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A Life of Lincolnshire Travel has details of the new Stagecoach Interconnect 3 (Grimsby-Lincoln) timetable from April. Fundamentally the service remains hourly Monday to Saturday daytime, though as already reported the Sunday service has gone and there is a revised route within Grimsby.Grimsby depot will resume operating part of the service with Lincoln depot (connected to them loosing some or all of the Humber Flyer to Hull?). The 23/C, introduced last year to provide a later Lincoln-Grimsby journey after the 3 went to Lincoln depot only operation, is replaced by a journey on service 3.
Thanks to an anonymous poster on my initial blog post, further details of EYMS's new X4 have been revealed. It will be a two hourly Monday to Saturday Market Weighton-York service avoiding Pocklington. Also changes to the 746 (Market Weighton-Pocklington-York) see the service avoiding the University of York as well as an extra morning journey from Market Weighton at 0910, while another has been retimed to leave after 0930 to allow free bus passes for OAP's to be used. More details in the comments section of the blog post linked to above.As a side note, has the X55 inspired the X4? An express service omitting a key location en-route to provide a quicker service for others. Not something EYMS had done in recent times until the X55, which omits North Cabe, Save Cave and North Ferriby for quicker journeys into Hull from Gilberdyke, Brough and Elloughton. Could this 'concept' be applied anywhere else in the EYMS network?
Following confirmation of the proposed cuts to bus services in North Yorkshire, Arriva have revealed details of how it will affect their Selby depot operation, including the 400 Selby-Snaith-Goole. In addition to the withdrawal of Monday to Saturday tendered evening 1910 and 2110 from Selby plus 2000 and 2200 returns from Goole, the commercially operated 1810 from Selby to Goole will terminate at West Cowick and the 1900 from Goole to Selby shall be withdrawn.No mention of the Sunday service though. I presume it is 'safe' despite this?
There are a number of cutbacks being made to Lincolnshire County Council supported services from April 4th. Full details here but below are the changes impacting also on North and North East Lincolnshire:Stagecoach Interconnect 3 (Grimsby-Lincoln) - all Sunday and Bank Holiday journeys withdrawn (also a separate re-routing in Grimsby)Stagecoach Interconnect 51/X51 (Cleethorpes-Grimsby-Louth-Skegness) - all Sunday and Bank Holiday journeys withdrawn as well as the 0640 and 2120 from Louth, plus 2010 and 2310 from Cleethorpes Monday to Saturday (Guess this question is answered!)Hornsby 94 (Glentham-Brigg-Scunthorpe) - Saturday Glentham extension withdrawn, will start from Bishop Norton insteadBarnards 325 (Kirton Lindsey-Gainsborough) - This Tuesday shopping service is withdrawnThere are also changes due to commercial services across Lincolnshire including cross boundary services; the A Life of Lincolnshire Travel blog has attempted to compile full details, but there is conflicting information on some services, especially those part tendered and part commercial.
More changes are due in April for the Stagecoach Hull X62 between Hull, Brough, Goole and Leeds. According to North Yorkshire County Council's latest service changes pdf the service will see cutbacks. On Saturdays the 0930 and 1330 from Hull, plus 1130 and 1530 returns from Leeds will be axed. So far seems simple enough ...However apparently the weekday 1030 Hull-Leeds and 1430 return will be withdrawn. I can't imagine it is as simple as this. Not only would it create long gaps at key times of day, but there would be no bus in Leeds to work the 1230 to Hull, while the bus on the 1230 Hull-Leeds would have no return working. So there must be other changes to the weekday timetable coming.
It would seem that Utopia Coaches have won the contract for Wednesday only service 488 into Goole. It is currently operated by Hutchinson's Coaches, who only took the service over a year ago.
VOSA - Bus Registration Search Results: "PB1079814/4 - UTOPIA COACHES LIMITED, UNIT 4 THE MALTINGS, FENTON LANE, SHERBURN IN ELMET, LEEDS, LS25 6EZ
Registration Accepted
Starting Point: Hut Green
Finish Point: Goole
Via: Pollington, Snaith
Service Number: 488
Service Type: Normal Stopping
Effective Date: 17-APR-2011
Other Details: Wednesday Only"
The Humber Flyer (Hull-Barton-Humberside Airport-Grimsby-Cleethorpes) will see changes from April. Information on the Stagecoach East Midlands Yahoo Group indicates cascaded low floor vehicles from Manchester and possibly even a change of operating depot from Grimsby to Hull. Both the Grimsby Cleethorpes Transport and Cleveland Transit (Stagecoach Hull) registrations for the Humber Flyer will see variations from April 4th according to the VOSA website.
