combined with existing and committed electrification, the north Transpennine Express route from Liverpool and Manchester Airport via Manchester, Leeds and York to Newcastle will be electrified, enabling conversion of the route to be operated by electric multiple units (EMU) instead of the current Diesel Class 170 Turbostar and Class 185 Desiro units.

However the current service pattern of North Transpennine services does not match this. Services currently serve 4 different eastern destinations: Newcastle, Middlesborough, Scarborough and Hull. So while Newcastle will maintain it's current Transpennine Express service, what happens to Middlesborough, Scarborough and Hull? Consideration is being made of electrification to these destinations, but with only one Transpennine Express service an hour to these destinations the benefits of doing so look weak, if considered purely in the context of Transpennine Express services.

If the Hull to Leeds line is not electrified, Hull risks loosing it's current Manchester service in favour of a truncated Hull to Leeds shuttle. At best would be a service to Manchester via the slower Calder Valley route via Bradford and Halifax. Either way Hull would loose out, as would the intermediate stations between Hull and Leeds served by Transpennine Express, principally Brough and Selby. So a case needs to be made to electrify the Hull to Leeds line. Fortunately for Hull (and unlike Scarborough) the Hull to Leeds route is used by more than just an hourly Transpennine Express service.

Reviewing the route from Leeds end, the section from Leeds station to Neville Hill depot in East Leeds is already electrified, and the section to Micklefield Junction, east of Garforth, will be electrified as part of the Leeds to York scheme. So in reality the case needs to be made for Micklefield Junction to Hull.

The first section to consider is Micklefield Junction to Hambleton Junctions, between South Milford and Selby. Hambleton Junction is where the Hull-Leeds route interacts with the East Coast Main Line (ECML). If the Micklefield to Hambleton Junction section is electrified, including the west to south curve at Hambleton onto the ECML, then a second electrified route from the ECML into Leeds is created. This would be very useful for diversions and/or enabling some scheduled London-Leeds services to route this way.

Staying on the subject of Hambleton Junction, if the North to East curve from the ECML onto the Hull-Leeds line is electrified then the hourly Hull to York service could be converted to EMU operation. On it's own I doubt this service would justify EMU's, but as part of a wider package maybe. A complicating factor would be that some Hull to York services actually route via Sherburn in Elmet, but here there would be two options; electrify the short section between Gascoigne Wood (east of South Milford) and Church Fenton (on the York-Leeds line) enabling Sherburn to be served by EMU's, or enhance the York-Pontefract-Sheffield service to act as replacement service for Sherburn.

Moving further East there is Selby. Between Leeds and Selby there are 2 services each hour; the Transpennine Express service to Hull and a stopping service. The stopping service currently starts back in Wakefield operating a 'Grand Tour' of West Yorkshire before ending up in Selby. However splitting the Leeds to Selby section from this would allow it to be operated by EMU's.

Selby also raises the possibility of electrifying the line from here to Temple Hirst Junction on the ECML. This would enable the conversion of all Hull to London services to EMU operation. This would save the existing practice of diesel's operating long distances on the electrified ECML. East Coast Trains would not need to use a diesel High Speed Train, or in the future a bi-mode Intercity Express to Hull - further undermining what in my opinion is a weak case for these bi-mode trains. First Hull Trains could also convert their operation to EMU's, though as an open access operator they could not be forced to do so.

Once again there is also diversionary uses for electrifying the Temple Hirst route. Ensure the Selby avoiding curve is included and the ECML has a new diversionary route between Hambleton and Temple Hirst Junction. Electrify the Sherburn route as discussed above and that diversionary route becomes Colton Junction, south of York, to Temple Hirst Junction.

So in summary the following services could be converted to EMU operation:
Hull-Leeds-Manchester Transpennine Express - Once per hour
Selby-Leeds stoping service - Once per hour
Hull-York - Once per hour
Hull-London - About every two hours
That is at least two services per hour over all sections of the Hull to Micklefield Junction route, including 2.5 services an hour between Hull and Selby. This would displace a significant number of diesel's such as sprinters, turbostars and desiros to replace pacer units, avoiding the need to order brand new diesels as replacements.

Furthermore there is also freight to consider. A lot depends of whether the destination at the other end of the route is also electrified, and the availability of an electric locomotive, but electrifying the Hull to Leeds line could include the Potter Group freight depot at Selby as well as sidings at Gascoigne Wood and nearby Milford. Potentially even Hull Docks if the connecting line to the docks was included in the electrification scheme.

