Stagecoach September Changes in North Lincolnshire

From information on Traveline East Midlands, and comments on this post, here are details of Stagecoach's service changes in North Lincolnshire from September 3rd.

Service 6 between Scunthorpe and Ashby has a new 0730 journey from Scunthorpe to Ashby and back again, filling a 40 minute gap in the Stagecoach service.

Town Service Circular 10 gains new clockwise journeys at 1535 and 1635 from Scunthorpe Bus Stations on College Holidays and Saturdays. Anti-clockwise extra journeys operate at 1600 on College Holidays and Saturdays, and at 1700 Monday to Saturday.
Town Service Circular 34 has it's running time reduced by 3 minutes. The 0700 and 0800 departures from Scunthorpe Bus Station will operate 15 minutes earlier, to be better timed for North Lindsey and John Leggott College students. Associated service 33 is not being altered.

The College Holiday and Saturday only journey at 1555 on service 37 between Scunthorpe Bus Station and Skippingdale Retail Park will also operate on college days, and will the 1635 service 38 from Scunthorpe Bus Station to Crosby and return.

Journeys on service 150 from East Halton to Immingham will now depart 5 minutes earlier, with increased running time between South Killingholme and Habrough. Journeys in the opposite direction are unaffected.

As already noted, Stagecoach will cease to operate the 366, which is passing to Hornsby on Saturdays, and being amalgamated into the 68 'Wolds Villager' on Thursdays.

The 0715 450 from Immingham to Brigg will now leave Immingham at 0700 (on weekdays at least) to resolve punctuality issues. Service 45 between Grimsby and Immingham will be altered accordingly. Most services will extend to/from Brigg Leisure Centre, as the 450 has done in the past, utilising 'dead time' in the current timetable. The number of journeys to/from Brigg Leisure Centre on the 68 is being reduced at the same time.

Comment - It is nice to see Scunthorpe's town network getting some enhancements. I guess these are down to reductions in work earlier this year making more resources available in the late afternoon to be deployed on town services. But it is a positive all the same, coming after cutbacks and tender losses so far this year.

Hornsby Service 6 Change

From 10th September, Hornsby service 6 between Scunthorpe and Ashby is being revised. One week earlier, Stagecoach are making amendments to their journeys on the jointly operated route. For more on Stagecoach's September changes, see the comments on this post.

No electrification for Hull

Today the government has produced a 'High Level Output Statement' for the railways. The big picture is good news with lots of investment. However it's not good news for the Humber region.

Last year I wrote about the case for electrification of the Leeds (well Micklefield Junction) to Hull rail line, and how it could impact on the Transpennine Express service between Hull, Leeds and Manchester. Today we find out full electrification isn't going to happen. Selby will get electrification, but that is it - no wires to Hull:

"The Secretary of State seeks electrification of the route between Micklefield and Selby with appropriate links to the East Coast Main Line."

Good news for Selby, and it does provide a second electrified route into Leeds from the East Coast Main Line.

Thankfully Hull and Brough aren't getting totally shafted in the resulting changes to service patterns (unlike Middlesborough). Links to Manchester Piccadilly remain, but will be on a semi-fast rather than fast basis between Leeds and Manchester. This probably won't impact too much on journey times, but it is a downgrade. Hull will leave the core Transpennine network - and won't be getting a link to Manchester Airport any time soon. The Humber LEP describe the situation well on twitter:

"Looks like no electrification to Hull before 2019. Disappointing, bad news for connectivity"

If one positive can be taken, it is that the future case to be made for electrification to Hull will cover a smaller section of route, and therefore potentially be cheaper, and less disruptive. But it won't be hapenning any time soon. Disappointing indeed.

Hornsby 60 revision

From Monday 6th August, Hornsby service 60 between Scunthorpe and Whitton is revised, with most journeys retimed to operate up to 29 minutes earlier or later.

Stagecoach September Service Changes

The VOSA website shows widespread service changes are being planned by Stagecoach from 3rd September.

Grimsby Area

12: Bradley Park-Grimsby-Cleethorpes-New Waltham
13/14: Laceby Road Morrisons-Grimsby-Cleethorpes - Route Change Only
45/46/150/450: Grimsby-Immingham-East Halton/Barton
HF1: Cleethorpes-Grimsby-Humberside Airport

Hull Area
1/2/N2: Hull-Boothferry Estate
10: Hull City Circular
13/14: Hull-Orchard Park
15/N15: Hull-Orchard Park-Kingswood
28/28A: Hull-Bransholme-Kingswood
30/30W: Hull-Bransholme-North Bransholme-Wawne
31/N31/32: Hull-Bransholme/North Bransholme
41/42: Hull-Greatfield
43/N43: Hull-Greatfield
46: Hull-Marfleet
51/N51: Hull-Bransholme-Kingswood
54: Hull-Bilton Grange
110: Hull-Cottingham

Service 38 between Hull and Bransholme is cancelled with VOSA

Scunthorpe Area

6: Scunthorpe-Ashby
10: Scunthorpe Town Circular
33: Scunthorpe Town Circular
34: Scunthorpe Town Circular
37: Scunthorpe-Tesco Extra and Skippingdale Retail Park
38: Scunthorpe-Crosby

New Hornsby 690

I'm guessing this replaces the former Stagecoach 90's journey via Scawby on college days (but not college holidays and Saturdays). Though surely the existing 4 (for Brigg) and 642 (for Scawby and Sturton) could do this? If not, wouldn't 695 be a better number, linking in with the main 95 service to Scawby?

PB0001410/31 - HORNSBY TRAVEL SERVICES LTD, 51 - 53 ASHBY HIGH STREET, SCUNTHORPE, DN16 2NB

• Registration Accepted
• Starting Point: Brigg
• Finish Point: Scunthorpe
• Via:
• Service Number: 690
• Service Type: Normal Stopping
• Effective Date: 04-SEP-2012
• Other Details: College days only.

 

EYMS July Changes: 129/158/X46

EYMS are making some fairly minor changes to services later this month.

The 129 between Hornsea and Withernsea will be diverted to serve Sand le Mere Holiday Village from Sunday 22nd July. Times are slightly revised as a result.

3 journeys per day on the 158 Brough Town Service will be extended to Welton and Melton. Links between these villages and Brough were reduced earlier this year when the 155 was reduced in frequency.

From 22nd July some early morning journeys on the X46 from Hull to York are slightly revised to improve reliability.

New 366 timetable from September

Traveline East Midlands has the timetable for when Hornsby Travel take over the North Lincolnshire Council tendered 366 from Stagecoach in September. The Thursday service is being subsumed into the 68, while the Saturday service between Goxhill, Ulceby, Brigg and Scunthorpe is being revised.

There is no longer a timing point for Elsham, so the service will probably cease to serve the village (possibly allowing the service to be within domestic driver hours?). Elsham retains a Saturday service on the 450. The first morning journey to Scunthorpe will also cease to operate via Scawby, which has a service 95 to Scunthorpe at around the same time. The 1110 from Scunthorpe moves to 1120, and the 1220 from Ulceby to 1222.

EYMS September Changes

EYMS have registered changes to the following services with VOSA today, from 2nd/3rd September.

56/57: Hessle-Hull-Longhill-Asda Bilton
66: Hessle-Hull
130: Hornsea-Bridlington
220/221: Hull-Hornsea
240: Hull-Hornsea
246: Hull-Beverley-Hornsea
520/1/3: Beverley Town Services
151/2: Hull-Anlaby-Willerby
184: Swanland-Hessle

Plus various school and college services

Traveline East Midlands new timetables

Traveline East Midlands has timetables for some forthcoming service revisions.