Posted on the VOSA website last week - almost every Stagecoach service in Hull will see alterations from early April.
From the VOSA website last week:
VOSA - Bus Registration Search Results: "PB0000163/40 - GRIMSBY CLEETHORPES TRANSPORT CO LTD T/A STAGECOACH GRIMSBY CLEETHORPES, PO BOX 15, DEACON ROAD, LINCOLN, LN2 4JB
Cancellation Accepted: Operating between Cleethorpes and Skegness given service number X51 effective from 04-Apr-2011."
Is the X51 gone, or just being altered to operate under domestic driver hour regulations? For those unaware the X51 operates Cleethorpes-Grimsby-Louth-Skegness on Summer Sundays.
From 4th April Stagecoach in Lincolnshire Interconnect 3 (Grimsby-Lincoln-Newark) will return to operating via Weelsby Road and Hainton Avenue in Grimsby, rather than the quicker route via Bargate thanks to North East Lincolnshire Council funding. The Bargate route was introduced when the service was extended to Newark, leaving Weelsby Road unserved until temporary Stagecoach Grimsby Cleethorpes service 6 was introduced last Autumn - this will be withdrawn from April.Grimsby Telegraph article
Posted on the VOSA website today:
VOSA - Bus Registration Search Results: "PB0000328/186 - EAST YORKSHIRE MOTOR SERVICES LTD, 252 ANLABY ROAD, HULL, HU3 2RS
Cancellation Accepted: Operating between Bridlington coach Park and Bridlington Coach Park given service number 500/501 effective from 03-Apr-2011."
Also variations for services 155/6 (Hull-Goole corridor), 241 (Aldborough-Beverley), 358 (Holme on Splading Moor-Goole) and 502/10 (Bridlington-Buckton), plus the Moorsbus services from Hull. This ties in with the interesting tender results I alluded too earlier.
The 909 (and the 910) are going again, replaced from Monday 31st January by new service 90. The 909 was restarted in November 2009 as an hourly Brigg-Scunthorpe-Doncaster service. April 2010 saw the Doncaster section reduced to 3 return journeys a day, while new service 910 saw some Brigg to Scunthorpe journeys extended to Garthorpe via Crowle, approximately every 2 hours. Then last September the remaining Doncaster journeys were withdrawn.Now more changes, but largely positive. The 909 and 910 have gone, replaced by an hourly Brigg-Scunthorpe-Crowle service Monday to Saturday daytimes. The Brigg section retains it's hourly frequency while Scunthorpe to Crowle increases from 2 hourly to hourly. However Eastoft, Luddington and Garthorpe loose their Stagecoach service. The Scawby diversions on the 909 are retained on service 90. Hopefully Stagecoach have now found a suitable service pattern for the corridor and some stability can be provided.The college service 556 from Garthorpe and Crowle to Scunthorpe is also being withdrawn, replaced by service 590 from Eastoft and Crowle only (so Eastoft retains a limited Stagecoach service on college days only). Garthorpe and Luddington have Sweyne Coaches services to the Scunthorpe Colleges.New service 90 timetableNew service 590 timetableHowever also from Monday Sweyne Coaches are making changes to their Scunthorpe-Goole service (new timetable in a user unfriendly format on traveline east midlands). On weekdays most services currently operate via Amcotts, apart from one service operating via Crowle to provide a shopping link into Goole. All journeys serve Luddington and Garthorpe. Presumably in response to the Stagecoach changes, Sweyne are switching most weekday journeys to operate via Crowle instead. This maintains weekday service to Eastoft, and from Garthorpe and Luddington into Crowle. Additionally though it means that as well as a doubling of it's Stagecoach service, Crowle sees a roughly 2 hourly daytime service from Sweyne on weekdays. Sweyne services appear to depart Crowle 12 minutes before Stagecoach, and from Scunthorpe 25 minutes after Stagecoach. The question here is, are Sweyne going after the Scunthorpe-Crowle market, or is it just a side effect of replacing Stagecoach in Eastoft? I suspect the latter, with no attempt to serve the Scunthorpe-Crowle market at peak times by Sweyne. However it does mean a substantial increase in services between Scunthorpe and Crowle, more than a doubling of it's current service provision. Too much too quick? Service enhancements are to be supported, but they need to be sustainable.Finally a quick note about Sweyne Coaches Scunthorpe to Goole Saturday service, all of which operate via Crowle. Traveline East Midlands shows it finishes at the end of March, and information posted on a yahoo group indicate another operator has won the tender for it. As far as I am aware the Saturday service was a commercial operation from Sweyne, but it was notable how it was not enhanced along with the weekday service last year, so maybe it has been struggling and at some point Sweyne have had to give up operating it commercially. Not the only interesting tender in East Yorkshire either apparently.