Finally electrifying the Hull to Leeds line could also reduce the cost of complexity of future electrification, namely the Hull to Doncaster via Goole line. This route shares the Leeds route between Hull and Gilberdyke, so any future electrification would only need to cover Gilberdyke to Doncaster. If the Doncaster to Sheffield route was electrified, Gilberdyke to Doncaster would be an easy add-on, far easier and cheaper than Hull to Doncaster.

I'm no expert on costs, but the case for electrifing Hull to Micklefield Junction does seem strong in terms of the services which could use it. Plus politically investment in rail services to Brough might be a good move at the moment - and certainly the town won't want to be served by an inferior Manchester service.

Stagecoach 51 February Changes

From VOSA:

VOSA - Bus Registration Search Results: PB0000163/49 - GRIMSBY CLEETHORPES TRANSPORT CO LTD T/A STAGECOACH GRIMSBY CLEETHORPES, PO BOX 15, DEACON ROAD, LINCOLN, LN2 4JB
Variation Accepted: Operating between Grimsby Bus Station and Louth Bus Station given service number 51/51A/51B/51C effective from 20-Feb-2012. To amend Route and Timetable.

Vastly improved Europarc services for 2012

When, earlier in the month, I saw a snippet about improved services to the Europarc industrial estate, located off the A180 west of Grimsby, I expected a few extra journeys on current service 2. However operator Stagecoach Grimsby Cleethorpes have now announced full details, and the enhancements are quite significant and interesting. Plus it is not just Europarc that benefits, but two residential roads gain regular bus services for the first time in a few years. All changes come into effect from Tuesday January 3rd and are on weekdays only.

Starting with service 2. This currently operates hourly, with some afternoon gaps from Grimsby Bus Station via Victoria Street Tesco, Corporation Road and Gilbey Road to Europarc. However from January it will start at Riby Square and operate via Victor Street and Asda en-route to Grimsby Bus Station. The frequency will be hourly, with no more afternoon gaps.

This is the first regular bus service along Victor Street in a number of years. I have a service 7 timetable from 1987 which showed services between Riby Square and Bradley Cross Roads operating via Victor Street. I know the 7 continued until at least the late 1990's, possibly the early 2000's, but whether it stil served Victor Street then I am unsure.

In terms of services to Europarc though, the big boost comes from new service 1. This operates from Grimsby Bus Station via Lord Street to Europarc before extending through Great Coates to Wybers Wood Top. I guess the purpose of this extension is to offer Wybers Wood-Europarc links as well as providing an option to connect onto Immingham buses avoiding Grimsby Town Centre. Frequency is hourly with some afternoon gaps. Together with service 2 there are two buses per hour from Grimsby to Europarc, and a half hourly service in the return direction.

Service 1 actually isn't new. I'm not sure exactly when it ended previously, but I do have a North East Lincolnshire Bus and Rail Map from 2003 which shows service 1 and it's sister service 2 operating from Riby Square via Freeman Street, Hainton Avenue, Weelsby Road, Bargate and Grimsby Town Centre to Gilbey Road. Back then the 1 operated via Alexandra Road and Corporation Road and the 2 via Lord Street. In the 2012 version the services have swapped their previous routes with the 1 now serving Lord Street and the 2 Corporation Road. The new service 1 is also the first regular (i.e. not schools related) bus service to serve Lord Street since the old service 2 was withdrawn, as far as I am aware.

Finally existing early morning and evening service 20 from Cleethorpes and Grimsby Town Centre to Europarc is extended to Wybers Wood Top, following the route of service 1.

New timetable, including route map

Services 1, 2 and 20 recieve financial support from North East Lincolnshire Council and the European Regional Development Fund.

(X)62 January Changes

As well as splitting the X62 Ridings Express (Hull-Goole-Leeds) into 3 separate sections (though no need to change buses), Stagecoach in Hull are making some changes to times from Tuesday 3rd January.

Monday to Friday

Current Departure Times from Hull: 0630 0930 1130 1530 1700
New Departure Times from Hull: 0630 0930 1200 1500 1700

Current Departure Times from Leeds: 0830 1130 1330 1730 1900
New Departure Times from Leeds: 0900 1200 1430 1730 1910

Saturday

Current Departure Times from Hull: 0630 0830 1030 1230 1430 1630
New Departure Times from Hull: 0630 0930 1030 1200 1400 1500 1700

Current Departure Times from Leeds: 0830 1030 1230 1430 1630 1830
New Departure Times from Leeds: 0900 1200 1300 1430 1630 1730 1910

Sunday/Bank Holiday departure times are unchanged.

