Humber Flyer NEW Mini-website

Last week I posted about the new Humber Flyer service, replacing the X1 between Hull, Humberside Airport, Grimsby and Cleethorpes. This week, Stagecoach have introduced a new mini-website for the service, as they have done with the Humber Fastcat (350).

http://www.stagecoachbus.com/grimsbycleethorpes/humberflyer.html

Nice to see some effort being put into the route launch. However the website reveals some mistakes and oddities.

Firstly the route in Hull. The route map shows it using Clive Sullivan Way, but the timetable has a timing point at Fiveways, which is definetly not on Clive Sullivan Way. How many passengers will study the route map in such detail is questionable, but anyone who does will end up rather confused.

Secondly the single fare from the Humber Bridge to Humberside Airport is £2.75 but the return is £6.00. Mistake, or is it really cheaper to but two singles rather than a return?

And finally the return fare from Humberside Airport to Hull is £6.00, yet the Stagecoach fare from Barton to Hull on the 350 Humber Fastcat is 30p more, despite it being a shorter journey in terms of time and distance.

Walton Street Park and Ride Saved

Earlier in the year we reported that Hull City Council proposed to cut the Walton Street Park and Ride. Today's Yorkshire Post reports EYMS, who recently inherited the service with their takeover of Veolia's Hull operation, will continue to operate it on a commercial basis for a trial period.

The site is unusually close to the city centre for a park and ride site, but it appears to have some loyal users who became very vocal about it's threatened closure. If EYMS can make it work commercially, without affecting the Priory Park site, or the other new ones planned by Hull City Council on the edge of the city, then it's a win win for everyone.

The Walton Street Park and Ride is service number 700.

Another 51 (Grimsby-Louth) change

More changes are on the way for service 51 between Grimsby and Louth from May, according to this entry from VOSA:

PB0001484/160 - LINCOLNSHIRE ROAD CAR CO LTD, PO BOX 15, DEACON ROAD, LINCOLN, LN2 4JB
Variation Accepted: Operating between Grimsby and Louth given service number 51/51A/51B/51C/51X effective from 25-May-2009. To amend Route and Timetable.

The change may be related to the cancellation of service 41 (Louth Town Service), also reported by VOSA today, which is interworked with the 51.

Changes to the 51 have already taken in place in January and March this year.

Scunthorpe area Stagecoach Changes

Advance notice of changes by Stagecoach coming up in Scunthorpe and the surrounding area in May. Taken from VOSA:

PB0001484/2 - LINCOLNSHIRE ROAD CAR CO LTD, PO BOX 15, DEACON ROAD, LINCOLN, LN2 4JB
Variation Accepted: Operating between Scunthorpe Bus Station and Wrawby given service number 365 effective from 25-May-2009. To amend Timetable.
PB0001484/129 - LINCOLNSHIRE ROAD CAR CO LTD, PO BOX 15, DEACON ROAD, LINCOLN, LN2 4JB
Variation Accepted: Operating between Scunthorpe Bus Station and Flixborough given service number 60 effective from 25-May-2009. To amend Timetable.
PB0001484/136 - LINCOLNSHIRE ROAD CAR CO LTD, PO BOX 15, DEACON ROAD, LINCOLN, LN2 4JB
Variation Accepted: Operating between Scunthorpe Bus Station and Ashby given service number 6 effective from 25-May-2009. To amend Timetable.
PB0001484/155 - LINCOLNSHIRE ROAD CAR CO LTD, PO BOX 15, DEACON ROAD, LINCOLN, LN2 4JB
Variation Accepted: Operating between Scunthorpe Bus Station and Scunthorpe Bus Station given service number 31/31A/32/32A effective from 25-May-2009. To amend Timetable.
PB0001484/156 - LINCOLNSHIRE ROAD CAR CO LTD, PO BOX 15, DEACON ROAD, LINCOLN, LN2 4JB
Variation Accepted: Operating between Scunthorpe Bus Station and Scunthorpe Bus Station given service number 33/34 effective from 25-May-2009. To amend Timetable.
PB0001484/158 - LINCOLNSHIRE ROAD CAR CO LTD, PO BOX 15, DEACON ROAD, LINCOLN, LN2 4JB
Variation Accepted: Operating between Scunthorpe Bus Station and Crosby given service number 38 effective from 25-May-2009. To amend Timetable.
PB0001484/164 - LINCOLNSHIRE ROAD CAR CO LTD, PO BOX 15, DEACON ROAD, LINCOLN, LN2 4JB
Registration Accepted
Starting Point: Scunthorpe Glover Road
Finish Point: Scunthorpe Bus Station
Via:
Service Number: 30
Service Type: Normal Stopping
Effective Date: 25-MAY-2009
Other Details: College Days only. Hail and ride on sections where traffic and safety conditions allow

Stagecoach Hull Saturday Frequency Cuts

Stagecoach Hull will be cutting the frequency of some service on Saturdays from 25th April 2009.

Service 13 (Hull-Orchard Park) goes from every 10 minutes to every 12 minutes
Service 14 (Hull-Orchard Park) goes from every 10 minutes to every 12 minutes
Service 15 (Hull-Orchard Park-Kingswood) goes from every 7/8 minutes to every 10 minutes
Service 28 (Hull-Sutton Park-Branshome) goes from every 12 minutes to every 15 minutes
Service 30 (Hull-Bransholme-North Bransholme) goes from every 10 minutes every 15 minutes
Service 51 (Hull-Bransholme-Kingswood) goes from every 10 minutes to every 15 minutes
Service 54 (Hull-Bilton Grange) goes from every 10 minutes to every 15 minutes

Stagecoach Hull Service 52/53 enhancements

From 20th April, Stagecoach services 52 to 53 from Hull to Salthouse Road will be increased from hourly to half hourly, Monday to Saturday daytime. Service 53 operates via the Garden Village and Ings Road areas, and the 52 via Holderness Road. Service 52 is also diverted via Marfleet Lane and Bilton Grange with the new timetable to partially replace service 11.

Evening service 52C will now only operate on Friday and Saturday nights, with a revised route and times, serving Savoy Road.

Stagecoach Hull Evening and Nightbus Changes

From 20th April, Stagecoach Hull will be making various changes to evening and night buses.

Services 13 and 14 to Orchard Park will have more journeys while service 15 will operate every 15 minutes in the early evening. Services 30, 32, 51 and 54 in North and East Hull will operates half hourly all evening (currently hourly after about 8pm), though the 20 minute early evening frequency on the 54 (Hull-Bilton Grange) on Friday and Saturday nights is reduced to every 30 minutes.

Service 52C to Salthouse Road will now only operate on Friday and Saturday nights (currently operates daily) and will be diverted to serve Savoy Road with revised times.

As far as nightbuses go, the big news is the all night services on the N2 (Hull-Hessle Square) and N51 (Hull-Kingswood) on Friday and Saturday nights, introduced last September, have been axed. The 0400, 0500 and 0600 departures from Hull, and the 0325, 0425, 0525 and 0625 from Hessle Square on the N2 go, as do the 0400, 0500 and 0600 departures from Hull on the N51, and all nightbuses in the opposite direction from Kingswood are axed.

Service N32 to Bransholme has revised times, and now operates on Friday as well as Saturday nights. The N55 to Ings Estate, Longhill and Bilton is axed. It was the only nightbus not to follow a daytime route, and ran on Saturday nights only.