From Monday 31st January, Stagecoach are making alterations to some Scunthorpe town services.An extra journey on service 6 will operate from Scunthorpe Bus Station at 0710 to Ashby High Street, Manifold Road and back into Scunthorpe Town Centre to provide an earlier first arrival at 0751. Service 11, which links parts of Bottesford with Scunthorpe Town Centre will be increased from 4 journeys a day to hourly Monday to Saturday daytimes. The 37 to Speedwell Crescent will gain an additional 1555 departure from Scunthorpe Bus Station on Saturdays and School Holidays, while the 1705 will depart from Scunthorpe Bus Station 10 minutes earlier at 1655. Meanwhile Service 38 to Crosby gains a revised timetable all day.Nice to see some enhancements to Scunthorpe Town Services, which have generally only seen reductions in recent years.New Service 6 timetableNew Service 11 timetableNew Service 37 timetableNew Service 38 timetable
From Monday 31st January, First South Yorkshire will make changes to their two services operating into North Lincolnshire. The 59 from Wroot to Doncaster will see minor timetable changes of up to 5 minutes. Meanwhile the morning peak only 391 from Epworth to Doncaster will be retimed with the weekday, but not the Saturday, journey now omitting Finningley and Robin Hood Airport.New 59 timetableNew 391 timetable
Alongside some variations to services in the Market Weighton/Pocklington/York area, there was this interesting new registration on the VOSA website today from EYMS.
VOSA - Bus Registration Search Results: "PB0000328/372 - EAST YORKSHIRE MOTOR SERVICES LTD, 252 ANLABY ROAD, HULL, HU3 2RS
Registration Accepted
Starting Point: Market Weighton, Sancton Road
Finish Point: York Railway Station
Via:
Service Number: X4
Service Type: Normal Stopping
Effective Date: 20-MAR-2011
Other Details: Mondays to Saturdays."Variations to existing services cover the 18A (route only), 195/6/9, 743, 744, 746, X46, X47
North Lincolnshire Council are currently consulting over proposals to withdraw the two day a week Isle Shopper network, based around Epworth and extending to Crowle and Wroot. Subsidy is over £7 per passenger journey (the becnhmark is £3) and usage is low. With such high subsidy being required, it is not surprising withdrawal is being considered, but it would lead to some local links being sadly lost.
From 31st January 2011, North Lincolnshire Council operated service 68 'Wolds Villager' between Brigg, Wrawby, Barnetby and Kirmington will have it's Saturday service withdrawn, as well as the last two weekday journeys. The service is not expectionally well used, and North Lincolnshire Council have also had isues with their bus fleet and staffing, as noted on the 260 Villager post. Operation by a commercial operator was considered, but the tender prices were more expensive than 'in-house' operation.From September 2011, costs potentially could be lowered through interworking with a schools service, though the council report does warn that "it will become more difficult to justify the cost" of the service medium term.On Saturdays Stagecoach service 366 will still retain links to Brigg (and Scunthorpe) from the Villages concerned, so the 68 Saturday withdrawal seems a sensible saving to make. Again though, has an opportunity been missed to make further savings? An extension to Ulceby could allow the Thursday 366 to be withdrawn. Parts of the Brigg Town Service could also be incorporated into the 68, which could be diverted via Churchill Avenue or Woodbine Avenue in Brigg for example.
