Saturday 31 March 2012

Another change to the 10 Hull Circular (plus 52/53 changes)

From Monday (2nd April) Stagecoach in Hull are making another set of big changes to the circular service 10, with both the route and timetable significantly changes. This post will cover these changes, and those to services 52 and 53, for reasons that shall become clear.

Starting clockwise from Hull Interchange the 10 will now operate via Princes Avenue, Newland Avenue and Cottingham Road (University) to Hall Road, instead of Chanterlands Avenue and the Bricknell Estate. The leaves Bricknell Estate with just the hourly 110 between Hull and Cottingham on weekdays (half hourly in the peak), just as it has on Saturdays; the 10 had previously combined with the 110 to provide the estate with a half hourly weekday service into Hull City Centre. The 110 only sees minor timetable alterations in Monday's changes.

After travelling along Hall Road the 10 then leaves it to serve the western part of Greenwood Avenue currently without a bus service before heading up Ellerburn Avenue and via Orchard Park Road West to Orchard Park Tesco. From here the 10 will now travel back down Beverley High Road to cross the River Hull along Sutton Road. Until Friday the service had travelled further along along Hall Road to Orchard Park Road then down Ellerburn Avenue and along the eastern part of Greenwood Avenue to Sutton Road, not serving Tesco.

Once crossing the River Hull the 10 continues to serve Sutton Park on it's current route via Littondale and Cheltenham Avenue to North Point Shopping Centre, Bransholme. The 10 then leaves North Point via Midmere Avenue but will now travel to Salthouse Road via Robson Way, Howdale Road and Dunvegan Road rather than via Church Street in Sutton.

The 10 continues from Salthouse Road to Bilton Grange. Here, in absense of a route map yet being available, I am a bit confused about the route to be taken. But the 10 is to now operate via Marfleet Lane and the full length of Holderness Road back into Hull City Centre, omitting Greatfield.
If you thought the route changes was interesting, the new timetable makes it even more interesting. The current circular service continues hourly on weekdays, with an increase in the number of afternoon services. However the frequency between Hull and Orchard Park Tesco via Cottingham Road becomes half hourly, including at peak times, and in the morning peak services will start at North Point. A half hourly Hull to Orchard Park via Cottingham Road service is also introduced on Saturdays.

On schooldays a number of schools services to Andrew Marvell School, Bilton Grange shall be numbered as variants of the 10. Details are still being finalised with Hull City Council.

Now for the 52/53 - nothing so dramatic here. Services 53's shall becomes 52's at Bellfield Avenue/Bayswater Court. Short 52A's shall be extended from Howdale Road to North Point via Midmere Avenue. Otherwise the services remain half hourly Monday to Saturday daytimes, and hourly on Sundays.

Comment

Firstly on the route changes to the circular bit of the 10. Adding the university to the route may help generate some new traffic, and Stagecoach will be hoping withdrawing the 10 from the Bricknell Estate boosts the 110. Reinstating the a service for the western part of Greenwood Avenue is welcome.

It is in east Hull that I find the changes less positive. It seems the 10 will be withdrawn from Hopewell Road, leaving part of it without a bus service. The Falkland Road-Preston Road Health Centre link will also be lost as the 10 is withdrawn from Greatfield. What is also noticeable is that the 10 will be following a very similar route to the 52A. Is the 52 really doing that well that it needs the 10 as an extra bus per hour?

This brings me to a post I did last year on whether the 10 was really viable and needed. Stagecoach have already deemed the 10 unnecessary to serve the Bricknell Estate and Wyke College, and that the Falkland Road-Preston Road Health Centre link is not enough to keep the 10 in Greatfield. So thats some reasons for keeping it gone. This latest change only reinforces my view the 10 is not needed, and that it could be replaced.

With the 10 and 52(A) now following such similar routes in east Hull I wonder if the 52/3 should be split. The 52 would run the 52A route to North Point on the current half hourly 52 frequency. Thats the entire eastern half of the 10 replaced with better Bransholme-Bilton Grange links in the process, and no 10-52 duplication, and the mileage saving that will bring. The 53 could continue to link Hull City Centre with the Ings Estate and Wilberforce College as at present. This would require some extra resources, but those saved by axing the 10 could be used. All that would be left is identifying a suitable service to be extended to maintain Orchard Park-Bransholme links and the 10 could be axed without too much hardship - the University/Greenwood Avenue part of the service isn't established and alternatives would remain within walking distance for most. Nice to have, not essential.