Stagecoach Interconnect 51 (Grimsby-Louth)

As already noted in this comment, Stagecoach are extending the Monday to Saturday daytime Grimsby-Holton Le Clay 'shorts' to Tetney from July 23rd. New evening peak 'shorts' to Tetney are also being added, bringing the Grimsby-Holton Le Clay peak frequency to half hourly, as in the daytime. Oddly though while Tetney has an evening peak service, there is no morning peak link into Grimsby provided. 

There is also a wider timetable recast, which seems to require an additional vehicle. Departures from Grimsby are generally 5 minutes earlier, and from Louth 10 minutes later, and journey time to/from Louth is increased by 7 minutes to 60 minutes.

It is welcome to see an hourly service for Tetney. Does the attempt to develop a Tetney service suggest that Stagecoach may have no plans to return the Grimsby-Louth corridor to a half hourly frequency? Or is the Tetney extension just about using otherwise dead time as the timetable is recast to improve punctuality?

Hornsby 68 (Brigg-Barnetby-Kirmington)

Despite this being a September change, details are already available. And it would seem my guess about the Thursday 366 being amalgamated into the 68 was correct, with one Tuesday and Thursday journey from Ulceby to Brigg and return formed by extending a Kirmington-Brigg service. Good to see a Tuesday link added from Ulceby and Wootton, but with layovers at Kirmington on Monday, Wednesday and Friday this could have been done every weekday.

Other changes are that a schools service seems to be interworked with the 68, and a new timing point of 'Humberside Airport, near Airport Terminal' added. I wonder if that means the 68 will be using the Humber Flyer bus stop at the airport? Probably just an easy place to turn around, but might pick up the odd passenger. In one case a current Kirmington journey (1055 from Brigg Cary Lane) is terminating 'short' at the airport, but this seems to be to facilitate a more clockface timetable. Finally it seems only afternoon services will continue to serve Brigg Leisure Centre.

(Warning - Traveline doesn't seem to have the right codes for some journeys, so I am making 'educated guesses' for the above. According to Traveline the current timetable remains beyond September as well as the new one, with buses from Barnetby at 0912, 0930 and 0950!)

Scunthorpe Hospital Park and Ride open to the public

As noted in a comment on this post, from next week the Scunthorpe Hospital staff park and ride from Glanford Park will be open to the public. Services run on weekdays between 8.30am and 5.50pm every 15 minutes.

Scunthorpe Telegraph article

The change coincides with Amvale taking over the contract to operate the service.

Hornsby September changes, 2 Way Tender Wins

Three interesting registrations on VOSA today from Hornsby, all with effect from late August/early September.

Firstly the 68 (Wolds Villager) between Brigg, Barnetby and Kirmington, is getting a new timetable. Also Hornsby have registered the 366 on Saturdays only between Goxhill and Scunthorpe. Both are North Lincolnshire Council contracts, and the 366 is currently operated by Stagecoach's Scunthorpe depot. The 366 also has a Thursday service between Ulceby and Brigg, and I wonder if it is to be amalgamated into the 68?

Two interesting points. Hornsby have registered the 366 as one service, rather than Stagecoach's 'split' registration to keep the service within domestic driver hours rules. Secondly the loss of the 366 Saturday service means Stagecoach will cease to operate between Brigg and Scunthorpe - though remain serving Brigg with the 450 from Immingham and Barton.

Hornsby have also cancelled the college day 642 between Redbourne and Scunthorpe, via Hibaldstow, Scawby and Broughton. Traveline East Midlands shows that 642, another North Lincolnshire Council tendered service, is simply passing to 2 Way Transport in September. 2 Way have also picked up various schools services to South Axholme School from September.

Bus reregulation

I'm not a party political person, and I have voted for different political parties at different elections. I also don't what this to become a political blog. However this Labour policy review, 'Empowering communities to improve transport' can't really be ignored. The principle of less power for Whitehall, more for communities is near impossible to argue against. It is some of the suggestions in the policy review that I absolutely do not agree with.

The policy review backs a return to reregulation of the bus market outside London. In fairness it should be noted that the policy review implies this will not be imposed where it is not wanted - "Labour’s Policy Review is looking at how to strike a better balance between the desire for a bottom-up approach to reregulation and the need to provide the backing from government for those authorities that wish to make use of the legal powers that exist." However is reregulation really needed?

Just within the Humber Region, Hull is a brilliant example of how the deregulated market is delivering for customers. Passenger Focus survey results reveal 85% satisfaction from users of commercial bus services within the city. This is what Graham Hall, Assistant Head of Service for Transport and Asset Management for Hull City Council said in response to the results:

"Hull is known for being a bus city and these results show that there is high public satisfaction with local bus services and the frequency of commercial bus services. This has been achieved through a partnership approach with our local bus companies."

Bus use in Hull has risen by 30% in the past nine years. Here are couple of quotes:

"Stagecoach Group Chief Executive Sir Brian Souter said: "In Hull, we have a winning package of attractive and easy-to-use bus networks, long-term investment, good value fares, and effective transport policies from the local authority. With the same initiatives and political will, the prospects for buses across the UK could be really exciting.""

"Graham Hall, Hull City Council’s Assistant Head of Service, Transport and Asset Management, said “The Council is pleased to work in partnership with Stagecoach and East Yorkshire Motor Services to deliver an excellent bus network for the residents of the City. The growth in passengers experienced in recent years proves that when bus companies and local Council's work together they can deliver real results and a credible transport alternative to private cars.”"

It would be incorrect to say the Hull bus network is perfect. It isn't. Satisfaction isn't 100%. More can be done. However no system can ever be perfect, 85% satisfaction with a 30% increase in bus use is a success story. The deregulated market can work with willing bus operators, and a strong partnership with the local authority.

It's not just the local Hull network. The Humber Fastcat is a great example of the deregulated bus market delivering an enhanced service for passengers, with investment in new buses and increased frequency. In Lincolnshire there is the Interconnect network. There is Brighton and Oxford, and no doubt many other examples where the deregulated bus market provides comprehensive successful networks for passengers.

Of course many other places have issues that need addressing. The deregulated bus market delivers what are considered high fares, poor services levels and cuts to services in some areas. However is reregulation the only answer? There are statutory quality partnerships (SQP) that can be imposed to require high standards in terms of vehicle standards. Competition is still permitted, innovation is still permitted - for a case study, see Nottingham. These are certainly part of the answer to overcome some of the issues with the deregulated bus market. It certainly isn't perfect.
 
Labour's policy review notes this issue for example:
"Services often do not join up and the absence of integrated ticketing and co-ordinated timetables put barriers in the way of making use of public transport".

In terms of co-ordination of services and timetables, it needs partnership working, and arguably the right personalities and culture. Maybe SQP's need to be altered to allow transport authorities to specify co-ordinated timetables? However in terms of integrated ticketing, the deregulated sector can deliver on that. Just this week a multi-operator agreement for a York wide bus ticket was signed. Hull is set to launch a 'Hull Card'.

There is also this from the chair of the Tyne and Wear ITA in the policy review- "with fewer service changes".

Here is a change to the licensing system needed? 3 or 4 fixed service change dates per year, including the start of the new school year in September, with any exceptions requiring local authority approval.

I'm sure someone else could argue this better than me. However deregulation can work, and reregulation isn't the only answer to it's flaws. Has Maria Eagle, the shadow transport secretary visited Hull, or Brighton, or Nottingham when conducting her review?

EYMS Bridlington Town Service Changes

EYMS are making various changes to Bridlington town services from July 1st.