From 31st January 2011, Stagecoach East Midlands will take over operation of weekday service 260, the 'Villager' bus service that links Barrow, Goxhill, New Holland and East Halton (Thursday only) to Barton. There is also a Thursdays only link to Victoria House in Barton, as well as a schools service in Barton operated as part of the same diagram. The service is currently operated directly by North Lincolnshire Council.In the current climate of spending cuts, you may think this is an attempt to make savings. However the cost of the service will actually rise, short term at least. Instead the motivation for contracting the service out is the age, and therefore increasing unreliability, of the North Lincolnshire Council bus fleet, as well as difficulties covering abscences from the council's small pool of bus drivers.After putting the 260 out to tender, North Lincolnshire Council received two bids, with the winning bid being from Stagecoach. No mention of who the other bidder was, but I suspect Hornsby Travel (operators of the Barton Town Service), or less likely either Holloways Coaches or Johnsons. Stagecoach bid was for £38.729 per year, or £1.08 per passenger journey (including the interworked schools service). This is apparently higher than the council's current costs, but under the council 'limit' of £3 per passenger journey subsidy and can be offset by savings elsewhere. The contract will for five and half years, and the current timetable will be only slightly modified. No mention of what Stagecoach depot will operate the service.Clearly the aim here is for a more reliable service and with less of a burden in terms of vehicles on the council. However have opportunities been missed, especially in terms of making savings that inevitably will have to be made next year? My idea to integrate the 260 with the Barton Town Service potentially could produce some signficant savings, eliminating the three day a week town service contract without any substantial changes in the level of service provision. In their defence, North Lincolnshire Council have not yet confirmed future budgets, but it won't be long before cuts have to be contemplated.North Lincolnshire Council report
From the VOSA website it looks like the Saturday service on route 366 operated by Stagecoach Grimsby Cleethorpes between Goxhill, Barrow, Ulceby, Brigg and Scunthorpe, is being technically split into two sections; Goxhill-Ulceby and Ulceby-Scunthorpe, in the new year.
VOSA - Bus Registration Search Results: "PB0000163/51 - GRIMSBY CLEETHORPES TRANSPORT CO LTD T/A STAGECOACH GRIMSBY CLEETHORPES, PO BOX 15, DEACON ROAD, LINCOLN, LN2 4JB
Variation Accepted by SN: Operating between Scunthorpe and Ulceby given service number 366 effective from 04-Jan-2011. To amend Timetable.
PB0000163/58 - GRIMSBY CLEETHORPES TRANSPORT CO LTD T/A STAGECOACH GRIMSBY CLEETHORPES, PO BOX 15, DEACON ROAD, LINCOLN, LN2 4JB
Registration Accepted by SN
Starting Point: Ulceby
Finish Point: Goxhill
Via:
Service Number: 366G
Service Type: Normal Stopping
Effective Date: 08-JAN-2011
Other Details: New Service to provide connections between Ulceby and Goxhill on Saturdyas only."
This means that Stagecoach's Grimsby depot only have summer Sunday service X51 (Grimsby-Louth-Skegness) that remains under EU driver hour regulations (due to the length of the route). The X51 could easily be 'technically split' into two sections at Louth if desired. Over recent years the amount of EU drivers hours work at Grimsby has been reduced, with the Interconnect 3 transferred to Lincoln depot (and then later split itself at Market Rasen) while the Humber Flyer has been technically split at Humberside Airport, and a previous evening peak service 250/45B service from Barton having a diversion via New Holland and Goxhill withdrawn, bringing it into domestic driver hours regulations.
With the conditions attached to EU driver hours compared to domestic rules, splitting routes makes commercial sense, though perhaps a bit confusing at first for passengers. It does show though how a 'well meaning' European rule is adding bureaucracy and complexity to the bus industry.
North Yorkshire County Council appears to be going ahead with it's planned withdrawal of financial support for evening and Sunday bus services within the county, including Monday to Saturday evening journeys between Goole and Selby. This is one of many evening and Sunday supported services operated by Arriva Yorkshire's Selby depot, and as a result Arriva has announced that Selby depot will be closed in the evening Monday to Saturday, and except for the main York service, also on Sundays.
That implies that the Sunday service between Selby, Snaith and Goole on services 400/401, and the interworked 356 between Goole and Swinefleet, are to be withdrawn. But on Sundays these are funded by East Riding of Yorkshire Council, not North Yorkshire County Council and therefore were not proposed for withdrawal in the North Yorkshire consultation. So what is the status of these Sunday services? Withdrawn? Staying? Going to another operator?
Not the first, won't be the last, but Lincolnshire County Council is planning to make cuts to the bus services it supports. This could affect cross-boundary routes into North and North East Lincolnshire.
These cuts are as result of reduced council funding following the comprehensive spending review.