Turnaround times seem to be extended, in some cases 42 minutes at Leeds City Bus Station, which should avoid delays on inbound journeys being 'passed onto' outbound journeys. There is also an additional journey on Saturdays.

The service also seems to be renumbered 62.

X36 Funding Extended

A consortium of councils have agreed to continue funding York Pullman's X36 from Pocklington to York until March 2013. The service was started earlier this year after EYMS withdrew peak time commercially operated journeys on service 195.

Hornsby February 2012 Service Change

VOSA - Bus Registration Search Results: PB0001410/21 - HORNSBY TRAVEL SERVICES LTD, 51 - 53 ASHBY HIGH STREET, SCUNTHORPE, DN16 2NB
Variation Accepted: Operating between Scunthorpe Bus Station and Anncotts given service number 35 effective from 13-Feb-2012. To amend Route and Timetable.

Note the spelling mistake - the 35 terminates in Amcotts

Current timetable

EYMS 103 returns

From Monday 16th January welcome enhancements will be made to services on the Hull City Centre-Beverley Road-Hull University-Cottingham corridor. This is currently served by the 105 operating every 20 minutes Monday to Saturday daytimes, half hourly Monday to Saturday evenings and hourly all day Sunday. Supplementing this is the university term time 102 (effectively a 105 duplicate) and nightbus 106. Some evening and Sunday X47 journeys also operate via this route en-route to York.

Extra services are to be added on the 102 between Hull University and The Lawns Halls of Residence to help prevent overcrowding. The current Wednesday variations are withdrawn, while no services will now serve Hull City Centre.

There will also be a new 103. Based on the timing points provided this service will operate via Spring Bank, Princes Avenue and Newland Avenue rather than Beverley Road between Hull City Centre and Hull University, then as a 105 to The Lawns.

On weekdays the 103 operates occasional journeys during the daytime (replacing the 102) and hourly in the evening. The evening journey's also operate on Saturdays and give 3 buses per hour from Cottingham into Hull combined with the 105. On Sunday daytimes the 103 will operate hourly, giving two buses per hour between The Lawns and Hull combined with the 105. The 103 only operates during University semester times.

However the 103 isn't actually brand new. Until the revised and simplified Cottingham Network was launched in 2005? it operates half hourly Monday to Saturday daytime from The Lawns via Cottingham Centre, Hull University, Newland Avenue, Queens Road and Beverley Road into Hull City Centre.

New 102/103/105 timetable (which seems to have 2 separate weekday timetables, one of which shows the 102 operating in the evening - hopefully to be cleared up with EYMS release the pdf timetable and press release)

Selby-Goole enhancements in the New Year

North Yorkshire County Council report enhancements to Arriva Yorkshire service between Selby and Goole from 16th January.

"Monday to Saturday the last two journeys from Selby at 1705hrs & 1810hrs will continue to Goole. The 1740hrs Goole to Selby will no longer operate but is replaced by 1800hrs and 190hrs from Goole to Selby"

The 1705 (Sat)/1720 (Mon-Fri) was curtailed in West Cowick in August 2010 and the 1810 was curtailed at West Cowick earlier that year. Reversing these enhancements is a welcome move.

Arriva Yorkshire Christmas/New Year 2011-12 Service Arrangements

Arrangements for Arriva Yorkshire services into East Yorkshire over Christmas and New Year:

Christmas Eve - Normal Saturday service
Christmas Day/Boxing Day - No service
Bank Holiday Tuesday 27th - Sunday service (routes served: 356/400/401)

Wednesday 28th-Friday 30th - Saturday service (so service 4 will not serve Howden and Goole)

New Years Eve - Normal Saturday service
New Years Day - No service
Bank Holiday Monday 2nd - Sunday service (routes served: 356/400/401)

Services in East Yorkshire affected are:
4 - Selby-Hemingbrough, with extensions to Howden and Goole on weekdays only
8/400/401 - Selby-Goole
356 - Goole-Swinefleet (Sundays and Bank Holidays only)

New EYMS 35A

EYMS have released full details of the replacement service for the 48 to Maplewood Avenue. To clarify this previous post, all 35's will still serve Willerby, with two daytime journey's in each direction diverting en-route via Maplewood Avenue. These services will be numbered 35A. As a result the 35 is no longer an even interval hourly service. Journey times from Willerby Parkway into Hull will also be slightly extended on diverted journeys.