Hull City Circle Changes

The Hull City Circular service, taken on commercially by Stagecoach last September, shall see changes from 20th April.

Back in September the major innovation was a half hourly frequency on the Hull-Orchard Park-Bransholme section on weekdays with hourly services 10 and 11 being co-ordinated to provide this. However the service 11 will be axed, bringing this to an end. The remaining service 10 shall also be diverted away from Chanterlands Avenue North to Bricknell and Fairfax Avenues (service 13 route).

In part the service 11 shall be replaced by an enhanced service 52.

Servicee 10 will continue to provide an hourly city circle service, Monday to Saturday daytimes.

Stagecoach Hull route renumberings and minor changes

From 20th April service 29 (North Bransholme-Bransholme-Sutton Park-Hull) shall be renumbered service 28A. Unlike service 28, it does a full city centre loop. Service 51N (North Bransholme-Bransholme-Holderness Road-Hull) shall be renumbered 51A.

Another renumbering is the peak time only 36 (Hull-Leads Road-Bransholme-Kingswood) which becomes the 38A. There is a new 1715 departure on the 38A from Hull Interchange and a new 0810 service 38 on Saturdays from Bransholme to Hull. Other time changes affect other journeys on both the 38 and 38A.

The 63 (Hull-Newland Avenue-University-Bricknell Avenue Estate-Cottingham) has a revised peak timetable to improve reliability. Service 20 (Hull-Kingswood-North Bransholme-Wawne) also has a revised peak timetable. Evening and Sunday journeys on the 20 also have slightly revised times and the 2310 departure from Hull Monday to Saturday moves to 2305 and only operates on Fridays and Saturdays.

Stagecoach Grimsby Cleethorpes 13/14 change

One more minor change from Stagecoach Grimsby Cleethorpes on April 20th, service 13/14 (Bradley/Laceby Acres-Grimsby-Cleethorpes) will now terminate in Alexandra Road in Cleethorpes, rather than Sea Road during the day, as they currently do in the evening.

Wybers Wood goes LoZone

Changes by Stagecoach in Grimsby and Cleethorpes this April seem to be a mix of good and bad, and this one seems to be a good one. Service 16 between Wybers Wood, the Willows Estate, Grimsby Town Centre and the Asda superstore is being upgraded with low floor buses from 20th April. The weekday daytime frequency will also improve from every 15 to every 12 minutes, though the Saturday service remains quarter hourly.

Return of Service 2 and 12 in Grimsby, Bye Bye Service 5

Services to Bradley Park, Grange Estate, Gilbey Road and parts of Cleethorpes and New Waltham are set to see changes with the axing of services 5 and X1 and their replacement with the 2 and 12 on 20th April.

Service 5 currently links Europarc (weekdays only) and the Gilbey Road area of Grimsby with the Grange Estate and Bradley Park via Grimsby's Riverhead Bus Station. Services presently run half hourly Monday to Saturday daytimes. It will be replaced by new service 2 (or rather the return of the previous service) and new service 12 (or rather the return of the previous service with a changed route).

The 2 will continue to link Europarc and Gilbey Road with Grimsby Town Centre via Corporation Road; however there will be no Saturday service and the weekday service is cut in half to hourly, with a large gap in the afternoon. Or in other words a morning/early afternoon shopping service with a couple of evening peak journeys. Existing early morning/evening service 20 between Cleethorpes, Grimsby and Europarc provides some extra journeys along part of the route but this is a major cutback for the Gilbey Road part of Grimsby.

Many years ago Corporation Road had a tram service, now a rather basic bus service. How times change.

Bradley Park will also see a frequency cut; it's replacement service 12 is also just hourly rather than half hourly with another large afternoon gap. Though unlike the 2, it does run on Saturday's.

While the new 12 will serve Grange Estate, service 7 (Grimsby-Pleasure Island) will once again be extended from Grimsby Bus Station to the Estate to provide an enhanced service of 3 (as opposed to the current 2) buses an hour. As a result of the changes to service 7, interworked service 8 (Grimsby-New Waltham-Pleasure Island) and 9/9A (Waltham-Grimsby-Cleethorpes-Pleasure Island) have revised timings.

With the axe of service X1 (Hull-Humberside Airport-Laceby-Grimsby-Cleethorpes-New Waltham), new route 12 shall replace it between Grimsby and New Waltham. When service 12 last ran it linked Laceby with New Waltham, but on the Western end now serves Bradley Park and Grange Estate instead of Laceby, as mentioned above. The 12 is the same core frequency as the X1, hourly, except for a very poor morning peak service and the already mentioned large gap in the weekday afternoon service.

The current peak journeys extending to Waltham on the X1 continue on the new service 12. As well as service 12, the Humber Flyer also replaces route X1.

Humber Flyer

Stagecoach have released details of the new Humber Flyer service that will replace the current X1 from 20th April.

The new Humber Flyer (HF) service will run from Cleethorpes North Sea Lane (Pleasure Island) via the Pier and the High Street in Cleethorpes before joining Clee Road. It then operates via Weelsby Road and Hainton Avenue into Grimsby. Parts of Weelsby Road and Clee Road do not currently have a bus service so this is a welcome new link, while still being a direct route between Cleethorpes and Grimsby.

From Grimsby it follows the existing X1 route through Laceby and Keelby to Humberside Airport. There is then a guarenteed connection to a separate Humberside Airport-Hull service. Or is this the same service registered in two parts to get around what your author thinks are some well intentioned but practically stupid EU rules on driver hours and the use of tachographs? The timetable seems to indicate the service will be a through service rather than two separate ones. Separate service or not, through fares are available.

The wait at the airport is only two minutes (so no big issue) before the service departs to Barnetby Top and goes up the A15 and over the Humber Bridge. In Hull it will operate down Boothferry Road and Anlaby Road instead of Clive Sullivan Way as the X1 currently does. Hull Royal Infirmary is still served before terminating in Hull Interchange at coach stand D.

The basic daytime frequency is hourly Monday to Saturday with peak journeys being off pattern. First departure from Grimsby is 0620 and the last departure from Hull is 1900.

Overall the new service looks good, serving Pleasure Island and being less of a local service in Grimsby. Hopefully passengers can remain onboard the bus at the airport though.

Stagecoach Easter Services

Stagecoach have announced their service provision this Easter. Good Friday sees Sunday services operated by Stagecoach in Hull and Stagecoach in Grimsby Cleethorpes. Stagecoach Lincolnshire shall operate a Friday service. The X1 and 350 Humber Fastcat shall operate a normal Friday service.

Normal service on Easter Saturday and Sunday, with a Sunday service on all routes on Easter Monday.

Cross Country connections

While the Cross Country rail network does not serve either bank of the Humber region, many local passengers access the network at Doncaster. However Arriva Cross Country, operators of the network wish to divert their Doncaster service via Leeds, isolating Doncaster from the cross country network.

As well as the impact on Doncaster, it would make connections less convienent for passengers from the Humber region. Passengers could still access the network at Sheffield or Leeds (North Bank passengers only). However this would be a significant detour for passengers from the South Bank going North, to York, the North East and Scotland, considering National Express East Coast's patchy Scottish service from Doncaster.