From Tuesday 4th January Stagecoach in Hull are making revisions to services 46 and 49 which link Hull City Centre with Hull Marina (46 only), Victoria Dock Estate and parts of East Hull including Marfleet (service 46) and Bilton Grange (service 49). The timetable is revised while morning and afternoon peak journeys into Hull City Centre will operate via Drypool Bridge to reduce delays as either service 46D or 49D. This is instead of the usual route via Myton Bridge, the Marina (46 only) and Hull Old Town.New TimetableRoute Map
Stagecoach have released Christmas and New Year service plans for their Scunthorpe area services:Christmas Eve - Normal Friday service with early finishChristmas Day/Boxing Day - No servicesBank Holidays Monday 27th/Tuesday 28th - Sunday serviceWednesday 29th/Thursday 30th - Normal serviceNew Years Eve - Normal Friday service with early finishNew Years Day - No servicesSunday 2nd/Bank Holiday Monday 3rd - Sunday serviceStagecoach Leaflet
Stagecoach Grimsby Cleethorpes have released details of their Christmas and New Year service plans:Christmas Eve - Normal Friday service with early finishChristmas Day/Boxing Day - No ServicesBank Holidays Monday 27th/Tuesday 28th - Sunday serviceWednesday 29th - Saturday service on all routes except services Interconnect 3 (Grimsby-Lincoln-Newark), 25 (Grimsby-Binbrook), 51 (Grimsby-Louth) and 150 (Grimsby-East Halton) which will have operate a normal weekday service. Service 366 shall not operateThursday 30th - As the 29th but the 366 (Ulceby-Brigg) shall operate a normal Thursday serviceNew Years Eve - As the 29th with an early finishNew Years Day - No servicesSunday 2nd/Bank Holiday Monday 3rd - Sunday servicesStagecoach leafletNB - Stagecoach services 250 (Grimsby-Barton) and 450 (Barton-Brigg) shall be operating a normal weekday service on the 29th/30th/31st according to Stagecoach however the School Holidays weekday service is the same as the Saturday service. I suspect North Lincolnshire Council requires a weekday service on these tendered routes on these days, but why confuse the customer by saying these services are an exception to the general operating pattern when they aren't?
As you will you know, there has been a lot of snow and ice recently, and a lot of it is still about. It's still causing problems for bus and train services. I'm a bit reluctant to start saying when services should be suspended and when they shouldn't - professionals should generally do that. But some things don't add up.Currently the Northern Rail Cleethorpes-Barton train service remains suspended. No idea why, but presume there is a good reason. However what I can't understand is the lack of replacement buses. Some of the smaller communities maybe inaccessible still - I note the 260 Villager bus is not serving Goxhill currently - however buses are running in Barton, Grimsby and Cleethorpes. The 260 is reaching New Holland. The 250 bus is operating again now so there is a bus to Ulceby. While for most of last week a replacement bus was impractical, by now it is a clear a replacement bus could run to some stations. So why isn't there one?
Stagecoach Hull have released details of their Christmas/New Year 2010-11 service plans.Christmas Eve - Normal Friday service until 2000Christmas Day - No ServiceBoxing Day - usual special hourly services on routes 1/2/13/14/15/28/30/32/42/43/51/54Bank Holidays 27th/28th - Sunday serviceWednesday 29th/Thursday 30th - Saturday service with no nightbuses (not that it affects Stagecoach Hull operated journeys but the 350 is operating a weekday timetable according to EYMS)New Years Eve - Saturday service until 2000 (350 weekday timetable until 2000) then special nightbus service service operating again this year from 2100 to 0300New Years Day - As Boxing Day this year (in recent years there have been no New Years Day services)Sunday 2nd/Bank Holiday Monday 3rd - Sunday serviceI presume Hull City Council are funding both EYMS and Stagecoach New Years Day services, which are a welcome development.Stagecoach leaflet.
Following on from this post, EYMS have now released detailed service information for Christmas and New Year. The only significant point is the usual Boxing Day hourly services on the 34 (Hull-Willerby), 64 (Hull-Cottingham-Castle Hill-Cottingham) and 56 (Hull-Longhill) will operate on New Years Day as well this year.
Stagecoach Hull are making revisions to the Nightbus network from this coming Friday (26th November) night. The N32 to Bransholme and N43 to Greatfield and Bilton Grange will now start at the Welly Club on Beverley Road and operate via Ferensway (Paragon Square stop), Carr Lane, Alfred Gelder Street and Lowgate within Hull City Centre. Currently these services start outside the Hull Truck Theatre on FerenswayThe N15 to Orchard Park and Kingswood will now operate via Beverley Road (for the Welly Club) and Queens Road instead of the daytime route of Spring Bank and Princes Avenue (this will be Queens Road only bus service). The N51 will now serve Kingswood, as the daytime 51 does, rather than North Bransholme, leaving North Bransholme without a night bus service. The N2 to Hessle is unchanged.Stagecoach announcementNew times and network map
Come across this which indicate 9 new vehicles are due for Stagecoach Hull service 30 between Hull, Bransholme and North Bransholme. It is currently operated by Dennis Trident low floor double deckers, but like most 'frequento' routes in Hull sees quite a few Olympian operated journeys.