Kirklands Road, currently served by the 48, will cease to be served by a bus service from January 8th, as the vehicles used on the 35 are too big to serve the road.

2012 to see improved Europarc services?

A very small snippet from page 24 of today's Grimsby Telegraph: "Plans for an extended bus service for Europarc will be announced in the new year". The Europarc industrial estate near Great Coates is currently served by Stagecoach Grimsby Cleethorpes, with the number 2 operating during the day from Grimsby Bus Station, and the 20 operating in the early morning and evening from Cleethorpes and Grimsby.

Current timetable

EYMS A63/M62 Corridor Changes

EYMS have today registered with VOSA various service changes/cancellations/registrations that seems to relate to the A63/M62 Corridor Service Review earlier this year. I'm struggling to copy and paste the the reigistrations but here is a summary:

Registrations Being Amended:
144 - Elloughton to Beverley
151/152 - Hull to Willerby
152/153 - Hull to Gilberdyke
155/155A - Hull to Goole
X4 Market Weighton to York
X55/X56/X57 - Hull to Howden

Registrations Being Cancelled:
156 - Ferriby to Goole

New Registrations:
X4 Brough to Market Weighton
X55 Elloughton to Goole

All changes are from February 5th.

While VOSA terminus points aren't always accurate, it would appear the X4 Wictsun Express from Market Weighton to York will now start in Brough, while the X55 Petuaria Express from Hull to Gilberdyke will extend to Goole.

Festive service arrangements

Now the region's two main operators have released details of their festive service arrangements, some thoughts:

Boxing Day

Boxing Day seems to be becoming an increasingly popular shopping day, and bus companies (or is it local councils?) are responding accordingly. In the Humber region it seems Grimsby is being left behind as Hull and Scunthorpe have basic networks in place. Would it be worth taking a risk in Grimsby next year - any network would also be boosted by Boxing Day visitors to Cleethorpes. Perhaps just an hourly service on Stagecoach's 9/13/14 and see what happens?

In the case of Hull, is it also time to be going beyond the Hull City boundary more? Cottingham and Willerby have Boxing Day buses, but Hessle does not. Again is it worth trying an hourly service. What about Beverley as well, or Barton (if the Humber Fastcat ran on Boxing Day it may well get me as a user at least). Though of course move outside the city boundary, and I doubt Hull City Council will be offering significant financial support - which perhaps explains the current network.

New Years Eve

It would seem the relatively recent introduction of New Years Eve evening and nightbuses in Hull is working well, with additional services this year. Hopefully further improvements will be possible in future years.

New Years Day

Less shops are open on New Years Day than Boxing Day, but it would be nice to see a very basic network to serve those shops and leisure attractions that are open - and hospitals. Plus I suspect Cleethorpes sees a few visitors.

The weird thing about New Years Day is that trains run almost as normal. Unless New Years Day is on a Sunday, I could catch a 8am-ish train from Barton to Cleethorpes, spend 12 hours at the seaside and catch a 9pm-ish return home. Better than a normal Sunday!

As a final comment, many bus drivers and support staff, and people in other industries, want time off over Christmas, which is understandable. Yet remember not everyone does. Some would quite happily work for personal reasons. Some will work for the money. Hopefully those that want to work can, and those that don't can take time off.

Festive period improvements (mostly) for Stagecoach in Hull

Stagecoach in Hull have released details of their Christmas/New Year service plans. This year sees mostly improved services, which is to be welcomed. Before I go into detail on this, here is the festive period service pattern:

Christmas Eve - Normal Saturday service with early finish
Christmas Day - No service
Boxing Day - Special services (see below)
Bank Holiday Tuesday 27th - Enhanced Sunday service

Wednesday 28th-Friday 30th - Saturday service including nightbuses

New Years Eve - Saturday service with early finish, then special timetables on selected routes
New Years Day - No service
Bank Holiday Monday 2nd - Sunday service