Leeds may need more Cross Country services, but not at the expense of Doncaster.

EYMS Invest in new buses

EYMS have bought another 20 new double decker buses, with 10 entering service this weekend. They are Volvo B9TL's with Wright Eclipse Gemini bodywork, and will be used on services from Hull to Hornsea, Withernsea and Brough/Elloughton/Howden/Goole (the 155/156 corridor). Vehicles currently used on these services will be cascaded to shorter journeys within Hull, enabling more services to be operated with low floor vehicles.

http://www.eyms.co.uk/content/busservices/newsitempr.aspx?action=view&id=308

Always good to see investment.

Bye Bye Veolia in Hull update

An update to our previous post; EYMS have posted on their website that they are taking over Veolia's Hull bus operation. The full list of affected routes is:

Service 78 7am & 4pm Hull Interchange to Hedon, & 7.35am Hedon to Hull Interchange (Monday to Friday)
Service 124 Driffield – Bridlington via Burton Fleming (Wednesday, Thursday and Saturda)
Service 183 Hessle Town Service (Monday to Saturday)
Service 277 4.35pm Hedon to Hull Interchange (Monday to Friday)
Service 358 Holme on Spalding Moor - Goole via Bubwith and Howden (Tuesdays)
Service 700 Walton Street Park & Ride – Hull City Centre (Monday to Saturday)

EYMS Easter Bus Services

EYMS will operate a Sunday service on Good Friday and Easter Monday, except the Humber Fastcat (350) shall operate a normal service on Good Friday. Moorbus M14 shall run on Good Friday, Easter Saturday, Sunday and Monday.

Summer service 120 between Bridlington, Filey and Scarborough operated by EYMS owned Scarborough and District shall start on Saturday 4th April ready for the Easter Holidays.

Hull Service 1C change

From 26th March (yesterday), the 0739 Hull Carr Lane to Sibelius Road journey on EYMS service 1C has started from Kingswood Retail Park at 0710.

http://www.eyms.co.uk/content/busservices/newsitem.aspx?action=view&id=302

York Pullman

York Pullman, a reincarnation of a previous operator with the name in York, are entering the local bus market, including services into East Yorkshire. They currently operate sightseeing tours and coaches. Their new services replaced previous tendered and commercial First York services, posted as being cancelled earlier in the month.

New service 35, 'The Holme Run', from Holme to York will replace First service 18, with a roughly two hour frequency, supplemented by daytime service 36, 'The Village Link' between Sutton on Derwent and York. As well as the daytime service on route 35, there is a limited Friday and Saturday evening service. EYMS currently operate a Sunday service 18A between Holme and York. It is unknown if this will change.

York Pullman will also take over daily hourly evening journeys on route 10 between Stamford Bridge, York and Poppleton, as well as hourly Saturday morning journeys.

Service 10 timetable - http://www.yorkpullmanbus.co.uk/service10.pdf
Service 35/36 timetable - http://www.yorkpullmanbus.co.uk/service35_36.pdf

Day 1 of the Humber Fastcat

Yesterday I used the Humber Fastcat (former 350 service) on it's launch day for the my regular journey from Barton to Hull.

And the brand new MAN/Enviro 300 buses bought by Stagecoach are very nice. Standard blue and orange coroprate interior, but other than that the only other obvious sign they belong to Stagecoach is a small logo on the rear window. This is deliberate and reflects the joint nature of the service with EYMS, who have also repainted a Volvo B7RLE Wright Eclipse Urban, previously used on the 115, in an almost identical orange livery - the only difference seems to be an advert for their Hull Plus weekly ticket on the back window. Some pictures of EYMS 343 'Kitty':

My journeys yesterday were on Marmalade and Fluffy (22759 and 22760), which both appear to be Stagecoach Hull vehicles. Travelling into Hull on Marmalade, I saw (and had my ticket checked) by the first bus inspector I had seen in years. And he was a bit surprised Stagecoach Hull had workings on the service! Very polite and smartly dressed however, carrying out his job well.

Some more pictures taken in Barton yesterday below, including a new bus stop flag and 'Moggy'.

Bye Bye Veolia in Hull

A statement posted on the East Yorkshire Buses Yahoo Group, reported to be from EYMS's Peter Shipp says EYMS will take over Veolia's Hull operation on 29th March. All driving and engineering staff will transfer to EYMS, along with all local bus and school contracts plus nine vehicles.

Can't say I'm surprised. With the proposed withdrawal of the Walton Street Park and Ride, there would be very little work left for the operation. Local bus routes operated as far as I know include the 183 Hessle Town Service, one weekday journey each way on the 78/277 loop between Hull and Hessle, and until Sunday, 2 Sunday journeys on the 350 from Hull to Ashby (Scunthorpe).

The Veolia operation was originally that off Alpha Coaches. It was then purchased by Dunn Line who where then bought by Veolia. Veolia sold their York operation to Transdev last year and have recently announced the closure of their Lincoln operation (originally that was the Appleby's depot, later bought by MASS Transit).

Humber Fastcat - 3 days to go

On Monday the enhanced service 350 will launch under the Humber Fastcat brand. Preparations are under way, including the provision of raised curbs at some bus stops. Was a bit surprised when my bus stop in Barton moved to the other side of the road as part of these works, being carried out by North Lincolnshire Council. However at one bus stop in Barton yesterday, access to these raised kerbs is blocked by residents cars parked at bus stops, making the raised kerb useless.

The timetable leaflet has been published - it's a timetable, with a map and a bit of tourist information. As good as it is, it would have been better with at least a passing reference to connecting services, especially at Barton. Some arrows to show the direction of buses in Barton would have been helpful, and some tourist information about Barton would have been nice. But what has really impressed me is the Stagecoach supervisor at Hull Interchange handing out copies to waiting passengers this week.

I originally wondered about the provision of service for college students at Scunthorpe from Barton, Barrow and East Halton. Going by the new bus stop information in Barton I saw yesterday, the 360 East Halton to Scunthorpe service will remain - and one 350 journey will also serve the Scunthorpe Colleges.

Finally the EYMS press release has announced three Fastcat bus surgeries.

Scunthorpe (High Street), Friday 20 March, 10am until 2pm.
Hull (Queen Victoria Square), Saturday 21 March, 10am until 4pm.
Barton (Tesco), Friday 27 March, 10am until 4pm.

I shall certainly be trying to attend one. While there are a few suggestions I have, such as the comments about the leaflet I made above, and my unhappiness about Stagecoach's recent fare increase, I shall certainly say how impressed I am generally with the relaunch, and the effort that has gone into it.

Is the 195 cancelled or not?

Earlier in the month, this appeared on VOSA:

PB0000328/21 - EAST YORKSHIRE MOTOR SERVICES LTD, 252 ANLABY ROAD, HULL, HU3 2RSCancellation Accepted: Operating between Pocklington and York given service number 195 effective from 27-Apr-2009

And today this:

PB0000328/21 - EAST YORKSHIRE MOTOR SERVICES LTD, 252 ANLABY ROAD, HULL, HU3 2RS
Variation Accepted: Operating between Pocklington and York given service number 195 effective from 27-Apr-2009. To amend Timetable.

So is the 195 cancelled or not? Goes to show that was is posted on the VOSA website should not be taken at face value.