Service 505 to Bridlington Hospital and West Hill (circular)
The school holiday only 0805 from Bridlington will cease to run and the 0905 from Bridlington will start in West Hill at 0925 on schooldays. The route will be revised, no longer serving Matson Road.

Service 506 to Bridlington Hospital and West Hill (circular)
The service will now serve Bridlington Hospital before West Hill. The weekday 0735 service from Bridlington will cease to run, with the first service now at 0835. The route will be revised, no longer serving Matson Road.

Services 507/517 to New Pasture Lane
These routes shall now operate as a circular service. Frequency to/from New Pasture Lane remains half hourly.

Services 512/513 North Bridlington Circulars
Both services will now operate every 45 instead of every 40 minutes. The 513 will operate via West Crayke instead of Thorntondale Drive, which retains the 512.

Interconnect 51 to Tetney

Lincolnshire County Council reports that July's change to Stagecoach's Interconnect 51 between Grimsby and Louth will see the service now serving Tetney. The 51 has previously served Tetney on a Wednesday only, providing a shopping link to/from Louth. This link was withdrawn sometime in the middle of the last decade. The village is currently served by Amvale's Saltfleet to Grimsby service, operating twice a day Monday to Saturdays.

Late night buses in the Barton area

Last week's Scunthorpe Telegraph reports about plans to improve late night transport links in the Barton area (unfortuantely I can't find the article online). From North Lincolnshire Council's perspective this is about making use of council vehicles currently unused in the evening, as well as organising voluntary initatives.

However a suggestion at a Barton Town Council meeting was that a coach service was organised one night a week to Hull or Scunthorpe, with a return around midnight. with town councillors noting how public transport in Barton ceases after 10pm (some would quite rightly say lucky Barton for having buses and trains that late). I suspect this idea is very unlikely to become a reality, but if it was, a better idea might be to simply subsidise a later journey on the Humber Fastcat, or speak to EYMS or Stagecoach about funding an extension of a West Hull/Hessle service to Barton (and maybe even beyond), such as the N2 or 66 - this could even be done on a request only basis, reducing the cost.

Emmerson Coaches ceases trading

This weeks Route One magazine reports that Emmerson Coaches of Immingham have ceased trading, with staff made redundant on June 1st. School contracts have passed to other operators, while Amvale have take on the phone number and diary. Emmerson Coaches was formed in 1965

New 90/590 timetable

The new timetable for Holloways 90/590, commencing on 9th July, is now on Traveline East Midlands. Holloways have won the tender for this service, currently being run by Stagecoach hourly on an emergency tender after they cancelled their commercial service in April.

On weekdays the 'new' 90 runs between Scunthorpe and Crowle only. From Scunthorpe Bus Station services leave at 0721, 0840, 1030, 1230, 1430, 1620 and 1725. From Crowle services depart Cranidge Close at 0750, 0909, 1109, 1309, 1509, 1650 and 1755. Off peak services operate via Scunthorpe Hospital, which is a good 'innovation', overwise the service seems to be following the same route as Stagecoach's current service.

On Saturdays most journeys extended beyond Crowle to Garthorpe, but do not serve Scunthorpe Hospital. Services leave Scunthorpe at 0915, 1215, 1515 and 1725 (to Crowle only). From Crowle services depart at 0750, 1015, 1315, 1630 and 1755. From Garthorpe services depart at 1000, 1300 and 1615.

The 'new' 590 from Holloways continues to link Eastoft and Crowle to the Scunthorpe Colleges on college days, but will no longer serve St. Bedes School or Scunthorpe Bus Station.

So that is the new service, and it's back to 'recent historical norm' in terms of frequency, thinking back to the former Road Car/Stagecoach 356. However what about Sweyne Coaches weekday service, and Stagecoach's East Riding of Yorkshire tendered Saturday service 357? The co-ordination is brilliant actually from Crowle to Scunthorpe and return on weekdays, with an hourly daytime service provided between Sweyne and Holloways. On Saturdays it is quite good as well, with at least 40 minutes between the 90 and 357, with one exception in the afternoon (1556 357 from Garthorpe, 1615 90).

Thought has clearly gone into the 90 timetable, and consideration made off Sweyne's commercial service, and the East Riding tendered 357. However the services will be fragmented between operators, and there is still the risk that the tendered 90 will abstract passengers from Sweyne Coaches commercial services. Personally I would have awarded a de minimis contract to Sweyne to fill the gaps. Maybe that was tried? At least though Crowle still maintains a decent bus service.

More buses to Amcotts

From 25th June, the 1020 and 1320 journeys from Scunthorpe on Hornsby's 35 will extend beyond Keadby to Amcotts. The 1420 from Scunthorpe will terminate at Queens Crescent not Chapel Lane in Keadby. Return journeys are amended accordingly.

Electrification for Hull (and Cleethorpes?) moves forward?

Construction News reports (you'll need to try and get round the paywall) Network Rail is searching for contractors to join an alliance for electrification work covering routes to Hull and Cleethorpes, amongst other destinations.

The mention of Cleethorpes is rather odd as the article refers to it as a branch of the main North Transpennine Route (which it isn't), and mentions nothing about electrifying the South Transpennine Route (which Cleethorpes is on). Plus there has been no previous indication of Cleethorpes electrification even being considered.

It is good to see Hull electrification possibly moving forward however.

(Article first posted on the wnxx forum)

Brigg to Scunthorpe

A comment on this post - "Better Q. Why did stagecoach service to Briggs fail? It was quicker. Where fare costly?" - got me thinking about services between Brigg and Scunthorpe. I'm not quite sure about the fares, but I wanted to look at the service provision between the two towns.

The constant has been Hornsby's hourly service 4 via Broughton and Ashby. It's established and has tendered early morning, evening and Sunday daytime services. However other services between Brigg and Scunthorpe have been subject to fairly regular chopping and changing.

A service via Scawby has always operated, and until 2008 this was in the form of Road Car/Stagecoach 365 operating around every two hours. This also served Wrawby and Ashby. Since the 365 was withdrawn, Scawby and Sturton have been served mainly by the tendered 94/95/366. Currently the 95 provides 4 journeys on weekdays (plus 1 Brigg to Lakeside) and 1 on Saturdays; the 366 provides 2 journeys on Saturdays. Stagecoach;s 909/90 has also provided 1 service each way via Scawby.

However attempts at 'fast' services have struggled, and often have been part of wider links. The tendered 94 used to operate fast between Brigg and Scunthorpe. This was part of a wider Bishop Norton/Lime Sidings to Brigg and Scunthorpe link. Likewise the tendered 366 from Goxhill and Ulceby to Scunthorpe on Saturday used to operate fast from Brigg to Scunthorpe. However timetables were infrequent and they weren't really intended for Brigg to Scunthorpe passengers.

This all changed when Stagecoach 'reintroduced' the 909, which later became the 909/910 and then the 90. Here was an hourly Brigg to Scunthorpe fast service - and while opportunities for links to Doncaster and Crowle existed, one of the main purposes was to link Brigg and Scunthorpe. Stagecoach kept persevering with the Brigg to Scunthorpe section - they must have seen a market to be developed - but from July it appears to be axed.

So what is the issue? If it's fares I don't know enough to comment, but one possible factor is that the Brigg to Scunthorpe corridor has been split between two operators, Hornsby and Stagecoach, without any joint ticketing. So passengers, except for OAP's or those buying single tickets, don't have a choice of two services an hour. It's hourly Hornsby OR hourly Stagecoach. If Brigg to Scunthorpe has the demand for two services an hour, then maybe the second service each hour needs to from Hornsby, offering a 'step change' in frequency?