Something that happenned earlier in the year, but not yet mentioned on here, was a revision by Sweyne Coaches of their weekday services on route 357 between Scunthorpe and Goole (the Saturday service seems unchanged).There are now 4 different services, the 357, 360, 361 and 362. The 357 and 360 appear to follow the same route, operating Scunthorpe-Amcotts-Goole (confusing when the Saturday 357 operates via Crowle). The 361 covers the weekday journeys via Crowle and the 362 short Swinefleet-Goole journeys, most of which now operate via Goole Tesco.The timetable has been improved with a roughly two hourly Scunthorpe-Goole service and an extra Swinefleet-Goole service every two hours. A welcome improvement to this rural service which previously had an irregular weekday service, though perhaps the service numbers need rethinking.
It may have been out four months already, but I picked up the July 2010 East Riding Public Transport Guide earlier in the week. Well done to East Riding of Yorkshire Council for publishing one timetable booklet for the whole county, but the biggest thing that struck me is how illogical it is.The weirdest thing is how certain services are listed separately from other services they are meant to be co-ordinated with. Take for example the 60/60A/61/62/64 corridor between Hull, Setting Dyke and Cottingham. The idea is that they provide a 12 minute frequency Mon-Sat daytime between Hull and Priory Road. Yet the East Riding publication lists the 60/60A, 61/62 and 64 in separate timetables. And that isn't just madness for the main daytime service - it means the 2 return Sunday morning 61 journeys are separate from the Sunday 64 journeys. Not user friendly at all. Sometimes composite timetables can be confusing for complex corridors with multiple variations so the East Riding format may well be useful for residents of Cottingham Parkway, but for most users the format used in the East Riding guide is just confusing. And the above corridor isn't the only example of this either.Some other oddities include the 180/182 being included twice - once with some 61, 143 and 523 journeys serving Walkington and again later on their own (a similar thing happens with services 173-5) while the Humber Flyer timetable only covers te Hull-Humberside Airport section, not even mentioning the service continues to Cleethorpes.Maybe the East Riding need to take a look at Derbyshire for how to do clear, user friendly bus timetables, since the East Riding effort is sadly rather poor.
It's very early, but the latest EYMS newsletter has their outline service plans for the Christmas and New Year Period.Friday 24th (Christmas Eve) - Normal Friday service with early finishChristmas Day - No serviceBoxing Day - Special service in HullBank Holidays Monday 27th/Tuesday 28th - Sunday serviceWednesday 29th/Thursday 30th - Saturday service with a few exceptions (normally involves the 350 Humber Fastcat and services only operating once or twice a week)Friday 31st - Saturday service with a few exceptions and an early finishNew Years Day - Special service in Hull (I can't recall any New Years Day services in Hull in recent years)Sunday 2nd/Bank Holiday Monday 3rd - Sunday serviceThen back to normal
EYMS has revealed to the Hull Daily Mail that fare increases of up to 10% and cutbacks to rural and low frequency routes are likely. Staff redundancies cannot also be ruled out. This is down to cuts in concessionary fare payments, of which details are expected in December from local councils. Additionally the cut in BSOG (Bus Service Operators Grant) will increase costs from 2012. EYMS fears their losses could be £2.25 million a year, compared to a £600,000 profit last year.
Stagecoach have said they have no immediate plans for fare increases or service reductions.
As well as being diverted to serve North Ferriby and Hut Green/Eggborough, from 1st November Stagecoach's X62 (Hull-Brough-Goole-Leeds) shall also be diverted via Clive Sullivan Way instead of operating via Anlaby Road and Boothferry Road. Hull Royal Infirmary shall continue to be served.However Stagecoach have been unusually poor in providing details of the North Ferriby and Eggborough diversions with no information as to what stops in these villages will be served. While containing other errors, West Yorkshire's Metro at least has some street names for the North Ferriby and Hut Green stops.Also I take it that between Goole and Hut Green/Eggborough the X62 will operate on the M62 and not via Snaith?