Megabus Plus

Yesterday I reported that a new Megabus Plus service would be launched from Hull to East Midlands Parkway station, for connections to London St Pancras on East Midlands Trains, the rail franchise run by Stagecoach, who also operate the Megabus network.

These new services went on sale today. There are two services a day on three routes, from Hull, Harrogate and Huddersfield to East Midlands Parkway, and Stagecoach's Hull depot will operate all these services, albeit with some coaches spending the night at Stagecoach Yorkshire's Barnsley depot.

The Hull service stops at Scunthorpe Tesco Extra and Doncaster Lakeside - these out of town stops fit the Megabus profile well, though in Hull the Interchange will be used. Departures from Hull are at 0640 and 1250 (0945 and 1610 Sundays) and returns from East Midlands Parkway at 1005 and 1605 (1320 and 2010 Sundays). However passengers can't use the service for either local travel, or just to East Midlands Parkway, which is a shame as some custom could have been picked up for East Midlands Airport.

The online timetable also shows one 'coach only' (as opposed to 'coach and train') service a day through to London St Pancras, not the Megabus terminus at Victoria Coach Station. Mistake maybe?

Overall great to see more innovation from Stagecoach, though one wonders what will happen if/when Stagecoach loose the East Midlands Trains franchise.

350 timetable tweaks

Another post about the 350 (sorry). But it appears that the original version of the new timetable from 23rd March was either wrong, or has already been altered. The 1930 and 2130 departures from Hull have been moved to 1925 and 2125, which will make the connection to the Cleethorpes train at Barton more robust.

The 1815. 1845, 1915 and 2115 departures from Scunthorpe will also operate 5 minutes earlier at 1810, 1840, 1910 and 2110.

Coming Soon: Megabus Plus from Hull

Based on posts on both the South Yorkshire Transport Forum, and by the Managing Director of Stagecoach East Midlands on the Stagecoach East Midlands Yahoo Group, a new Megabus Plus service will be announced tomorrow from Hull to East Midlands Parkway Station, for connections onto East Midlands Trains services to London St Pancras. The route shall be operated by Stagecoach Hull and will be part of a wider network of services to East Midlands Parkway, which opened last year and has a bus shuttle link to East Midlands Airport.

South Yorkshire Transport Forum - www.forum.sy-transport.co.uk
Stagecoach East Midlands Yahoo Group - http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/stagecoach-east-midlands/

HM Queen visits Hull

Today HM The Queen visited Hull. She arrived by Royal Train at Hull Station, and unveiled a plaque officially opening the Interchange. Some poor quality pictures from myself ...

The Royal Train was hauled by DB Schenker Class 67's, 67005 and 67006.

Barton Line Early Morning Service this Summer

Regular readers will know my concerns for the Barton Line early morning service this summer during the Scunthorpe to Doncaster rail blockade. While I'm still waiting for a response from TransPennine Express, Northern Rail have replied to my email expressing my concerns - well sort off.

Their response is that they are "unable to confirm any details about replacement service for this route". Northern aren't likely to inform the public of planned arrangements until they are confirmed, but the use of the word replacement indicates the usual early morning train service will not be operated. Needless bus replacement seems the only practical option.

Stagecoach Fare Changes

On Monday Stagecoach are increasing some bus fares. Having seen the posters I decided to contact Stagecoach to ask if service 350 will be affected. It is, but rather than a small 10 or 20p increase, the return fare from Barton to Hull will go from £5.90 to £6.30. This is compared to East Yorkshire's return fare of £5.20. Stagecoach single fares remain at £3.50 (EYMS is £2.90).

So while the 350 will become more frequent, I won't be taking much advantage of that when going to Hull and will be trying to catch the considerably cheaper EYMS service.

Stagecoach are introducing a new 'megarider fastcat' weekly ticket at £25 (initially £22) from 23rd March on the 350. Great if you travel at least 5 days a week. But many weeks I only travel 4 days a week. £25 divided by 4 works out at £6.25 a day, just cheaper than the new Stagecoach return fare. But if I can use EYMS for my outward, ticket buying journey, one day a week, it will be cheaper to be return tickets everyday compared to a megarider. And If I use EYMS once a week then it will be cheaper to try and use them all the time.

This is just giving people more of a reason to use the bus on one hand, then giving them one less reason on the other hand. My response will mean Stagecoach will be getting less revenue from me. Now many passengers are OAPs, and versus the bridge tolls and car parking charges, the bus is still cheaper, but not everyone fits into those categories.

Details of the fare changes are on the local Stagecoach websites. Hull weekly tickets rise from £8 to £8.50. On a personal note I hope EYMS don't use this as a reason to increase the price of their weekly tickets.

Times may be hard, and investment is being made in places, but the weekly tickets Stagecoach are promoting so much are off little use to those who travel 3 or 4 times a week. Those are the ones having to suffer the most from these rises. And yes there is a Flexirider product in places, but not everywhere such as Barton.

Service changes in the North West part of East Yorkshire

The North Western part of East Yorkshire - in otherwords the Pocklington area, will also see it's share of service changes this Spring. All are taken from VOSA

PB0000328/21 - EAST YORKSHIRE MOTOR SERVICES LTD, 252 ANLABY ROAD, HULL, HU3 2RS
Cancellation Accepted: Operating between Pocklington and York given service number 195 effective from 27-Apr-2009. PB0001747/38 - FIRST YORK LTD, ATTN: K HARRISON, 7 JAMES ST, YORK, YO10 3WW
Cancellation Accepted: Operating between York and Holme On Spalding Moor given service number 18/X18 effective from 26-Apr-2009.
PB0001747/20 - FIRST YORK LTD, ATTN: K HARRISON, 7 JAMES ST, YORK, YO10 3WW
Variation Accepted: Operating between Stamford Bridge, Roman Avenue and Nether Poppleton given service number 10 effective from 26-Apr-2009. To amend Route, Stopping Places and Timetable.

First operate the Monday to Saturday journeys on the 18 between Holme and York, and EYMS the Sunday service (as service 18A), for which no application has been made to VOSA to alter as things stand. The Sunday service is definetly tendered, but I am unsure if the First operated journeys are or not - though whatever their current status I suspect that most if not all current First journeys will be replaced. This is a key service in the part of Yorkshire it serves.

The 195 serves a number of villages around the Pocklington area and is not the main service linking York and Pocklington. First York service 10 is the main link to Stamford Bridge.

Future of the 190

Today, the VOSA website shows a cancellation by Wilfreda Beehive of the 190 from April, which operates three times a day from Wroot in North Lincolnshire to Doncaster via Old Cantley and Armthorpe. It is funded by North Lincolnshire Council and South Yorkshire PTE.

So have Wilfreda lost the contract or is it being axed?

Another forthcoming service change

Another day, another service change registered with VOSA. In this case it's one of the region's smaller operators, Amvale, and their Saltfleet to Grimsby service.

PB0003906/36 - AMVALE LTD, ESTATE ROAD, 7 SOUTH HUMBERSIDE INDUSTRIAL EST, GRIMSBY, DN31 2TP
Variation Accepted: Operating between Saltfleet and Grimsby, Freshney Place given service number E04D effective from 24-Apr-2009. To amend Timetable.