If a second service each hour is to operate, what route should it take?
The fast route, as taken by Stagecoach's 90, is indeed the quickest between Brigg and Scunthorpe, but serves very little other than Lakeside Retail Park en-route. Do Brigg to Scunthorpe services need to the support of 'intermediate' passengers? Was this Stagecoach's downfall?

Another option would be to increase the 4 to half hourly - is there the demand in Broughton for this? Or possibly to operate one service an hour via Broughton, and one via Ashby - i.e. 2 'semi-fast' services, combined fast elements and intermidiate traffic. Though how substantial are Broughton to Ashby passenger flows?

Or how about routing a second hourly service via Scawby and Sturton instead of Broughton. This could replace the 95 so would have established passenger flows to build on. Though would it be enough for an hourly service?

Would an option be to have some services extending to Wrawby, as the 365 did, or even beyond. Could this contribute extra passengers to help make extra Brigg to Scunthorpe services work? Or would the costs outweigh the benefits?

Are Hornsby interested in boosting Brigg to Scunthorpe links? Or, with their far more extensive knowledge of the corridor than me, do they know it isn't worthwhile? Questions, Questions - but ones I think it's worth asking, especially for those with an interest in growing public transport usage.

Interconnect 51 July Changes

From VOSA

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 23-Jul-2012. To amend Timetable.

The service was last amended in April.

Holloways Coaches win 90/590 tender

From VOSA:

PB0001403/33 - HOLLOWAYS COACHES LTD, COTTAGE BECK ROAD, SCUNTHORPE, DN16 1TP

• Registration Accepted by SN
• Starting Point: Scunthorpe Bus Station
• Finish Point: Scunthorpe Bus Station
• Via: Gunnes Althorpe Ealand Crowle Eastoft Luddington Garthorpe
• Service Number: 90
• Service Type: Normal Stopping
• Effective Date: 09-JUL-2012
• Other Details: Monday to Saturday

PB0001403/34 - HOLLOWAYS COACHES LTD, COTTAGE BECK ROAD, SCUNTHORPE, DN16 1TP

• Registration Accepted
• Starting Point: Eastoft Memorial
• Finish Point: North Lindsey College
• Via: Eastoft Crowle Ealand Althorpe
• Service Number: 590
• Service Type: Limited Stop
• Effective Date: 04-SEP-2012
• Other Details: College Days only

Back in April, Stagecoach proposed to withdraw the commercially operate 90 between Brigg, Scunthorpe and Crowle, and the 590 college day variant. North Lincolnshire Council then issued an emergency tender for the routes until July. It now seems Holloways Coaches have won the tender for July onwards. I would guess the Brigg to Scunthorpe section will not be replaced, as it is covered by Hornsby service 4, but interesting to note Holloways 90 continuing beyond Crowle to Garthorpe. Will this be competing with Sweyne Coaches commercially operated weekday services (and Stagecoach tendered Saturday service 357)?

Not winning the 90/590 tender will result in a PVR reduction of 3 for Stagecoach's Scunthorpe depot - more severe than April's changes and arguably bringing some of the points in this post into sharper focus.

Jubilee Weekend Services

This weekend is the main national celebration of Queen Elizabeth's Diamond Jubilee, with two bank holidays on Monday 4th and Tuesday 5th June.

Most operators in the region are operating a Sunday services on both days, as is usual on most bank holidays. This includes EYMS (except no Moorsbus on the 5th), Arriva Yorkshire, Transdev York and First South Yorkshire.

One exception is Stagecoach in Hull, which on Monday 4th are running a 'Sunday Plus' service with frequencies of up to every 15 minutes, and a normal Monday evening service. However I can't find any details of the routes seeing this Sunday Plus service. Other services by Stagecoach in the region will have a Sunday timetable on the 4th, as do all Stagecoach services on the 5th.

Also Transdev Yorkshire Coastliner will operate a Saturday timetable on the 4th and 5th, as is usual for them on Bank Holidays.

Market Weighton-York July Changes?

From VOSA:

PB0000328/395 - EAST YORKSHIRE MOTOR SERVICES LTD, 252 ANLABY ROAD, HULL, HU3 2RS

• Registration Accepted
• Starting Point: Market Weighton
• Finish Point: York Railway Station
• Via: Pocklington
• Service Number: X47
• Service Type: Normal Stopping
• Effective Date: 22-JUL-2012
• Other Details: Monday to Saturday evenings 4 jouneys each direction Sunday

PB0000328/396 - EAST YORKSHIRE MOTOR SERVICES LTD, 252 ANLABY ROAD, HULL, HU3 2RS

• Registration Accepted
• Starting Point: Market Weighton
• Finish Point: York Railway Station
• Via: Pocklington
• Service Number: X46
• Service Type: Normal Stopping
• Effective Date: 22-JUL-2012
• Other Details: Approx. every 30 mins Mon-Sat daytime. 8 journeys each direction Sunday

My first thought was that these registrations were related to transitioning the services from EU to domestic driver hours rules. This maybe the case, however the frequencies do not match the current level of service. The X46 is currently hourly throughout it's route between Hull and York Monday to Saturday daytimes, and has only 3 Sunday services in each direction. So possibly some enhancements and/or changes to other Market Weighton-York services (X4/746) to come?

Local Sustainable Transport Fund

Yesterday the Department for Transport announced successful bidders for the Local Sustainable Transport Fund. In the Humber region these were:

East Riding of Yorkshire Council - £943,000 for 'Get Moving Goole'. Bus related measures include real time passenger information on EYMS services. (Search for Get Moving Goole on google for the full bid document - it's the second pdf)

Hull City Council - £1.87 million. Bus related measures include promoting bus use, upgrading bus infrastucture, and most significantly, a new 'Hull Card' bus ticket, available for use on both EYMS and Stagecoach services.

North East Lincolnshire Council - £4.33 million. Full details here. Bus related measures include real time passenger information and an improved bus station in Grimsby, including a new staffed information office.

Return to Skippingdale

From this Monday (21st May) Stagecoach operated Scunthorpe town service 37 will serve Skippingdale Retail Park, which has recently attracted a number of new stores including Matalan last Autumn.

If I remember correctly RoadCar served the retail park with a Scunthorpe Town Service until Tesco relocated in the early noughties.

EYMS June 121/743 Changes

From Sunday 3rd June EYMS are altering the 121 Hull to Scarborough via Beverley, Driffield and Bridlington service, as well as the 743 between Driffield and Pocklington.

On the 121 some journeys will omit Reighton village to improve reliability; the village's service will be generally two hourly, retaining it's current hourly frequency at times. Also more journeys will operate via Cayton Bay instead of Eastfield in Scarborough.

In the evenings the 2125 from Hull will now terminate in Nafferton, not Bridlington, will the apparently little used 2300 from Bridlington to Driffield withdrawn. As a result the last bus from Hull to Bridlington is at 1825 on Sundays and at 1625 on Monday to Saturdays. From Bridlington to Driffield the last bus will now be at 2030 daily.

On the 743 buses from Driffield shall now start from the EYMS Depot and then serve George Street; currently they serve George Street before the EYMS Depot.

EYMS announcement

In addition EYMS are 'splitting' the 121, X21 (Hull to Scarborough fast) and 744 (Bridlington to York) in June to operate under domestic rather than EU driver hours.

Humber Connections

In last month's service changes, Stagecoach revised the 45/150/250/450 to operate as the 45/150/450 under the Humber Connections brand. It's a change for the better, as I noted at the time.