Now for the half hourly Hull to Orchard Park frequency. I am bemused at what this is meant to achieve. From Hull City Centre to Hall Road it duplicates EYMS's 215, which in my experience is little used anyway. Half hourly to Cottingham Road will also make little inroads into the University market. I doubt the western part of Greenwood Avenue justifies the service alone, and Ellerburn Avenue certainly doesn't need it. And almost everywhere on the route has a link to Orchard Park Tesco currently, from either the 13 or 15. Maybe the service is meant to relieve the busy 13 and 15 services. It's about the only reason I can think off.

UPDATE - The 10 will continue to serve Hopewell Road. In relation to my idea for changing the 52, this could be diverted via Hopewell Road to replace the 10.

Thursday 29 March 2012

Stagecoach Hull 30/31/32 Changes

As part of the April 2nd changes in Hull by Stagecoach, services 30, 31 and 32 will see alterations, and service 38 will return.

Starting with the 30 between Hull, North Point and North Bransholme the main change sees new variant 30A introduced, which will operate via Leads Road and Midmere Avenue, rather than the part of Holwell Road via Hull Bowl, replacing the 31 which is axed in it's current form. I'm sure a previous version of the 31 (there has been a few I think) operated the same route as the 30A.

The combined 30/30A retains the curent service 30 frequency of every 10 minutes on weekday daytimes, with peak extras, every 15 minutes on Saturday daytimes and half hourly on Sunday daytimes. Generally speaking the 30A variant will be alternate journeys. This means an increase along Leads Road from every 30 minutes on the current 31 to every 20 minutes on the new 30A on weekdays and a new hourly Sunday service (the Saturday frequency on the 30A, half hourly, matches that of the current 31).

Another key change, already noted, is that weekday peak time 30W Wawne extensions reduce from half hourly to hourly. The daily daytime service remains hourly.

In the early evening (pre-2130), Monday to Saturday hourly journeys operate as a 30A via Leads Road, providing a new evening service compared to the current 31; an hourly 30 also remains. Late evening (post-2130) the current half hourly 30 frequency reduces to hourly. Sunday evenings remain an hourly 30. Daily, only one rather than the current two late evening journeys will extend to Wawne. The last service from Hull is 10 minutes earlier than at present (2310 compared to 2320).

The 32 between Hull and North Point via Holderness Road, Sutton and Noddle Hill Way remains every 15 minutes Monday to Saturday daytimes and half hourly on Sunday daytimes. Peak time services on weekdays are cut from every 10 minutes to every 15 minutes, and the last bus from Hull daily moves from 2330 to 2308. There are also various minor timing changes throughout the day. KC Stadium service 32F is cancelled in favour of a new 31F.

As mentioned earlier, the 31 in it's current form is now axed. Currently it links Hull City Centre and Kingswood Retail Park via Garden Village, Leads Road, Barnstaple Road and Noddle Hill Way every half hour Monday to Saturday daytimes. Weekday peaktime variant 31A also serves Kingsbury Way and Kesteven Way.

As already mentioned Leads Road sees a replacement in the form of the 30A. However the main replacement for the 31 is the return of the 38 between Hull and North Point. It will operate via Garden Village, but unlike in the past not then Leads Road, but instead Holwell Road. Peaktime extension 38A to Kesteven Way also returns. The frequency of the 38 is hourly Monday to Saturday daytimes, lower than the current 31, but what it was when the 38 last operated in early September 2011. Links to Kingswood are not replaced, and Noddle Hill Way has the 32, plus the new 31. Garden Village also has the 53.

Now for the new 31, which is an combination of part of the 30, and part of the 32. It will operate from Hull City Centre via the Witham and then follow the 32 route via Holderness Road, Summergangs Road and Gillshill Road before turning onto Sutton Road, currently unserved, and then joining Holwell Road. Just before North Point the new 31 will join Barnstaple Road and follow the current 31 route to Noddle Hill Way, which it will serve alongside the 32 before terminating in North Bransholme.