More forthcoming service changes

Some more EYMS changes due in April, taken from the VOSA website

PB0000328/48 - EAST YORKSHIRE MOTOR SERVICES LTD, 252 ANLABY ROAD, HULL, HU3 2RS
Variation Accepted: Operating between Hull, Bond Street and Willerby Square given service number 33/34/44/45/47 effective from 26-Apr-2009. To amend Route and Timetable.
PB0000328/275 - EAST YORKSHIRE MOTOR SERVICES LTD, 252 ANLABY ROAD, HULL, HU3 2RS
Variation Accepted: Operating between Hull, Bond Street and Cottingham, Castle Hill Top given service number 115 effective from 26-Apr-2009. To amend Route and Timetable.

Introducing the Humber Fastcat

Its what I've been waiting for the details on for a while, but now the details of the 350 improvements have been released.

We already knew it was going half hourly Monday to Saturday daytime and the new times will be 15 and 45 minutes past the hour from Scunthorpe and 5 and 35 minutes past the hour from Hull. Times change at peak hours to accomodate the heavier traffic. It will take a bit of getting use too, but the greater flexibility of a half hourly service will make that worthwhile.

Another key point of the improved service is that journeys from Hull will run via Primark Monday to Saturday daytimes, following the city centre loop used by almost all other services down Anlaby Road in Hull. The route map produced by Stagecoach indicates only a stop at Primark on Carr Lane, and no stop on say Prospect Street. But great for laden down shoppers, or those not wanting to walk back to the Interchange.

In Scunthorpe, the service will operate via the current 360 route along Frodingham Road - I would presume the current 360 service that supplements the 350 between Scunthorpe and Winterton is withdrawn.

The roubustness of the connections to the train from Barton to Cleethorpes are improved, with buses now arriving in Barton at 40 minutes past the hour from Hull for a 58 minutes past departure. Arriving trains at 48 minutes past connect to a Hull departure on the next hour. Though evening arrivals 1957 and 2157 at Barton Station makes connections onto the 1958 and 2158 train departure very tight - for some reason the current 1925 and 2125 departures from Hull are put back 5 minutes in the new timetable.

Which leads me nicely onto discussing the evening service. No more changing at Barton in the evening; all buses run through from Hull to Scunthorpe and vice versa, and the 2130 departure from Hull to Barton is restored on Mondays, Tuesday and Wednesdays (plus the 2158 from Barton to Hull). The early evening service is also improved with the 1830 from Hull being replaced by a 1810 and 1840, and a new 1845 from Scunthorpe. That 1840 from Hull is especially welcomed by me!

The only 'split journey' at Barton remains the first service of the day, which still only operates on weekdays. The first service from Scunthorpe has been moved forward to an 0620 from Scunthorpe to connect with the 0653 Barton to Hull.

The Sunday and Bank Holiday service increases from 5 to 6 journeys a day, with new services from Ashby (the Sunday service extends from Scunthorpe to Ashby) to Hull at 0855 and from Hull to Scunthorpe at 1930. In effect these seem to be positioning journeys. The other journeys are at existing times, based around connecting with trains at Barton. Therefore there remains some 3 hour gaps at key times for Sunday shoppers. There is no bus from Barton to Hull between 1055 and 1355, and no departure from Hull between 1530 and 1830. The publicity produced so far makes no reference to Veolia, current operators of the Sunday service alongside EYMS. Have Stagecoach taken Veolia's Sunday services on?

Indeed as yet there is no information on what journeys will be operated by Stagecoach Hull, Stagecoach Scunthorpe and EYMS, though EYMS will probably operate the journeys timed closest to their existing one. Also it is not yet clear which early morning, evening and Sunday journeys remain subsidised.

Another question is the provision of services from Barton to the Scunthorpe Colleges. Currently there is a dedicated 350 service, and a special 360 service that starts in East Halton. The new timetable indicates one service 350 journey will serve the colleges at start and finish times, but that alone is unliekly to be enough.

There will be a new £25 weekly ticket called the megarider fastcat, which is great for regular users. But will EYMS sell what is a Stagecoach ticket? The introductory price will be £22.

The new timetable has a Hull Royal Infirmary timing point, which is great to highlight this stop. Details of the improved service are also on the Stagecoach Hull website which will help create awareness on the North Bank.

There will be a new brand, called the Humber Fast Cat, and Stagecoach's new buses will wear a distinctive orange livery. Oddly the new route branding will mention Hessle, despite the service only serving the outskirts of the town.

There is even a new mini website for the service - http://www.stagecoachbus.com/scunthorpe/fastcat.html

Overall you might be able to tell I am very exixted and impressed with the imprivements and can't wait for them to start on March 23rd.

More on the April Service Changes

Yesterday we reported numerous service changes planned for 20th April. There have been some more reported on the VOSA website today, by Stagecoach in both Grimsby and Hull.

PB0000163/2 - GRIMSBY CLEETHORPES TRANSPORT CO LTD T/A STAGECOACH GRIMSBY CLEETHORPES, PO BOX 15, DEACON ROAD, LINCOLN, LN2 4JB
Cancellation Accepted by SN: Operating between Bradley Park and Europarc given service number 20/5/5B effective from 20-Apr-2009.
PB0000163/13 - 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/Asda and Wybers Wood given service number 16 effective from 20-Apr-2009. To amend Timetable.
PB0000163/38 - GRIMSBY CLEETHORPES TRANSPORT CO LTD T/A STAGECOACH GRIMSBY CLEETHORPES, PO BOX 15, DEACON ROAD, LINCOLN, LN2 4JB
Cancellation Accepted by SN: Operating between Grimsby, New Waltham and Hull, Anne Street given service number X1 effective from 20-Apr-2009.
PB0000163/43 - GRIMSBY CLEETHORPES TRANSPORT CO LTD T/A STAGECOACH GRIMSBY CLEETHORPES, PO BOX 15, DEACON ROAD, LINCOLN, LN2 4JB
Registration Accepted
Starting Point: Humberside Airport
Finish Point: Cleethorpes
Via:
Service Number: HF
Service Type: Normal Stopping
Effective Date: 20-APR-2009
Other Details: Monday to Saturday hourly
PB0001987/138 - CLEVELAND TRANSIT LTD T/A STAGECOACH NORTHEAST, ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, WHEATSHEAF, SUNDERLAND, SR5 1AQ
Variation Accepted: Operating between Hull Interchange and Wawne given service number 20 effective from 20-Apr-2009. To amend Timetable.
PB0001987/235 - CLEVELAND TRANSIT LTD T/A STAGECOACH NORTHEAST, ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, WHEATSHEAF, SUNDERLAND, SR5 1AQ
Variation Accepted: Operating between Hull Interchange and Cottingham Castle Hill given service number 63 effective from 20-Apr-2009. To amend Timetable.

While no official details have been released yet it looks like the X1 will be renumbered HF (Humber Flyer) and no longer extend beyond Cleethorpes to New Waltham. It will also be operated on two separate registrations, for what I presume are technical reasons.

The Cleethorpes to New Waltham section shall be replaced by new service 12B (Bradley Park-Grimsby-Cleethorpes-New Waltham). Service 12 operated between New Waltham and Cleethorpes (and beyond to Grimsby and Laceby) before the service was merged into the X1.