However Stagecoach have let themselves down big time with a timetable that makes no sense at all. They have split the timetable into one for the 45 only, and another showing the 150/450, and supposedly all services, including the 45, to South Killingholme. Yet the two do not match up. Here are some of the inconsistencies I have found between the two:

• The 0715 from Grimsby serves South Killingholme on Saturdays only according to the 45 timetable, but on Monday to Saturdays according to the 150/450 timetable
• The 1445, 1545 and 1645 from Grimsby serve South Killingholme on Saturdays only according to the 45 timetables, but not at all according to the 150/450 timetable
• The 1715 and 1745 from Grimsby continue beyond South Killingholme to Ulceby on Monday to Fridays obly according to the 45 timetable, but on Monday to Saturdays according to the 150/450 timetable
• The 0715 450 from Barton to Immingham (and onwards as a 45 to Grimsby) operates Monday to Saturday according to the 150/450 timetable, but is just a 0750 45 from South Killingholme on Saturdays according to the 45 timetable
• The 0800 from Habrough operates on college days only according to the 45 timetable, but on Monday to Saturdays according to the 150/450 timetable
• The 1520, 1620 and 1720 45's from South Killingholme are shown in the 45 timetable, but omitted from the 150/450 timetable meant to show the entire South Killingholme service
• The 1805 and 1835 service 46's are shown as starting in South Killingholme in the 45 timetable, but are omitted from the 150/450 timetable

There could be other inconsistencies I have missed! However what is the real timetable for Humber Connections, because I haven't a clue! North Lincolnshire Council have their own version in their 'Barton and Immingham' timetable (NLC Leaflet 1) but while that seems to clear up some of the Stagecoach inconsistencies (e.g. the 0715 from Barton does not operate on Saturdays) it has errors of it's own.

Moving on, some complexity on the corridor is inevitable, however I do wonder if some simplification could be made. Firstly Stagecoach show the 45/450 as being split at Immingham (route number change) and Barton to comply with domestic hours rules. Yet as the 2009 version of the 45B showed, Grimsby-Immingham-Barton can be done under domestic hours as it is under 30 miles. So why not just split the service in the timetable once and make it simplier to understand. Even more odd is that 45/150 journeys are shown as being split in Immingham. Grimsby-East Halton is way under 30 miles.

Next there could be some service number simplification. The 150 made sense when it served Barton and provided an hourly weekday Grimsby-Barton service alongside the 250, connecting into the 350 and 450. But that all finished in 2006. Personally I would renumber it the 45E. Then if the 45/450 renumbering moved from Immingham to Barton, all South Killingholme services would be the 45, or a variant off.

Looking at the timetable there seems to be some dead mileage that could be reduced. Stagecoach currently have a Baysgarth School (Barton) contract 552. The vehicle from this used to operate the 0900 250 from Barton to Grimsby, but not any more. I wonder if it now goes onto the 0935 150 from East Halton. If so, why not start it back from Barton on schooldays and offer a slightly earlier alternative to the 0945 450/45?

Also there is a 1415 45/450 from Grimsby to Barton, arriving at 1523. This almost certainly provides the bus for the afternoon 552. But on School Holidays and Saturdays this has to run dead from Barton. Why not run it back in service though? There is no 450 from Barton to Immingham between 1345 and 1715, so a new 1545 would fill a gap, and may help develop connections between the 450 and Humber Fastcat. Anyone from Ulceby going for a dayout in Hull currently has to leave Hull at 1305 or 1635 to meet their connection at Barton to return home. Yet at 1545 450 from Barton would connect out of the 1505 from Hull, offering more flexibility for passengers. If this 'messed up' the South Killingholme-Grimsby timetable, then why not run it as an additional service between these points - better than dead mileage surely?

Talking off connections at Barton, there isn't even a footnote about them in the Stagecoach timetable. Missed opportunity?

The 450 timetable also has quite a bit of 'slack in it'. Buses wait 22 minutes in Brigg - but could sometthing better be done with this? The use of double deckers restricts the options, but what about extending to Brigg Garden Centre (should take about 5-7 minutes each way)? Could be a useful link, and replace the 3 day a week Brigg Town Service 93 in the process.

The biggest bit of slack however is on Saturdays and School Holidays when the 450 waits in Brigg from 1438 to 1630. Even allowing for the driver's break, this seems wasteful. The 1630 from Brigg is needed as it forms the 1715 from Barton, which is useful for connections from Hull and Scunthorpe to Barrow, Ulceby etc. However could it run earlier, say at 1530 as on schooldays, and then, as on schooldays, also serve Barrow and Goxhill before returning to Barton for 1715? This could enable the withdrawal of the 1603 service 260 Barton Villager.

Another possible idea is a couple of minor re-routings in Barton. Firstly could the 450 serve Tesco (about 2 minutes extra). Secondly could it also divert to serve Meadow Drive (as the X21 did about 15 years ago) - currently served only by the 3 day a week Barton Town Service, Meadow Drive serves a fairly substantial housing estate and would only take about 2-3 minutes extra in each direction. If all this does take up too much time, the 450 doesn't really need to serve Barton Market Place twice!!!

Finally the 150 also has a lot of 'slack' within the timetable - 28 minutes in East Halton. Could this be better used to serve sides roads within Immingham en-route (such as routing via the Church and Emmersons Coaches depot). This may slightly mess up the even interval frequency to South Killingholme, but only 3 times a day. It would however provide useful new links within Immingham.

So Humber Connections - great principle. More efficient and smarter working. But please proof-read the timetable. And it could be made simplier. And a few minor changes could generate some extra custom and serve more places - without any siginficant time or fuel penalty.

EYMS Bridlington Town Service Changes coming in July

Some Bridlington town service changes coming in July from EYMS. From VOSA:

PB0000328/69 - EAST YORKSHIRE MOTOR SERVICES LTD, 252 ANLABY ROAD, HULL, HU3 2RS
Variation Accepted: Operating between Bridlington Bus Station and Bempton Lane Circular given service number 512/513 effective from 02-Jul-2012. To amend Timetable.

PB0000328/70 - EAST YORKSHIRE MOTOR SERVICES LTD, 252 ANLABY ROAD, HULL, HU3 2RS
Variation Accepted: Operating between Bridlington Bus Station and West Hill Circular given service number 505/506 effective from 01-Jul-2012. To amend Timetable.

PB0000328/71 - EAST YORKSHIRE MOTOR SERVICES LTD, 252 ANLABY ROAD, HULL, HU3 2RS

Variation Accepted: Operating between Bridlington Bus Station and New Pasture Lane Circular given service number 507/508/517 effective from 01-Jul-2012. To amend Timetable.

Amvale to operate Scunthorpe Hospital Park and Ride

It seems Amvale have won the contract for the Scunthorpe Hospital staff park and ride. From VOSA:

PB0003906/38 - AMVALE LTD, ESTATE ROAD, 7 SOUTH HUMBERSIDE INDUSTRIAL ESTATE, GRIMSBY, DN31 2TP

• Registration Accepted
• Starting Point: Glanford Park Car Park
• Finish Point: Glanford Park Car Park
• Via: Scunthorpe General Hospital
• Service Number: Hospital park and Ride
• Service Type: Limited Stop
• Effective Date: 02-JUL-2012
• Other Details: Monday to Friday excluding bank holidays

One change that didn't work out

There is one change that Stagecoach made earlier this month that very definetly hasn't been a success. From tomorrow (yes, a Friday!) the Interconnect 100  between Scunthorpe, Gainsborough and Lincoln will no longer serve Morton between 9am and 3pm, with a separate Gainsborough Town Service introduced (3/3a) to serve Morton at these times instead.

Stagecoach in Hull

Finishing my review of Stagecoach's operations in the region, today a look at Hull depot, and unlike south of the Humber, there are a lot of positives here. The April service changes generally weren't bad news, just the sort of changes that seem to happen every year in Hull. So I'm going to take a wider look at the past few years.