Stagecoach leaflet

Boxing Day daytime provision is as follows (2010 in brackets):
1 (Boothferry Estate) - hourly (hourly)
2 (Boothferry Estate) - hourly (hourly)
13 (Orchard Park) - half hourly (hourly)
14 (Orchard Park) - half hourly (hourly)
15 (Orchard Park/Kingswood) - half hourly (hourly)
28b (Sutton Park/North Point) - hourly (hourly)
30 (North Point/North Bransholme) - hourly (hourly)
32 (North Point) - hourly (hourly)
41a (Greatfield, via Holderness Road) - hourly (hourly on service 42)
43 (Greatfield) - hourly (hourly)
51/51b (North Point/Kingswood) - 2 buses per hour to North Point, hourly to Kingswood (hourly 51, no 51b)
54 (Bilton Grange) - hourly (hourly)

So double the frequency this year for the 13/14/15 and most of the 51 route

Moving onto Bank Holiday Tuesday 27th. Last year both Bank Holidays the 27th and 28th saw a normal Sunday service, but this year the following routes gain extra frequencies for all or part of the daytime compared to a normal Sunday service:
1 (Boothferry Estate)
2 (Boothferry Estate)
13 (Orchard Park)
14 (Orchard Park)
28 (Sutton Park/North Point)
30 (North Point/North Bransholme)
32 (North Point)
43 (Greatfield)
51b (North Point)
All other routes see normal Sunday service levels

On the 28th-30th this year Nightbuses will operate, and to their Saturday timetable. In past years Nightbuses have not operated on Mondays to Thursdays between Christmas and New Year, just like any other Mon-Thu.

Now for New Years Eve evening which sees significant increases, with 2010 services in brackets:
1/2/N2 (Boothferry Estate/Hessle) - hourly service on the 1/2 until midnight, then half hourly N2 (half hourly N2 from 2100)
13a/13b/N13 (Orchard Park) - hourly 13a/b until midnight, then hourly N13 on a route that does not normally receive nightbuses (2010, no service)
N15 (Orchard Park/Kingswood) - hourly evening 15/half hourly N15 after midnight (hourly N15 from 2030)
28 (Sutton Park/North Point) - hourly service until 2210 (2010, no service)
32/N32 (North Point) - hourly evening 32, hourly N32 (hourly N32 from 2035)
43/N43 (Greatfield) - hourly evening 43/half hourly N43 (hourly N43 from 2105)
51/N51 (North Point/Kingswood) - hourly evening 51/half hourly N51 (houtly N51 from 2100)
54 (Bilton Grange) - hourly evening 54 (was served by N43 in the evening)

Sadly this post ends on a negative. No New Years Day services will operate this year.

No doubt at least some of this years changes are down to Hull City Council funding.

All comparisons based on last year's post

Stagecoach Grimsby Cleethorpes Christmas/New Year 2011-12 Services

Stagecoach Grimsby Cleethorpes this year have released details on their Christmas/New Year period service arrangements:

Christmas Eve - Normal Saturday service with early finish
Christmas Day - No services
Boxing Day - No services
Bank Holiday Tuesday 27th - Sunday service

Wednesday 28th-Friday 30th - Saturtday service except the following services which will run to a weekday timetable:
2 (Grimsby-Europarc)
3 (Grimsby-Lincoln)
25 (Grimsby-Ludford)
51 (Grimsby-Louth)
150 (Grimsby-East Halton)
366 (Ulceby-Brigg)

New Years Eve - Saturday service with early finish
New Years Day - No services
Bank Holiday Monday 2nd - Sunday service

Stagecoach leaflet (Note to Stagecoach again this year, the 250/450 have identical weekday and Saturday timetables. Why complicate your leaflet more than necessary telling customers they will operate a weekday rather than Saturday service on the 28th-30th?)

Boxing Day Buses for Scunthorpe

New for 2011, Scunthorpe will have a limited bus service on Boxing Day. Stagecoach will operate the 31A/32A town service circular routes on an hourly basis during the daytime. Otherwise the usual Christmas/New Year service pattern is in place:

Christmas Eve - Normal Saturday service with an early finish
Christmas Day - No service
Boxing Day - Special service on the 31A/32A as mentioned above. No other services
Bank Holiday Tuesday 27th - Sunday service

Wednesday 28th-Friday 30th - Normal Service

New Years Eve - Normal Saturday service with early finish
New Years Day - No service
Bank Holiday Monday 2nd - Sunday service

Stagecoach leaflet

Humber Bridge tolls halved

In the Chancellor's Autumn Statement today came the very welcome news that the Humber Bridge tolls will be halved. Also announced today is government funding for A164 improvements between the Humber Bridge and Beverley, as well as the Immingham bypass - two important local road schemes.