The 12B shall start at Bradley Park, currently served by service 5, which today an application has been put in to cancel. However will the Gilbey Road areas of Grimsby, and Europarc Industrial Estate, gain a replacement service? (These are also served by service 5)

Numerous changes to bus services on both banks of the Humber in April

Theres numerous service changes due to services in both Hull and Grimsby this April, mostly to Stagecoach services. All are taken from the VOSA website. Some service registrations are combined with other services and therefore all services listed below may not change. Service changes could be very minor.

Stagecoach Grimsby Cleethorpes

PB0000163/8 - 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 North Sea Lane given service number 8/8B effective from 20-Apr-2009. To amend Timetable.
PB0000163/9 - GRIMSBY CLEETHORPES TRANSPORT CO LTD T/A STAGECOACH GRIMSBY CLEETHORPES, PO BOX 15, DEACON ROAD, LINCOLN, LN2 4JB
Variation Accepted: Operating between Bradley Cross Roads and Cleethorpes Pier given service number 13/14/14A effective from 20-Apr-2009. To amend Timetable.
PB0000163/10 - GRIMSBY CLEETHORPES TRANSPORT CO LTD T/A STAGECOACH GRIMSBY CLEETHORPES, PO BOX 15, DEACON ROAD, LINCOLN, LN2 4JB
Variation Accepted: Operating between Grange Estate and North Sea Lane given service number 7 effective from 20-Apr-2009. To amend Timetable.
PB0000163/12 - GRIMSBY CLEETHORPES TRANSPORT CO LTD T/A STAGECOACH GRIMSBY CLEETHORPES, PO BOX 15, DEACON ROAD, LINCOLN, LN2 4JB
Variation Accepted: Operating between Waltham and North Sea Lane given service number 9/9A effective from 20-Apr-2009. To amend Timetable.

The following are particularly interesting as they both follow part of the route of service X1, not that there has been an application to alter that service (though theres still time).

PB0000163/41 - GRIMSBY CLEETHORPES TRANSPORT CO LTD T/A STAGECOACH GRIMSBY CLEETHORPES, PO BOX 15, DEACON ROAD, LINCOLN, LN2 4JB
Registration Accepted
Starting Point: Bradley Park Grimsby
Finish Point: New Waltham
Via:
Service Number: 12B
Service Type: Normal Stopping
Effective Date: 20-APR-2009
Other Details: Monday to Saturday hourly
PB0000163/42 - GRIMSBY CLEETHORPES TRANSPORT CO LTD T/A STAGECOACH GRIMSBY CLEETHORPES, PO BOX 15, DEACON ROAD, LINCOLN, LN2 4JB
Registration Accepted
Starting Point: Hull
Finish Point: Humberside Airport
Via:
Service Number: HF
Service Type: Normal Stopping
Effective Date: 20-APR-2009
Other Details: Monday to Saturday hourly.

EYMS

PB0000328/25 - EAST YORKSHIRE MOTOR SERVICES LTD, 252 ANLABY ROAD, HULL, HU3 2RS
Variation Accepted: Operating between Hull, Albion Street and Hornsea, EYMS Depot given service number 246 effective from 20-Apr-2009. To amend Timetable.
PB0000328/54 - EAST YORKSHIRE MOTOR SERVICES LTD, 252 ANLABY ROAD, HULL, HU3 2RS
Variation Accepted: Operating between Hull, Albion Street and Sutton Bank given service number M1/M14/M2/M3 effective from 05-Apr-2009. To amend Timetable.

Stagecoach Hull

PB0001987/53 - CLEVELAND TRANSIT LTD T/A STAGECOACH NORTHEAST, ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, WHEATSHEAF, SUNDERLAND, SR5 1AQ
Variation Accepted: Operating between Hull Interchange and Boothferry Estate given service number 1/2/N2 effective from 20-Apr-2009. To amend Timetable.
PB0001987/54 - CLEVELAND TRANSIT LTD T/A STAGECOACH NORTHEAST, ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, WHEATSHEAF, SUNDERLAND, SR5 1AQ
Variation Accepted: Operating between Hull Interchange and Orchard Park given service number 13/13A/13B/14/14A/14B/93M effective from 20-Apr-2009. To amend Timetable.
PB0001987/55 - CLEVELAND TRANSIT LTD T/A STAGECOACH NORTHEAST, ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, WHEATSHEAF, SUNDERLAND, SR5 1AQ
Variation Accepted: Operating between Hull Interchange and Kingswood Asda given service number 15/N15 effective from 20-Apr-2009. To amend Timetable.
PB0001987/59 - CLEVELAND TRANSIT LTD T/A STAGECOACH NORTHEAST, ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, WHEATSHEAF, SUNDERLAND, SR5 1AQ
Variation Accepted: Operating between Hull Interchange and North Bransholme given service number 30/30X effective from 20-Apr-2009. To amend Timetable.
PB0001987/60 - CLEVELAND TRANSIT LTD T/A STAGECOACH NORTHEAST, ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, WHEATSHEAF, SUNDERLAND, SR5 1AQ
Variation Accepted: Operating between Hull Interchange and Sutton Park given service number 28/28A effective from 20-Apr-2009. To amend Timetable.
PB0001987/61 - CLEVELAND TRANSIT LTD T/A STAGECOACH NORTHEAST, ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, WHEATSHEAF, SUNDERLAND, SR5 1AQ
Variation Accepted: Operating between Hull Interchange and Bilton Grange given service number 54/54A effective from 20-Apr-2009. To amend Timetable.
PB0001987/67 - CLEVELAND TRANSIT LTD T/A STAGECOACH NORTHEAST, ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, WHEATSHEAF, SUNDERLAND, SR5 1AQ
Variation Accepted: Operating between Hull Interchange and Greatfield Grange Road given service number 43/N43 effective from 20-Apr-2009. To amend Timetable.
PB0001987/140 - CLEVELAND TRANSIT LTD T/A STAGECOACH NORTHEAST, ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, WHEATSHEAF, SUNDERLAND, SR5 1AQ
Variation Accepted: Operating between Hull Interchange and Greatfield given service number 40/40A/42/42A/42C effective from 20-Apr-2009. To amend Route and Timetable.
PB0001987/218 - CLEVELAND TRANSIT LTD T/A STAGECOACH NORTHEAST, ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, WHEATSHEAF, SUNDERLAND, SR5 1AQ
Variation Accepted: Operating between Hull Interchange and North point Shopping Centre given service number 32/N32 effective from 20-Apr-2009. To amend Timetable.
PB0001987/219 - CLEVELAND TRANSIT LTD T/A STAGECOACH NORTHEAST, ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, WHEATSHEAF, SUNDERLAND, SR5 1AQ
Variation Accepted: Operating between Hull Interchange and Kingswood given service number 51/51A/51F/N51 effective from 20-Apr-2009. To amend Timetable.
PB0001987/252 - CLEVELAND TRANSIT LTD T/A STAGECOACH NORTHEAST, ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, WHEATSHEAF, SUNDERLAND, SR5 1AQ
Variation Accepted: Operating between Hull Interchange and Saltshouse Road given service number 52/52C/53/56 effective from 20-Apr-2009. To amend Timetable.
PB0001987/255 - CLEVELAND TRANSIT LTD T/A STAGECOACH NORTHEAST, ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, WHEATSHEAF, SUNDERLAND, SR5 1AQ
Variation Accepted: Operating between Hull Interchange and Hull Interchange given service number 10/10B effective from 20-Apr-2009. To amend Timetable.