The most interesting thing here is when the service will operate. A limited weekday peaktime service operates, which should compensate for the 32 frequency reduction. A Saturday and Sunday shopping service also operates, with half hourly services into Hull in the morning/lunchtime, and half hourly afternoon returns from Hull. A daily hourly evening service will operate, to compensate for the Monday to Saturday frequency reductions on the 30 and 32, though it provides additional services on a Sunday service. Finally certain journeys will extend to the KC Stadium as service 31F, replacing the current 32F.

The replacement of the N32 will new N31 will be covered in a separate post about the Nightbus network.

Comment

An interesting set of changes here. The 31 in it's 'old' form serving Kingswood clearly hasn't been successful, and easy connections are available at North Point. The 30A and 38 provide replacements for the unique sections of route, and indeed the 30A is a welcome increase for Leads Road. It could be argued it complicates the '30' corrdior especially as it already has 30X and 30W variations, but it is an efficient way to provide Leads Road with a higher frequency service.

Ideally the new 31 wouldn't be needed. The evening/weekday peaktime cuts on the 30/32 wouldn't happen, and the extra weekend capacity would be provided on these routes rather than the 31. But that would take extra resources and fuel. The new 31 is an attempt to cut evening/peak resources, and use the least possible resources to improve parts of the weekend service. Efficient, yes. Complicated, yes. The question is will passengers use the 31, or stick with their 'known' 30's and 32's.

Overall notice the theme - efficiency rather than simplicity. A sign of the times.

Wednesday 28 March 2012

Stagecoach in Grimsby Cleethorpes April Changes Summary

Here's a summary of Stagecoach in Grimsby Cleethorpes April 2nd service changes, including those changes which haven't had a separate post of their own.

Services 1/2/20 (Europarc) get a revised timetable to better suit shift start/end times.

Interconnect 3 (Grimsby-Market Rasen-Lincoln) is reduced from hourly to two hourly between Grimsby and Market Rasen - it remains hourly from Market Rasen to Lincoln. Details here.

Service 7 (Grange Estate-Grimsby-North Sea Lane) sees it's Sunday service between Grange Estate and Grimsby Bus Station end.

Service 8 (Grimsby-New Waltham-North Sea Lane) sees it's Sunday service end, with a partial replacement provided by the 46. Details here.

Services 9/9A (Waltham-Grimsby-Cleethorpes-North Sea Lane) have minor timing changes in the morning peak, and on Sundays will interwork with the 46.

Service 12 (Bradley Park-Grimsby-Cleethorpes-New Waltham) is not being withdrawn and continues with it's current timetable.

Services 13/14 (Bradley-Grimsby-Cleethorpes) now sees all journeys start at Laceby Road Morrisons. Monday to Saturday evening frequencies are cut from half hourly to hourly, but increased from every 80 minutes to hourly on Sunday evenings. The first weekday journey on the 13 on weekdays will no longer serve Ross House.

Service 16 (Wybers Wood-Grimsby-Asda) is unaltered.

Service 25 (Grimsby-Binbrook-Ludford) in unaltered.

Services 45/46/150/250/450. The Grimsby-Immingham-South Killingholme service remains half hourly Monday to Saturday daytimes, with extensions to East Halton as the 150 and Barton/Brigg as the 450. The 250 is withdrawn. Service 46 is extended to Waltham on Sundays. Details here.

Interconnect 51 (Grimsby-Louth) is reduced from half hourly to hourly between Holton Le Clay and Louth - it remains half hourly between Grimsby and Holton Le Clay. Details here.

Tuesday 27 March 2012

45/46/150/250/450 Changes in Full

From next Monday (April 2nd) Stagecoach are making various alterations to services 45/46/150/250/450.

The main pattern to the Grimsby to Immingham corridor shall remain a 45 every 30 minutes between Grimsby and Immingham Monday to Saturday daytimes. This half hourly frequency shall continue as far as South Killingholme for most of the day; one service shall continue as a 45 to South Killingholme every hour while another shall become a 150 or 450 at Immingham before continuing to South Killingholme and beyond. This is welcome news as Stagecoach had originally proposed withdrawing South Killingholme's off peak 45's.

The weekday 45M extensions to the MIC Plant at Immingham also continues - it too had originally been proposed for withdrawal - though the early morning journeys starting in Cleethorpes will now start at Grimsby Bus Station.