Over the past couple of years, Stagecoach have tried to improve the fortunes of many secondary routes, or find alternatives to replace them. The 20 has gone, replaced by changes to the 15, 28, 30 and K1, and in the case of the first three I'd argue that the cancellation of the 20 has boosted these core routes. The 30 has also been boosted by the new 30A Leads Road diversion, replacing the 31, and before that 38, along the road.

Many other secondary links remain part of secondary services, and often see regular changes, such as services to the Bricknell Avenue Estate and the city circular. Maybe April's service changes will be the answer to long term stability. Maybe not. Generally speaking secondary services and links seem to remain a challenge for Stagecoach.

Another challenge seems to be the nightbus network which is far from stable. From 24 hour services, to Friday cutbacks, to Saturday cutbacks and Friday improvements. From city centre starts, to the Welly Club, to Hull University and back to the city centre. I'm guessing the economic situation could have impacted on how many people go out at night, but whatever the reason for the regular alterations, surely the Nightbus network needs stability and promotion - a consistent product offering - to bring growth and hopefully allow previous cutbacks to be reversed in the future.

However away from secondary services, the core network seems to be holding up well. Some cutbacks, especially on Saturdays, have occurred in recent years, and efficiencies from better co-ordination of services did enable some PVR reductions - but nothing major. The controversial recast of the Greatfield and Bilton Grange network seems to have been a success, with significant investment in new buses for the 41/2 and most recently 43/54.

The new vehicles for the Greatfield/Bilton Grange services have just been part of the significant investment in the Hull fleet since 2009. New vehicles for the 1/2, 30, 41/2 and the 43/54 in the past three years, plus Hull has benefited from the 2009 relaunch of the 350 with new buses and an increased frequency. Significant investment like this is not made without reason.

The strong position, of the core network at least, in Hull is demonstrated by rising passenger numbers. In the past 9 years, bus use in Hull across Stagecoach and EYMS has increased by 30%. A success story.

Considering the size of the network in Hull, regular alterations and tinkering are inevitable. I'm curious for example if the 31 will be a success, I'm sceptical about the 10's future and need. Like all operations, the reductions in BSOG and fuel prices has had an impact. However from the outside it seems Stagecoach have a decent operation in Hull.

292 re-registered

Selwyn Motors have re-registered the 292 with VOSA

PB1076766/1 - BARRY SELWYN DODD T/A SELWYN MOTORS,
WESTGATE ROAD, BELTON, DONCASTER, DN9 1QA
Registration Accepted
Starting Point: Belton
Finish Point: Doncaster
Via: Epworth, Hatfield, Sandtoft
Service Number: 292
Service Type: Normal Stopping/Hail & Ride
Effective Date: 05-JUN-2012
Other Details: Saturday only

The 292 was cancelled with VOSA last week.

Stagecoach in Grimsby Cleethorpes

In the end, Stagecoach's Grimsby operation didn't see too many cuts in this month's service changes. It's also had investment in new buses for the 16 service to Wybers Wood. However it is 'what could have been' that indicates not everything in Grimsby is as good as it may seem.

Prior to this year, Stagecoach Grimsby Cleethorpes had seemed a rather stable operation, the Humber Flyer excepted. Most of the fleet is low floor, there had been a significant batch of new vehicles in 2006 and the core network had seen little significant change. To the casual observer the operation seemed to be doing OK.

Then in February came this shocker, Stagecoach's initial plans for cuts. Late evening and Sunday services to be considerably cut, the 12 entirely and the Interconnect 3 to Lincoln from hourly to just 2 through journeys per day. All is clearly not well in Grimsby for Stagecoach, even if this was a 'worst case scenario' negotiating position that Stagecoach hoped never to implement.

The main way most of these cuts were avoided was a deal with North East Lincolnshire Council on concessionary fare payments. Short term this is clearly very good news. But longer term, could concessionary fare repayments be cut, or increased at a rate less than inflation? What happens then? More cuts? Has it actually done anything to solve the underlying issues that must be affecting Grimsby depot?

Some 'smarter' working has come from all of this on the Grimsby-Immingham and beyond corridor. Gone are the 150's and 250's duplicating 45's, mileage is reduced and hopefully passenger loadings consolidated onto fewer journeys.

On the other hand though take the late evening journeys on the 8, 9 and 46 - all originally proposed for the chop. All must be struggling, whether through declining usage, fuel costs and/or limited revenue from concessionary fares. However at say 10pm at night though, are OAP's really going to 'make or break' a journey? My guess is no, yet with increased concessionary fare repayment, they have been saved. Either I am wrong or the underlying issue with these services, either fuel costs or declining usage, has not been addressed. And in the case of the 8/9 at least, the mileage involved in the services is quite low.

Grimsby depot is clearly no 'basket case'. The 13/14 seemed to have benefited from the 'Kick Start' scheme back in 2006. The 16 has justified new buses. Yet I can't help but wonder if cuts will be back on the agenda within the next year or two. It seems to be that if not careful Grimsby could become another Scunthorpe with a steadily declining town network. Investment is needed, not necessarily in new vehicles, but in reviewing the network and promoting it. Kick Start worked for the 13/14, it now needs to be repeated network wide. Any further opportunities to reduce mileage but not the service level need to be taken. I'm sure the 12 could in part at least be replaced by other services for example (a 13 variation to Bradley Park, the 7 along Littlefield Lane and Humber Flyer via Queen Mary Avenue for example). Relying on concessionary fares reimbursement levels being maintained does not seem like a long term strategy. It's a short term fix and lets hope Stagecoach already know this and are working on growing passenger numbers.

Finally, one Grimsby service exempt from the threat of cuts this time around was the Humber Flyer. Why? Probably a combination of it's political sensitivity, and uncertainty about the impact of Humber Bridge toll changes. Yet surely it has been hit hard by fuel prices and the BSOG cut?

Selwyn Motors cancel the 292

From VOSA:

PB0000112/1 - BARRY SELWYN DODD & QUEENIE DODD
T/A SELWYN MOTORS, WESTGATE ROAD, BELTON, DONCASTER, DN9 1QA
Cancellation Accepted: Operating between Belton and Doncaster given service
number 292 effective from 05-Jun-2012.

The 292 is a Saturday only 'shopper' service from Belton, Epworth and Sandtoft to Doncaster, and has been running for a number of years. It is Selwyn Motors only public bus service. I recall an industry magazine interview with the proprietor, possibly last year, in which he stated North Lincolnshire Council had refused to provide financial support for the service, so I'd be surprised to see a replacment.

Stagecoach in Scunthorpe

Now the details of Stagecoach's recent changes have been reviewed, I want to take a more general look at Stagecoach's operations in the region, starting with Scunthorpe. Scunthorpe wasn't too badly affected in April's changes. By my calculations the PVR (peak vehicle requirement) was only reduced by 2, and half of this was a tender loss.

However it could have been worse - Stagecoach had cancelled the 90 (PVR 2) but North Lincolnshire Council stepped in to save it on an emergency tender pending a longer term solution being found. No one can say Stagecoach haven't tried with their Brigg and later Crowle services, the 909, 909/910 then the 90; increased frequencies, and for Brigg a far quicker route. However it clearly hasn't worked.

Why? In part this may be down to competition. Between Brigg and Scunthorpe the main service is Hornsby's established route 4 (and there is also tendered service 95). Stagecoach and RoadCar have no recent history of being the main provider of services between the two towns. The 365 which existed before the 909 returned was only every 2 hours, and it's been a while since the 'original' 909 operated. And between Scunthorpe and Crowle there is competition to a more limited extent from Sweyne Coaches, and tendered Saturday service 357 (operated ironically by Stagecoach). That competition has already seen Stagecoach withdraw from commercial services in Garthorpe, Luddington and Eastoft.