The trial reinstated service for part of Weelsby Road in Grimsby will be a 'new' service 6, operating three times a day Monday to Saturday from Grimsby Bus Station to Grimsby Hospital via Hainton Avenue, Weelsby Road and Nuns Corner. Service 6 will be operated by Stagecoach Grimsby Cleethorpes with funding from North East Lincolnshire Council.I use 'new' in inverted commas because I'm sure there has been a service 6 in Grimsby a few years ago. Not sure if it operated via Hainton Avenue or Weelsby Road though.
EYMS CEO Peter Shipp has told Route One magazine that his company intends to use 8 new hybrid buses to replace the current double deckers used on service 57 between Longhill, Hull City Centre and Hessle. The route currently has a need for 8 double deckers and 6 single deckers.It was announced last week that EYMS had won a share of the Department for Transport's green bus fund to purchase 8 hybrid vehicles.
Those of you familiar with the Stagecoach UK Bus website will know at the top right hand side is a list of place names that can be selected to take you to the relevant local website. I have just noted today Barton has been added to the list. Great, but it takes you to the Grimsby-Cleethorpes website which has no mention of the main Stagecoach service to Barton, the Humber Fastcat (nor does it mention the 360 college service to Scunthorpe). Not exactly ideal, any customer unfamiliar with the Stagecoach network in Barton wouldn't know they could get to Scunthorpe. Even those with a knowledge of the network could be left confused looking for the Humber Fastcat timetable.Neither the Hull not Scunthorpe websites cover all the Stagecoach services to serve Barton either, so it's not really a solution to redirect the Barton link to them. If Stagecoach want a Barton website they are going to have to make one, rather than just redirect to another. Shouldn't be that hard to add a few links to the standard template used. But even if they don't do that, I don't think the current Grimsby-Cleethorpes site redirect works.
The Grimsby Telegraph reports that North East Lincolnshire Council have arranged with Stagecoach Grimsby-Cleethorpes to 'reinstate' a bus service around Hainton Avenue and Weelsby Road in Grimsby, lost when the Interconnect 3 was altered earlier in the year. No word on what form the replacement, which will be on a 6 month trial, will take. Earlier in the year Stagecoach were looking at diverting the 51 to Louth via the area.I use the word reinstate in inverted commas, since the Humber Flyer still serves Hainton Avenue, so it is only a small part of Weelsby Road currently without a service.
As expected, EYMS are making service changes from 1st November in the Beverley Area. The changes are minor, with retimings of a morning service on the 182 (Hessle-Beverley) and a couple of afternoon town service journeys (on the 521 and 523) now running Saturday only.
EYMS have been awarded £794,400 to fund 8 new hybrid or electric buses from the Department for Transport's Green Bus Fund. Would be interested to see what route these are intended for.
A commentator on this blog post says Stagecoach's X62 (Hull-Brough-Goole-Leeds) will be serving North Ferriby and Hut Green (near Eggborough Power Station) from November.
The November changes to the X55 Petuaria Express will involve a Saturday service on the Gilberdyke-Brough-Hull service. The current weekday service is also carrying over 1000 passengers a week. An anonymous commentator on the original blog post says this is about 10 passengers per journey, including 'against peak' journies which will bring the average down. Thanks to the same commentator for alerting me to the above news, originally posted on the EYMS website.
You may remember my rather critical post about the re-introduction of service 109 in the Cottingham area at the start of September. In that I stated Stagecoach's service 110 was a tendered service. However having picked up a paper timetable for the 110, it is important to note it only receives council financial support for the diversion into the Bricknell Avenue Estate, otherwise it is commercial.This doesn't stop the 109 being a wasteful duplicate for the 110... (the original post discusses why the 109 is pointless in detail).
This morning I travelled to Hull on the 0807 Humber Flyer from Barton Market Place to Hull. What struck me was how quiet it was, considering it was the main peak time service from Grimsby to Hull. There was around 30 passengers travelling over the Humber Bridge, of which around a third boarded in Barton and could have used the Humber Fastcat instead. Indeed from a couple of glimpses of the 0815 Humber Fastcat from Barton Market Place to Hull that I saw, it wasn't busy either.Now this was just one day, but surely a Thursday in late September should be rather typical of loadings (not being school holidays)? Assuming they were typical it raises two points:1. It's not surprising the Humber Flyer has struggled in recent years if a key peak journey isn't very full2. Are Stagecoach risking loosing Barton-Hull passengers on the Humber Fastcat in order to improve the viability of the politically sensitive Humber Flyer? I have expressed concerns over Humber Fastcat passenger figures before. While I am very happy to see 3 Barton-hull buses an hour, an unsustainable frequency isn't going to be good news long term. My fear is that the current frequency is unsustainable unless a marketing effort is made to attract car users.