Peak time frequencies on the 45 are reduced from every 20 minutes to half hourly. Evening services on the 46, starting in Cleethorpes and operating via the Willows Estate continue as at present, operating every hour. Late evening services had been proposed for withdrawal.

Likewise the hourly Sunday 46's continue operating hourly, but will now extend beyond North Sea Lane in Cleethorpes to Waltham, operating via New Waltham. This replaces the Sunday service on service 8, and 46's will continue from Waltham back into Grimsby as a 9 or 9A. It also introduces a direct Sunday Waltham to Cleethorpes link, avoiding Grimsby Town Centre.

Now for the service beyond Immingham, which seems to be getting named as 'Humber Connect'. As noted above once an hour the 45 becomes a 150 or 450 at Immingham, replacing the current arrangement of service 150 and 250 (to Barton) running from Grimsby. The 150 extends to East Halton via Habrough and South Killingholme 3 times a day, as noted here. The 450 extends to Barton and Brigg and in part replaces the 250. As noted here the 450 continues to provide 4 journeys a day between Barton and Brigg Monday to Saturday, and will provide 5 between Barton and Immingham, roughly two hourly - a slight increase on the current 3 plus Barton-Ulceby short workings provided by the 250.

The current morning peak 45 from Ulceby now starts from Barton as a 450, and now also operates on Saturdays. I presume on weekdays this will use the vehicle from the early morning Grimsby-Barton Humber Flyer. Habrough is now served by a separate 45 journey in the morning peak, and again this now seems to also operate on Saturdays. In the evening 2 journeys continue to extend beyond South Killingholme to Ulceby via Habrough, and these too now operate on Saturdays as well as weekdays.

The new operating pattern to the 45/150/450 removes the 150 and old 250 between Grimsby and Immingham, which should deliver some useful mileage reductions while still providing a half hourly service. It has also introduced standard pattern timetables between Immingham, Barton and Brigg, and brought Saturday services to Habrough and East Halton. Good news all round! One oddity I have noticed on the 450 is a near 2 hour layover in Brigg on Saturdays and school holidays.

Stagecoach have the timetables for the 45/46 and 150/450 on their website (though sadly a few 45/46 journeys to South Killingholme are omitted from the 150/450 timetable that is meant to show all South Killingholme services).

Grimsby Interconnect Routes April 2nd Changes

In a late change of plan, Stagecoach's Interconnect 3 between Grimsby, Market Rasen and Lincoln will not be seeing cuts of the scale previously planned. It will remain hourly between Lincoln and Market Rasen, with journeys extending every two hours to Grimsby, more often at peak times. The 3B schooldays service via Binbrook is also 'saved'. Only one journey each way requires a change of vehicle at Market Rasen.

The short journeys between Grimsby and Laceby, designed to maintain a roughly hourly frequency on this section will not now operate, leaving Laceby and Hainton Avenue with 1.5 buses per hour (Humber Flyer and 2 hourly 3). Weelsby Road (between Nuns Corner and Hainton Avenue) goes from an hourly to 2 hourly frequency.

Considering what it could have been, the new timetable is to be welcomed.

New Interconnect 3 timetable

On Stagecoach's Interconnect 51 between Grimsby and Louth the plan to reduce to hourly between Holton Le Clay and Louth is still occuring, reverting back to the pre-2005 service level. Unlike then however, the section between Chatsworth Drive and Louth Bus Station will not be supplemented with a town service.

New Interconnect 51 timetable

Monday 26 March 2012

Stagecoach Scunthorpe April Changes Summary/Corrections

Here are full details on Stagecoach's 2nd April service changes in Scunthorpe, including corrections to some previous posts.

In a correction to this post the mentioned changes to the 31/32 town service are not hapenning. Positively the short afternoon frequency reduction on the 32 from every 30 minutes to half hourly will no longer occur. Further correcting this post, the 31A/32A are unchanged.

The 33 and 34 town services are cut from half hourly to hourly, with an extension to service 10 to serve Westcliff and John Leggott College providing a partial replacement. More details.

Service 90, linking Brigg, Scunthorpe and Crowle is continuing with an unchanged timetable on an emergency tender from North Lincolnshire Council until July. Stagecoach had originally proposed withdrawing this hourly commercial service entirely.