It's not just the 90 that faces competition. Within Scunthorpe Hornsby Travel have a significant presence on town services. Some are co-ordinated with Stagecoach (the 6), some have found gaps from routes given up by Stagecoach (the 22) while other duplicate parts of Stagecoach services (the 12 - and this has seen a boost from Stagecoach reducing services 33/34 to hourly). There is also competition for tendered services; Hornsby have the contract for services 16/35/60/94-95, all of which have been operated by Stagecoach/Road Car in the fairly recent past (the 35 in it's old 357? form).

Competition means a fragmented market. As well as Hornsby and Sweyne, Isle Coaches, Holloways Coaches and EYMS (the latter in co-operation with Stagecoach) also operate 'public' bus services in Scunthorpe.

All this means that Stagecoach don't have the dominance and scale they have in other places. This need not be a problem by itself, but a look at the fleet reveals a major lack of investment by Stagecoach since they took over Road Car in late 2005. Using the fleet list in the January/February edition of the Lincolnshire and East Yorkshire Transport Review, correct as off 15th January, Scunthorpe has a fleet off 33 vehicles. Only six of these where delivered new under Stagecoach (the 6 MAN/Enviro's for the 350 Humber Fastcat) of which two are outbased at Hull. Other than 3 recently cascaded 2005 Volvo B7RLE's (for the 103 to Lincoln) the rest of the fleet dates from before 2004 or before, i.e. at least 8 years old - thats 25 out of the 33 based vehicles, 75% of the allocation. I should note here the Interconnect 100 which serves Scunthorpe has newer vehicles, but is not operated by Scunthorpe depot.

Since January changes to the fleet have taken place with some 'newer' low floor double deckers arriving to replace Volvo Olympians, but I don't think the proportion of vehicles under 8 years of age has significantly changed. What this shows is a lack of investment by Stagecoach in the fleet in Scunthorpe and where the investment has occured it has been for 'out of town' routes - the 350 is just as much a part of the Hull network as it is the Scunthorpe network for example.

Which leads me nicely onto the town network, no investment in vehicles in over 6 years, and cutbacks which started under Road Car and continued over Stagecoach. For example, back in March 2003 High Leys Road had 5 buses per hour into Scunthorpe, now 2 per hour. The 15 minute frequency for Bolsover Road tried in 2005, now every 20 minutes. Dewsbury Avenue down from every half hour in 2005 to hourly now.

So competition, a declining network and lack of investment in the fleet. I don't know the finances of Scunthorpe depot but what I have described doesn't paint an encouraging picture. I hope I'm mis-interpreting all of the above and things aren't as bad as I'm describing. However it doesn't look good.

Holloways 55 Major Improvement

A change that didn't get reported in detail when it happened. On March 5th, North Lincolnshire Council tendered weekday service 55 between Scunthorpe, Appleby and Winterton was significantly improved. The service is operated by Holloways Coaches.

Prior to the change the service had been very basic. School and college holidays saw just one journey from Winterton to Scunthorpe at 0850, and a lunchtime Scunthorpe to Appleby return. School and college days saw a slightly enhanced service.

Now though the service operates every 90 minutes on weekdays; most journeys operate the full route from Scunthorpe to Winterton via Appleby before continuing via Thealby to operate a loop around Normanby and Burton and as the outward route back to Scunthorpe. This provides much enhanced links from Appleby to Scunthorpe, and a 'usable' link from Appleby to Winterton. In addition Burton, Normanby and Thealby regain links to Winterton, and here connections can be made to the 350 Humber Fastcat, with certain 55 journeys timed to connect into the 350. I recall there was a brief 3 day a week Hornsby Travel operate service from Burton to Winterton a few years ago serving this purpose - hopefully the revised 55 will be more successful than that.

It is also not the first time the 55 has operated beyond Winterton. Up to 10-15 years ago the service extended to Whitton.

EYMS 121/744/X21 to domestic driver hours rules?

Based on registrations showing on the VOSA website today, plus this from earlier in the week, it seems that from June the 121/X21 (Hull-Scarborough) and 744 (Bridlington-York) will be worked under domestic rather than EU driver hours rules.

It seems the 121 will be 'split' at Driffield and Bridlington, the 744 'split' at Pocklington and the Summer only X21 'split' at Beverley and Bridlington.

Stagecoach services Easter 2012

Stagecoach have released details of their services over this Easter Weekend.

Good Friday

Grimsby-Cleethorpes:
Sunday service on all routes except the following, which will have a normal Friday service:
Interconnect 3 Grimsby-Lincoln
25 Grimsby-Binbrook-Ludford
Interconnect 51 Grimsby-Louth
150 Immingham-East Halton
450 Immingham-Barton-Brigg
Humber Flyer
(Does this mean that the 150 and 450 will not have through services at Immingham to Grimsby for the day, with the 45/46 running to a Sunday timetable?)

Hull:
Sunday service on all routes except the Humber Fastcat and Humber Flyer which will have a normal Friday service

Scunthorpe:
Normal Friday service on all routes

Easter Saturday

Normal Saturday services on all routes

Easter Sunday

Normal Sunday services on all routes

Easter Monday

Sunday service on all routes

Comment

Good Friday is a weird day for service levels, likely down to historical operating patterns, and in some cases these being enshrined in council tenders. One one hand North Lincolnshire Council is paying for a normal service on the 260 (Barton Villager) and 450, and the 1740 from Scunthorpe to Westwoodside 399 journey. Yet in Grimsby, Grange Estate is without a bus service.

I suspect the optimum service level for Good Friday, Easter Monday and other bank holidays is somewhere between a normal and Sunday service. A Saturday service is probably not the answer, as in some cases it is identical or almost identical to weekday services. A special timetable is probably more suitable, but with that comes the issue of informing customers when exactly the buses will run.

TB3 to not serve Barrow Haven

According to Traveline East Midlands, from 8th May Holloways Coaches Tuesday and Thursday TB3 between Goxhill, Barton and Brigg shall cease to serve the small community of Barrow Haven. The timetable is unaltered.

EYMS 504 Minor Changes

From Monday 16th April EYMS service 504 between Bridlington, Buckton and Bempton has minor changes. The first journey from Bridlington (currently 0915, will move to 0910) will cease to run on weekdays, and become Saturdays only. Other journeys are retimed; most departures from Bridlington move from .15 to .10 past the hour, and from Bempton move from .38 to .30 past the hour.

Stagecoach in Hull Changes Overview

Here is a full overview of Stagecoach in Hull's service changes that came into effect yesterday (Monday 2nd April), including details on those that have not had their own separate post.

Services 1/2 (Hull-Boothferry Estate): Slightly revised timetable. Nightbus N2 has a reduced Saturday night timetable.

Service 10 (Circular): Revised route now serving Newland Avenue, Hull University, Orchard Park Tesco and Holderness Road but service withdrawn from Bricknell Estate, Sutton Village and Greatfield. Improved afternoon timetable and new 30 minute frequency between Hull City Centre and Orchard Park via Hull University; this section of the route now operates on Saturdays too.

Service 13 (Hull-Orchard Park): Almost all journeys now serve Orchard Park Tesco, Saturday frequency reduced from every 10 to every 15 minutes.

Service 14 (Hull-Orchard Park): All journeys now serve Orchard Park Tesco.

Service 15 (Hull-Orchard Park-Kingswood). Slighty revused timetable with an extra morning peak journey. Nightbus N15's Wednesday night journeys axed, Friday night service reintroduced and Saturday night service cutback. New journeys from Kingswood.