PB0001987/256 - CLEVELAND TRANSIT LTD T/A STAGECOACH NORTHEAST, ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, WHEATSHEAF, SUNDERLAND, SR5 1AQ
Variation Accepted: Operating between Hull Interchange and Kingswood given service number 38/38A effective from 20-Apr-2009. To amend Timetable.

Minor Service 51 Changes

From Monday 2nd March the 1820 service 51 Grimsby-North Thoresby journey will extend to Louth, operating Mondays to Saturdays. The 51 timetable was altered early this year by operator Stagecoach in Lincolnshire and this change fills a 190 minute gap in evening buses from Grimsby to Louth.

The tracks open, but your going by bus

Thats whats passengers who travel on the first Barton Line service of the day look set to be told. As regular readers of this blog will know, I have expressed doubt that there will be an available train to operate the first Cleethorpes-Barton and return service of the day during the Scunthorpe-Doncaster rail blockade. After contacting the Friends of the Barton Line they have said it's looking likely the service will be operated by a bus.

This totally undermines efforts to develop the line - not the way to attract regular passengers when you have services being needlessly being replaced by buses.

The situation has to be looked at in a wider perspective. Transpennine Express operate the first service of the day with one of their Class 185 trains. During the Scunthorpe-Doncaster blockade this summer they will not operate any services to Cleethorpes - despite the Cleethorpes to Scunthorpe section of the line being open - and therefore have no train at Cleethorpes to operate the Barton service with.

Transpennine Express provide a train to Northern Rail, whose service it is. They do not have a spare unit it appears to operate one service a day with - understandable since it would be a waste of a train for it to operate for just two hours a day.

Having got my suspicions confirmed, time for a few emails to be sent. Not that I suspect it will acheive anything but my arrangements for passengers during the Scunthorpe to Doncaster rail blockade are being done on the cheap with very little regard being paid to what is best for passengers.

There will be no Cleethorpes-Scunthorpe rail service this summer

Earlier in the month a guest posted a comment to say that there would be a Cleethorpes to Scunthorpe train service during the Scunthorpe to Doncaster rail blockade this summer. Well it appears not so.

This Northern Rail poster says Transpennine Express will operate buses between Cleethorpes and Doncaster - one serving Grimsby Town only, and the other serving Grimsby Town, Habrough, Barnetby and Scunthorpe. Which is a good arrangement for passengers travelling to Doncaster. But why should passengers between Cleethorpes, Scunthorpe and stations in between have to use buses when the rail line is open between these places?

Northern Rail will divert their Scunthorpe trains to Thorne North and operate buses from Scunthorpe, Althorpe, Crowle and Thorne South to link into the train service at Hatfield and Stainforth station.

They say that East Midlands Trains Grimsby to Newark and Northern's own Barton to Cleethorpes service will be 'largely unaffected'. Does that mean the first Barton Line service of the day, operated with a Transpennine Express unit, will be operated by a bus? I can't see Transpennine Express isolating a train at Cleethorpes for three months to operate one service a day.

As I have said before, the replacement services for passengers are being done on the cheap, and are not the best they could be.

Hull Bus Forum Minutes

A few points from the minutes of the Hull Bus Forum on Tuesday 28th January.

350: Hull-Barton-Scunthorpe

Firstly the 350 changes. As well as the known about daytime increase, the evening service will be improved and the Sunday service altered.

In recent years the evening service on the 350 between Hull, Barton and Scunthorpe has been heavily cutback. At one point it was hourly (same as the daytime service) until the 21.10 from Scunthorpe/21.25 from Hull departures with an extra service each way an hour later on Fridays and Saturdays - all subsidised by North Lincolnshire Council. Then the 20.10 from Scunthorpe/20.25 from Hull were axed and the evening service split into two at Barton, though connecting. In September 2006, North Lincolnshire Council cut funding a number of services in the county including the 21.25 from Hull and return from Barton Mondays to Wednesdays. If it wasn't for a petition, the same journey would also have been axed on Thursdays and Fridays.

So overall a pattern of decline in evening service provision, that looks to be reversed, which is very welcome. On a personal note a 18.55 from Hull to Barton would be very welcome!

The Sunday service has actually been increased in recent years from 4 to 5 return journeys with a 8.25 from Hull and 20.10 from Scunthorpe. Like the evening service it is subsidised by North Lincolnshire Council and the timetable is based around connecting to the Summer Sunday Barton to Cleethorpes rail service. Will be interesting to see what the changes will be. Stagecoach Lincolnshire have introduced new Sunday services on a number of routes recently, such as the Connect 3, so maybe they will be taking on all, or part of the Sunday service commercially?

Stagecoach Hull Service 53

Service 53 between Hull, Garden Village, the Ings Road Estate and Salthouse Road will increase to every half hour in April. Services currently continue as service 52 from Salthouse Road down Holderness Road back into Hull City Centre. Service 53 receives financial support from Hull City Council in the Garden Village area.

Walton Street Park and Ride

The proposal to cut Walton Street Park and Ride is part of the Hull City Council budget for the 2009/10 financial year, though if the budget is not approved the service will continue to operate. The service has received support from local residents. A new park and ride site is due to open however near Saltend.

Stagecoach Hull Service 28

This service will receive low floor buses later in the year.

Trains replaced by buses on the Yorkshire Coast Line

Northern Rail are replacing trains with buses between Beverley, Driffield, Bridlington and Scarborough from today (Saturday 14th) until Friday 20th due to engineering work between Beverley and Bridlington being carried out by Network Rail. Replacement buses will not be calling at Arram however - Northern Rail can arrange alternative transport for passengers to Arram if required.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/humber/7890100.stm

Stagecoach Hull improved evening services in April

Buried with an announcement about buses to the KC Stadium for Hull FC fans;

"In April our evening services will be improved to make it even easier to get to the KC by Bus"

Good news for passengers in Hull

It's not every day theres a TV Crew on your bus...

...but there was today. Having just got settled in my seat on the 350 in Barton this morning and having decided to catch on some textbook reading (boring, but it needed doing and the bus is an ideal place to do it), a reporter and cameraman from BBC Look North got on at Barton Station. Rather surprised to say the least, but it made my bus journey far more interesting than reading a textbook all the way to Hull.

What you probably want to know is why the BBC were filming a bus journey? The answer is the Humber Bridge Tolls. As has been widely reported locally the Bridge Board want to increase the tolls. The BBC were attempting to cover the story from the perspective of less car drivers using the bridge, and more people using the bus instead. The Bridge Board have cited reduced usage and therefore reduced revenue as a reason for their proposal to increase crossing prices.

Within the piece prepared is the official announcement of the 350 going half hourly. You can see one version of the report here - http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7884002.stm This version was shown on the 6.30 bulletin. The 1.30 bulletin had a very different report with more footage from onboard the bus.

A nice bit of publicity for the bus, and a general good story for public transport. Plus it highlighted the very important issue of bridge tolls. Now I await the new 350 timetable. Going by the VOSA application, the change date is Monday 23rd March.