Interconnect 100 between Scunthorpe, Gainsborough and Lincoln sees most journeys diverted via Morton and there are timing changes of up to 5 minutes. The 0645 101 from Gainsborough to Scunthorpe, and 0740 return are replaced by journeys on route 100, operating 5 minutes earlier in each direction. In the evening the 1715 from Lincoln is curtailed at Scotter, and as a result 1910 from Scunthorpe to Gainsborough becomes a 1840 from Scotter to Gainsborough.

On route 101 from Scunthorpe to Gainsborough the 0640 departs 5 minutes earlier at 0635. On Saturdays and school holidays it will now start at Scotter.

Thursday and Saturday service 366 from Goxhill and Ulceby to Brigg and Scunthorpe is transferred from Grimsby to Scunthorpe depot, with no change to the timetable.

Additionally from April 16th Hornsby Travel will takeover operation of the tendered 60 from Scunthorpe to Whitton.

CT Plus first Hull schools service?

I don't normally cover schools services, but is this CT Plus's first schools service in Hull? There has previously been a comment on this site about CT Plus wanting schools services.

VOSA - Bus Registration Search Results: PB1055440/99 - CT PLUS (YORKSHIRE) COMMUNITY INTEREST COMPANY T/A CT PLUS, 71A, GELDERD ROAD, LEEDS, LS12 6HF
Registration Accepted by SN
Starting Point: Osbourne Street Hull
Finish Point: Newland School, Cottingham Road Hull
Via: Newland School
Service Number: 945
Service Type: School or Works
Effective Date: 17-APR-2012
Other Details: Monday to Friday Term Time Only

NOTICE - Stagecoach April service changes

Details of Stagecoach's service changes from next week are now available on their website. They are extensive however so it may well take me some time to go through them all! Details will appear on here during this week.

Saturday 24 March 2012

250 gone, 450 to Immingham, 3 not so cutback?

It seems that Stagecoach's April changes spread to a couple of services I had not seen any VOSA variations for. Thanks to a comment on my post about the 150 changes I've checked the Traveline East Midlands website and the 250 will cease to operate from 2nd April. Services will operate as a 45 from Grimsby to Immingham and then become a 450 through to Brigg via Barton. There is no 250 timetable available yet but the 450, between Barton and Brigg at least, gains a standard pattern 2 hourly timetable, though still with 4 journeys each day Monday to Saturday.

The comment, based on a Stagecoach leaflet also indicates that something similar may be happening with the 150 (i.e. numbered 45 between Grimsby and Immingham).

Meanwhile Traveline East Midlands is now showing the Interconnect 3 being retained as hourly between Lincoln and Market Rasen, and then two hourly to Grimsby (hourly at peak times), in contrast the previously mentioned Stagecoach leaflet.

The April changes have got very messy and very last minute, but if the outcome is a sustainable network, mitigating initially proposed cuts, then hopefully it should be worth it.

Friday 23 March 2012

New 150 timetable, version 2

Traveline East Midlands now has the new Stagecoach 150 (Grimsby-Immingham-East Halton) timetable from 2nd April (again). Following a Stagecoach/North East Lincolnshire Council deal on concessionary fare payments, Stagecoach's plan to withdraw the service from Habrough is cancelled. The service is also retimed, but still remains 3 daytime journeys each way, and also gains a diversion into South Killingholme. Does this mean the plan to withdraw offpeak 45's from the village is still going ahead?

Interestingly the 150 will also gain a Saturday service, to the same timetable as weekdays. I can't remember East Halton having a Saturday service in recent times. Again this makes me wonder if it is a mitigation measure for withdrawing the off peak 45's to South Killingholme.

Tuesday 20 March 2012

398 re-registered

Stagecoach have re-registered the 398 Tuesday shopper service from the Isle of Axholme to Gainsborough, that had previously been cancelled from April onwards.

VOSA - Bus Registration Search Results: PB0001484/190 - LINCOLNSHIRE ROAD CAR CO LTD, PO BOX 15, DEACON ROAD, LINCOLN, LN2 4JB
Registration Accepted by SN
Starting Point: Belton
Finish Point: Gainsborough
Via:
Service Number: 398
Service Type: Normal Stopping
Effective Date: 02-APR-2012
Other Details: New service to replace existing service. Hail and ride on all sections where traffic and safety conditions permit

Monday 19 March 2012

Arriva 400 April change

North Yorkshire County Council reports that the 2nd April change to Arriva service 400 will see the weekday school holiday 1645 from Selby to Goole cancelled. An alternative service 401 is available at 1620 from Selby, and a 400 at 1705 from Selby.