Services 28/28A (Hull-Kingswood): 28's extended from Kingsbury Way to Kingswood Retail Park and operating as a circular with service 28A. Some extra morning peak 28's from North Point into Hull City Centre.

Service 30 (Hull-North Bransholme): Generally alternate services diverted via Leads Road as service 30A, replacing 'old' service 31. Reduced late evening service Monday to Saturday, and less buses to Wawne at peak times.

Service 31 (Hull-North Bransholme): Previous service between Hull and Kingswood axed. Revised to run between Hull and North Bransholme via parts of the 32 route plus Sutton Road and Holwell Road. Operates half hourly in the weekday peak and during weekend shopping hours, plus hourly in the evening daily. 31F and N31 replaces the 32F and N32. Nightbus N31 has a new Friday night service compared to the old N32, but a reduced Saturday night service.

Service 32 (Hull-Bransholme): Weekday peaktime services reduced from every 10 to every 15 minutes and Monday to Saturday evening services from half hourly to hourly. The 'new' 31 provdes a replacement.

Service 38 (Hull-Bransholme): Service reinstated hourly to replace old 31 via Garden Village. peak time services extend to Kingsbury Way as 38A, replacing old 31A.

Service 41 (Hull-Greatfield): New hourly Monday to Saturday evening and Sunday daytime service.

Service 42 (Hull-Greatfield): Now operates via Portobello Street rather than Maybury Road. Monday to Saturday evening and Sunday daytime frequency cut from half hourly to hourly.

Service 43 (Hull-Greatfield): Slightly revised timetable Nightbus N43 gains a Friday night service but has a reduced Saturday night service.

Service 46 (Hull-Marfleet): Revised timetable, but no change to frequency.

Service 51 (Hull-Kingswood): Slightky revised timetable. Nightbus N51 has a reduced Saturday night timetable but gains a new journey from Kingswood.

Services 52/53 (Ings Circulars). 52A's will start/finish at North Point and the changeover point from service 53 to 52 moves to Bellfield Avenue.

Service 54 (Hull-Bilton Grange). Faster journey time with new route via Maybury Road instead of Portobello Street.

Service 110 (Hull-Cottingham). Minor timetable alterations.

Service 677 (Hull-Cranswick Foods Preston): 0735 from Hull withdrawn. Evening services from Cranswick Foods no longer serve Beverley Road.

(Almost) all services to Tesco

Since yesterday all journeys on Stagecoach's 13 and 14 from Hull City Centre to Orchard Park have been extended to Orchard Park Tesco (except the 2 early morning 13's from Greenwood Avenue). Until last week only daily half hourly journeys on the 13 (operating as 13a/13b) and evening and Sunday 14a/14b served Tesco.

The Saturday daytime frequency on the 13 has been reduced from every 10 minutes to every 15 minutes, as has the late afternoon (1430-ish to 1730-ish) weekday frequency from Orchard Park.

EYMS June Changes

Some EYMS changes due in June

VOSA - Bus Registration Search Results: PB0000328/253 - EAST YORKSHIRE MOTOR SERVICES LTD, 252 ANLABY ROAD, HULL, HU3 2RS
Variation Accepted: Operating between Hull and Nafferton given service number 121/121D effective from 03-Jun-2012. To amend Timetable.
PB0000328/300 - EAST YORKSHIRE MOTOR SERVICES LTD, 252 ANLABY ROAD, HULL, HU3 2RS
Variation Accepted: Operating between Pocklington and Bridlington given service number 743/744/744S effective from 03-Jun-2012. To amend Timetable.

Hull Nightbus Changes

From this coming Friday night, Stagecoach are making extensive revisions to their nightbus network in Hull, including more Friday night/Saturday morning services but the withdrawal of Saturday night/Sunday morning services after 0130 on all routes, as well as the N32/43 extensions from Hull University and the Welly Club.

The N2 between Hull City Centre, the Boothferry Estate and Hessle sees a revised timetable. 2 journeys from Hull and 1 from Hessle continue to operate on Friday night/Saturday morning but 2 services each way on Saturday night/Sunday mornings are cut, so that Friday and Saturday night services are now identical. This means the last bus from Hull City Centre moves from 0300 to 0115 on Saturday nights.

The N15 between Hull City Centre, Hull University, Orchard Park and Kingswood has lost it's two Wednesday night journeys from Hull University to the City Centre. The Friday and Saturday service has a new route; it now starts from the Hull Truck Theatre on Ferensway, not the Witham and operates via Princes Avenue not the Welly Club on Beverley Road. Services are extended beyond Orchard Park Tesco to Kingswood's Leisure and Retail Parks.

The N15 regains a Friday night services with 2 journeys in each direction (last departure 0120 from Ferensway). Saturday nights have the same timetable, which means an 80 minutes earlier last departure from Ferensway but new services from Kingswood. Some journeys on the N15 will interwork with the N51 in both Hull City Centre and at Kingswood.

The N32 between Hull University, Newland Avenue, the Welly Club, the City Centre and North Point is replaced by the N31, which starts at Hull Truck Theatre and then follows the route of the revised 31 to North Bransholme, giving the estate a new nightbus service. 2 journeys operate from the Truck Theatre at 0008 and 0108 on both Friday and Saturday nights. The N32 did not operate a Friday night service when it was axed, but the Saturday service is cut from 3 to 2 journeys on the new N31.

The N43 to Greatfield and Bilton Grange will now start at Hull Truck Theatre, with the extensions from Hull University and the Welly Club withdrawn. Again Friday night services are reinstated, but Saturday night services cut back from 4 to 2 journeys and an earlier last bus from Hull City Centre (0135 from George Street compared to 0310).

Finally the N51 from Hull City Centre to Kingswood via Holderness Road and North Point has a revised timetable. Services now leave Hull Truck Theatre at 0023 and 0123 on both Friday and Saturday nights, 23 minutes later on Friday nights but 1 hour 47 minutes earlier on Saturday nights, with 2 less journeys. One new journey from Kingswood is also introduced, again operating on both Friday and Saturday nights.

Overall its better on Fridays, and for getting home from Kingswood. Not so good on Saturdays, or if you want to come from Hull University or the Welly Club.

EYMS takeover 156 on temporary basis from Colins of Goole

From EYMS twitter, it seems they have been operating Sunday tendered service 156 between Goole and North Cave via Howden and Gilberdyke on a temporary basis due to "problems with the operator who's meant to run it". That operator is Colins of Goole.

A further tweet says EYMS are waiting to see if they have won a new contract for the route from this weekend onwards.

Phoenix Buses 136 minor change

From East Riding of Yorkshire Council's website:

Future bus service changes: Phoenix Buses, Service 136 Driffield to Bridlington - There will be some minor changes to the afternoon service from Monday 16th April 2012. The 1500 from Driffield will now depart at 1510 and the 1600 from Bridlington will now depart at 1620.

Route swap

From today, Stagecoach have 'swapped' the routes of services 42 (Hull-Greatfield) and 54 (Hull-Bilton Grange) in East Hull. The 42 will now follow the 54's previous route via Portobello Street, while the 54 will follow the 42's previous route via Maybury Road, shortening journey times to Bilton Grange.

With regards to timetables, the half hourly Monday to Saturday evening and Sunday daytime frequency on the 42 shall be reduced from half hourly to hourly in favour of a new hourly service on co-ordinated service 41, thus maintaining the half hourly frequency for Wingfield Road and Falkland Road, and providing new evening and Sunday links for Newbridge Road and Ellis Street on the 41 route.

The 54's route changes has meant a revised timetable - in addition extra morning peak services shall operate from Hull Interchange.