Scunthorpe-Doncaster rail blockade update

According a comment on my previous blog entry on this subject, Transpennine Express shall be operating a Cleethorpes to Scunthorpe shuttle during the Scunthorpe to Doncaster rail line blockade this summer, which shall also mean they can continue to provide a train for the first service of the day on the Cleethorpes to Barton line. So the Barton Line should be unaffected, a local passengers between Cleethorpes and Scunthorpe don't have to needlessly catch a bus.

350 Changes Update

Further to yesterday's post on the changes to service 350 (Hull-Barton-Scunthorpe), this is from VOSA today:

PB0001484/3 - LINCOLNSHIRE ROAD CAR CO LTD, PO BOX 15, DEACON ROAD, LINCOLN, LN2 4JB
Variation Accepted: Operating between Scunthorpe Bus Station and Hull, Ferensway given service number 350/360 effective from 23-Mar-2009. To amend Route and Timetable.
PB0001484/56 - LINCOLNSHIRE ROAD CAR CO LTD, PO BOX 15, DEACON ROAD, LINCOLN, LN2 4JB
Variation Accepted: Operating between Barton Cemetery and Brigg Leisure Centre given service number 450 effective from 23-Mar-2009. To amend Route and Timetable.

With Stagecoach also planning to make changes to the 350 from March, as well as EYMS, looks like this could be when the service goes half hourly. The 450 from Barton to Brigg also looks to be changing at the same time.

Hull Trains guaranteed 7 trains a day to London till 2014

First Hull Trains's 'Back our Bid' campaign has been successful. The Office for Rail Regulation (ORR) has today said it is minded to allow the company to continue operating all 7 of it's existing daily services between Hull and London Kings Cross. There is a reduced weekend frequency. These services also stop in the region at Brough and Howden.

However the campaigning is not all over yet, First Hull Trains was not awarded the 10 year track access rights it asked for; it only got 6 years. It also wants restrictions on the number of services that can stop at Stevenage to be lifted. Looking further ahead it wishes to introduce a 8th daily service between Hull and the Capital.

Also today the ORR said it was prepared to approve National Express East Coast's plans for a daily Cleethorpes to London Kings Cross service, which would also serve Grimsby. However further consultation is needed because they may affect other operators track access rights.

Today's ORR announcement also included good news for Grand Central and Grand Northern, but the ORR said they were minded to refuse proposals from Platinum Trains and from First Hull Trains to set up a new company, First Harrogate Trains, to link Harrogate and the Capital.

First Hull Trains Press Release - http://www.hulltrains.co.uk/latestnews.php?id=240
The full ORR decision - http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/upload/pdf/ecml-cap2_propdec_280109.pdf

Changes to the 350 in March

EYMS, one of the operators of service 350 between Hull, Barton and Scunthorpe via the Humber Bridge, have given notice of changes from 23rd March. This is taken from the VOSA (Vehicle and Operator Service Agency) website.

PB0000328/26 - EAST YORKSHIRE MOTOR SERVICES LTD, 252 ANLABY ROAD, HULL, HU3 2RS
Variation Accepted: Operating between Hull, Ferensway and Scunthorpe Bus Station given service number 350 effective from 23-Mar-2009. To amend Route, Stopping Places and Timetable.

Is this the date for the service to go half hourly Monday to Saturday daytimes, as is expected? In September we reported about the possibility of this, with 3 new buses on order to upgrade most of the Stagecoach workings to low floor status. Since then this order has been reported as being increased to 6, with two vehicles for Hull and 4 for Scunthorpe, meaning a frequency increase looks almost certain. All the extra journeys would be operated by Stagecoach, so are EYMS just going to be making minor alterations to fit in with the enhanced timetable, or are the changes unrelated?

Scunthorpe-Doncaster Rail Blockade Dates Announced

Last year we reported that the Scunthorpe to Doncaster (or more accurately Scunthorpe to Thorne Junction) rail line would be closed by Network Rail this summer for an engineering blockade. The line has passenger services provided by Northern Rail and Transpennine Express, the laters as part of the Cleethorpes-Scunthorpe-Doncaster-Sheffield-Manchester Airport service.

The Dates for this have now been announced. The line will shut on June 21st at 11.45 pm and reopen on September 7th at 4am.

http://www.thisisscunthorpe.co.uk/news/Rail-line-close-months/article-642102-detail/article.html

It appears that replacement services will provided totally by bus. Obviously the Scunthorpe to Doncaster section has to be served by replacement buses, but what about the Cleethorpes to Scunthorpe section? Through passsengers from Cleethorpes, Grimsby, Habrough and Barnetby may prefer one bus through to Doncaster, rather than a change from train to bus at Scunthorpe, and depending on their destination, back to train again at Doncaster, but local passengers between Cleethorpes and Scunthorpe will have to use a slower bus service.

But passengers from Cleethorpes, Grimsby, Habrough and Barnetby don't have to use buses at all to get to Sheffield. They could always go via Brigg using a line that runs from Barnetby to Gainsborough, then join the Lincoln to Sheffield line to reach South Yorkshire. That option will be available on Saturdays, using the service that operates one day a week (3 journeys each way) on the Brigg line, but it appears that this service will not be enhanced during the blockade. Freight services will be diverted via the line, taking up it's capacity. Though would it be that hard to divert a couple of freight services via Lincoln to allow a limited weekday passenger service to Sheffield?

Finally another potential issue is the effect on the Barton to Cleethorpes service. The first train of the day is operated by a TransPennine Express unit, but during the blockade they will have none at Cleethorpes to operate it with. So bus replacement seems the only option. I will be investigating this further. Also the Northern Rail stock for the line's other services will not be able to position via Scunthorpe. I presume it will have to be attached to the Saturday Sheffield-Cleethorpes service, which has happenned in the past. Better hope it doesn't break down mid-week though!

Clearly there is essential work to be done between Scunthorpe and Thorne Junction, and as far as freight services go, summer is the best time for it to happen (not for the Cleethorpes tourist industry though). But the total use of replacement buses, as appears to be hapenning, is unnecessary and probably motivated by keeping costs low. Operating a Cleethorpes to Scunthorpe shuttle wouldn't be cheap but passengers will be needlessly inconvienced as a result. Just as a limited weekday Cleethorpes to Sheffield service via Brigg wouldn't be cheap, but would ease the effects of the blockade for some passengers. Dont just think about £££'s, remember the customers too.

Improvements to Bridlington-Scarborough rail service on the way?

It appears that the current Hull and Bridlington to Scarborough rail service, operated by Northern Rail, has a chance of being improved. Currently the Hull to Bridlington service is roughly half hourly Monday to Saturday daytimes, with extensions every 90 minutes to Scarborough. On Sundays the Bridlington to Scarborough section is served only in Summer.

The Filey Mercury report that Northern Rail are giving "serious consideration" to a plan to run hourly Monday to Saturday services between Bridlington and Scarborough, as well as a year round Sunday service. This comes after work to establish the feasibility of the plan, lead by the Yorkshire Coast Community Rail Partnership and local councils.

However the plans are dependent on Northern Rail having extra trains to operate the service. Current plans show that Northern Rail will recieve additional units in the next few years, but with overcrowding on existing services into cities such as Leeds, Manchester and Liverpool, how much of a priority will extra services between Bridlington and Scarborough be?

The enhanced Sunday service is not dependent on obtaining extra rolling stock. The timescale for the improvements is at least two years (I presume the December 2010 timetable change).