30W cut to hourly at peak times

East Riding of Yorkshire Council (ERYC) notes that the 2nd April changes to Stagecoach in Hull 30W between Wawne and Hull will see the peak time service cut from half hourly to hourly. The half hourly peak time service was maintained on a commercial basis by Stagecoach during last April's service changes (ERYC fund only an hourly service), but I guess the 30 minute frequency doesn't cover the marginal costs of extending a service 30 from North Bransholme to Wawne and back.

Thursday 15 March 2012

EYMS service cuts coming?

This week's Route One magazine contains news on EYMS's fleet - in particular the purchase of 27 2002/03 Volvo B7/Plaxton President double deckers from London (5 have been converted for open top service in Scarborough). I don't normally cover fleet issues on here, but the comments by Peter Shipp in Route One are noteworthy.

He says the purchase will help EYMS meet the 'end of 2016' Disability Discrimination Act deadline for the withdrawal of non-low floor vehicles, with just 34 non wheelchair accessible buses in the fleet from May. And some of those 34 Peter Shipp "suspects" may "regrettably" be removed from service due to service cuts triggered by fuel duty increases and the recent cut in BSOG.

It's not surprising service cuts are on the agenda for EYMS. Peter Shipp has been very vocal about the pressures on his company and the wider bus industry. Plus EYMS has a lot of high mileage routes. I would guess EYMS are trying to avoid making cuts for as long as possible, hence why no changes next month when BSOG is cut.

However good to see EYMS upgrading it's fleet more than 4 years before it has to.

EYMS Easter Services

EYMS have released details of their services over Easter.

Good Friday

Sunday service on all routes except the following which will have a normal Friday service:


  • 120 Bridlington-Scarborough

  • 350 Humber Fastcat

  • Goole Town Service

The Spurn Ranger and Moorsbus services will start for the Summer.


Easter Saturday

Saturday service as normal on all routes, plus Moorsbus will operate (the only Saturday in the year it does I think).

Easter Sunday

Normal Sunday service.

Easter Monday

Sunday service, except a Monday service on the 120.

Monday 12 March 2012

Hornsby Service 60 timetable

Traveline East Midlands has the timetable for when Hornsby Travel take over North Lincolnshire Council tendered Monday to Saturday service 60 between Scunthorpe and Whitton from Stagecoach on April 16th. The main changes from the current timetable are:


  • The 0705 from Scunthorpe will no longer serve Foxhills Industrial Estate

  • The 1010 from Scunthorpe will operate via Flixborough and Burton to Thealby rather than direct via Normanby Hall. The 1026 return from Thealby will now depart at 1037 and unlike present operate via Flixborough into Scunthorpe

  • The weekday only 1055 from Scunthorpe to Thealby now departs 1120 while the 1127 return service will now depart at 1152 and operate via Burton instead of via Normanby Hall

  • The 1215 from Scunthorpe to Whitton will now depart at 1230, and the return from Whitton at 1317 rather than the current 1300

  • The weekday only 1355 from Scunthorpe to Thealby and 1445 from Scunthorpe to Whitton are combined into a new 1410 Scunthorpe to Whitton, omitting The Stather in Burton which is currently served by the 1355; the last bus to The Stather will now be the 1230 from Scunthorpe. The return journeys (1427 from Thealby and 1519 from Whitton) are likwise merged into a new 1455 from Whitton. Unlike the current 1427/1519 these will operate via Burton and Flixborough rather than Normanby Hall

  • The Saturday 1445 from Scunthorpe to Thealby now operates at 1410 and omits The Stather. The return service now leaves at 1437 rather than 1517 and operates via Burton and Flixborough rather than Normanby Hall

  • The 1750 (weekday)/1745 (Saturday) from Scunthorpe to Whitton will now depart at 1740 6 days a week. The return from Whitton at 1830/1825 moves to 1822

The changes mean that Normanby Hall ceases to be served by a 'usable' bus service (just two morning journeys from Scunthorpe, and no return services), though the village of Normanby and it's bus stop is within walking distance for the able bodied. The flipside of this is a slightly improved service for Burton Upon Stather, and Flixborough also gains with less buses operating into Scunthorpe directly past Normanby Road Enterprise Park..