EYMS will be making changes to service X55 'Petuaria Express' between Gilberdyke, Brough and Hull in mid-November. The service was introduced in April. From the VOSA website:
VOSA - Bus Registration Search Results: "PB0000328/360 - EAST YORKSHIRE MOTOR SERVICES LTD, 252 ANLABY ROAD, HULL, HU3 2RS
Variation Accepted: Operating between Hull Interchange and Gilberdyke, Village given service number X55 effective from 15-Nov-2010. To amend Timetable."
Today the VOSA website reveals Stagecoach Hull will be amending the X62 (Hull-Brough-Goole-Leeds) service from November 1st.
The VOSA website shows EYMS planning to make changes to Beverley town services 520/1/3 from 1st November, as well as service 182 to Hessle.
In addition to the Humber Flyer, Stagecoach Grimsby-Cleethorpes are also making slight revisions to other services from Monday 6th September.In addition to the morning peak change to the 45 (Immingham-Grimsby) noted last month, the 45B from Grimsby to Barton finally disappears, having been cancelled apart from one journey in April. Instead the current 1740 45B from Grimsby on weekdays becomes a 45H operating via Habrough and terminating at Ulceby. (Thanks to a comment on the morning peak changes blog post for noticing this).The 450 (Barton-Brigg) also sees a slight schooldays change while Stagecoach in Lincolnshire's Lincoln depot operated Interconnect 3 between Grimsby and Lincoln also has a revised timetable.
From Monday (6th September) Stagecoach's Humber Flyer (Hull-Barton-Humberside Airport-Grimsby-Cleethorpes) will see changes. As I posted last month the service will now terminate at Cleethorpes Pier not Pleasure Island. However instead of an extended wait at Humberside Airport, the service will now operate via the Market Place in Barton, resulting in a fully revised timetable between Cleethorpes and Barton. Times remain the same between Barton and Hull. Oddly the Stagecoach announcement does not mention the new route in Barton.This change has a major advantage in that it now serves more of Barton, but on the other hand it does increase the journey time for non-Barton passengers.The change also raises an interesting issue again - are Stagecoach wanting to attract Hull-Barton passengers onto the Humber Flyer or not? On one hand it would seem so - mostly co-ordinated timetable with the Humber Fastcat, same stand in Hull Interchange and now identical route in Barton. Yet there is no publicity for the co-ordinated service and perhaps most crucially no inter availability of tickets between the Humber Flyer and Stagecoach operated Humber Fastcat journeys.The Barton diversion of the Humber Flyer doesn't seem exceptionally well used from my observations. Stagecoach really need to promote it, not just for travel to Hull, but also for links to North East Lincolnshire. Lets hope Monday's change also sees some promotion. A few posters on the Humber Fastcat buses would be a start in raising awareness amongst Barton customers. Not exactly a hard or expensive thing to do.
In addition to the 10 and 110 changes, plus the new 123 and takeover of the 242 contract, Stagecoach Hull are making other more minor changes to their network on Monday 6th September. Satellite monitoring has allowed Stagecoach to monitor services better and a result timetables are being altered to be more reliable - resulting changes affect the 1, 2, 13, 14, 15, 28, 32, 42, 43, 51 and 54.There are also some enhancements planned. Monday to Saturday evening frequencies on the 13A/14A and 42 increase to half hourly, making this the minimum evening frequency on all core routes. The 15 minute evening frequency on the 15 will operate until 2100 while the Saturday daytime frequency will be restored to operate every 10 minutes, reversing an April 2009 cut. Monday to Friday afternoon 43B/54B journeys now operate as normal 43/54's as a through service.Furthermore while not officially announced, the new service 30 timetable shows 3 new weekday evening peak short journeys from Hull Bowl on Holwell Road in to Hull City Centre - I guess to serve Sutton Fields Industrial Estate. Meanwhile the final two departures on service 30 from Hull Interchange at 2240 and 2320 daily are now numbered 30W. In the past the W suffix indicated an extension to Wawne. There is nothing to say this is happening in the timetable, but unless it is a mistake in the timetable, why else the renumbering?Finally an interesting end to the press release on the changes: "This is only the beginning. More information soon". The beginning of what? Better reliability as the changes intend or something more? Could it just be referring to the as yet officially announced 123/242. Or further frequency increases planned for the future? Or new services? Or new investment in the fleet (maybe all frequento services to actually be low floor operated)?
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