Brigg Tesco Bus Changes

The TB3 is one of four services that serve Tesco in Brigg. It provides one journey in each direction from Goxhil to Brigg via Barton on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The service originally started before Barton got it's own Tesco, but was never cancelled or altered when Tesco bought Barton's Proudfoots supermarket.

VOSA - Bus Registration Search Results: PB0001403/21 - HOLLOWAYS COACHES LTD, COTTAGE BECK ROAD, SCUNTHORPE, DN16 1TP
Variation Accepted: Operating between Goxhill and Brigg given service number TB3 effective from 08-May-2012. To amend Timetable.

Thursday 8 March 2012

CT Plus Park and Ride Contract extended

CT Plus's contract with Hull City Council to operate the Priory Park Park and Ride service has been extended by two years.

Hull Daily Mail article

And while on the subject off CT Plus, this comment was posted on the blog last week:
"Just wondering if anyone knew anything about CT Plus taking over Ellie Rose? "

Wednesday 7 March 2012

The 101 and 601 are NOT cancelled

Stagecoach have now released the new timetables for the 101 and 601 between Scunthorpe and Gainsborough from April 2nd. My previous post was incorrect and the 101 and 601 are NOT being cancelled.


  • The 0640 101 from Scunthorpe now becomes a 0635 101 from Scunthorpe, and a 0656 from Scotter to Gainsborough on School Holidays and Saturdays

  • The 0645 101 from Gainsborough becomes a 0640 100 from Gainsborough

  • The 0740 101 from Scunthorpe becomes a 0735 100 from Scunthorpe

  • The 101 College Day service from Gainsborough to Scunthorpe is unaltered

  • The 601 School Day service from Scunthorpe to Queen Elizabeth High School, Gainsborough is unaltered

Original post (Changes not corrected here are still happening)

Tuesday 6 March 2012

Most proposed Grimsby bus cuts not now happening

Today's Grimsby Telegraph reports that most of the cutbacks planned by Stagecoach in Grimsby Cleethorpes from 2nd April will not now happen following agreement with North East Lincolnshire Council on the level of concessionary fare reimbursement.

The cutbacks that will be happening are:

  • The Interconnect 3 between Grimsby and Lincoln reduced from hourly to 5 journeys per day (one requires a change at Market Rasen) plus additional short journeys. Full details here (since confirmed on Stagecoach website)

  • The Sunday daytime service on route 7 between Grange Estate and Grimsby Town Centre will be withdrawn

  • The Sunday daytime service on route 8 between North Sea Lane, New Waltham and Grimsby Town Centre will be withdrawn, but in a change to the original proposal a replacement service will run from North Sea Lane via Humberston Avenue to Waltham and then follow the route of service 9 into Grimsby Town Centre. This retains Sunday buses for Humberston and New Waltham

  • The Interconnect 51 cut back from half hourly to hourly. The Grimsby Telegraph states this is between Grimsby and Louth, but I presume they mean just the Holton Le Clay to Louth section as originally proposed

The extension of services 13/14 to Morrisons will also still be going ahead.
This would therefore imply that the following proposed cuts will not now be hapenning:

  • Withdrawal of service 12

  • Withdrawal of late evening services on route 8, 9 and 46

  • Withdrawal of Sunday service on route 16

  • Curtailment of alternate service 16's from Wybers Wood at Grimsby Bus Station, omitting Asda

  • Withdrawal of off-peak service 45's from South Killingholme

  • Withdrawal of peak time service 45 extensions to Immingham MIC plant

  • Diversion of service 150 away from Habrough

I should caution that exact details are still being finalised as per a North East Lincolnshire Council official in the Grimsby Telegraph.
This is very welcome news though, particularly with service 12 being saved. The big remaining reductions are Interconnect routes 3 and 51, but this is no surprise considering their length and the fact that these services mostly operate within Lincolnshire, which I guess may have a different level of concessionary fare payment.

Friday 2 March 2012

Flamborough/Bempton 500 returns

The 500 looks to be returning for Summer 2012. It did not operate last year

VOSA - Bus Registration Search Results: PB0000328/385 - EAST YORKSHIRE MOTOR SERVICES LTD, 252 ANLABY ROAD, HULL, HU3 2RS
Registration Accepted
Starting Point: Bridlington Park & Ride Site/Flamborough
Finish Point: RSPB Bempton/Flamborough
Via:
Service Number: 500
Service Type: Normal Stopping
Effective Date: 22-JUL-2012
Other Details: Sundays & bank holidays 22/7/12 to 2/9/12 inclusive.

Interconnect 3 April Changes

Traveline East Midlands has the new timetable for Interconnect 3 from April 2nd.

Lincoln to Grimsby


  • The 0655 Lincoln-Grimsby is unaltered

  • The 0730 Grimsby-Lincoln becomes a schooldays only service terminating at De Aston School in Market Rasen

  • The 0840 Lincoln-Grimsby remains, operating 5 minutes later from Market Rasen

  • There are no more Lincoln to Grimsby services for the rest of the morning, but there are new short Lincoln-Dunholme and Laceby-Grimsby journeys

  • The 1340 Lincoln-Grimsby will operate as far as Market Rasen connecting into a new 1435 Market Rasen-Grimsby journey (I suspect a change of bus will ne needed)

  • The 1440 from Lincoln remains as far as Market Rasen (on schooldays at least) but the 3B continuation via Binbrook is cancelled

  • The 1540 and 1740 Lincoln to Grimsby remain, but the 1710 is cancelled

Grimsby to Lincoln



  • The 0645 from Grimsby to Lincoln is unaltered


  • The 0705 Grimsby to Lincoln 3B is cancelled


  • The 0835 Market Rasen to Lincoln is replaced by a schooldays only 0845 from Middle Rasen to Lincoln


  • The 0840 from Grimby to Lincoln is unaltered


  • Then again no through journeys for the rest of the morning, but Grimsby-Laceby and Dunholme-Lincoln short workings operate


  • The 1340 Grimsby to Lincoln is split at Market Rasen


  • The 1440 from Grimsby to Lincoln will operate from Market Rasen to Lincoln on schooldays only


  • The 1540 from Grimsby to Lincoln is unaltered


  • The 1710 and 1810 from Grimsby to Lincoln are merged into a new 1740 service

Not just two journeys a day between Grimsby and Lincoln, but not two hourly either!

Interconnect 100 April Changes, and 101/601 cancelled

Traveline East Midlands now has details on April 2nd's changes by Stagecoach to Interconnect 100 between Scunthorpe, Gainsborough and Lincoln, and to associated services 101 and 601 between Scunthorpe and Gainsborough. The following covers changes between Scunthorpe and Gainsborough only. There are some further changes affecting 'short' runs between Gainsborough and Lincoln.




  • Almost all service 100 journeys are diverted to serve Morton, north of Gainsborough, adding 3 minutes to the journey time from Scunthorpe to Gainsborough, though changes to intermediate times means journey times from Scunthorpe to Lincoln are unaltered.


  • Some services are timed by up to 5 minutes


  • The 0640 and 0740 service 101 journeys from Scunthorpe to Gainsborough are cancelled


  • There is a new 0640 Gainsborough to Scunthorpe service 100 journey replacing the cancelled 0645 service 101 Gainsborough to Scunthorpe service. Oddly enough it does not appear to have a return working from Scunthorpe. I would have expected a new 0740-ish from Scunthorpe to replace service 101 (see above)


  • The schoolday 601 from Scunthorpe to Queen Elizabeth High School in Gainsborough is cancelled


  • The college day 0733 Gainsborough to Scunthorpe Colleges service 101, and 1605 return is cancelled. Alternative journeys remain on service 100.


  • The 1715 service 100 from Lincoln to Scunthorpe will now be curtailed at Scotter (last bus on the 100 from Lincoln to Scunthorpe will be at 1615, 1710 from Gainsborough). As a result the 1910 service 100 from Scunthorpe to Gainsborough will no longer operate, but a new 1840 from Scotter to Gainsborough will operate.


Overall the changes appear to save 2 buses on school/college days (1 at Scunthorpe and 1 at Gainsborough?) and 'tidy' up the corridor by cancelling the 101 and replacing it in part with extra service 100 journeys.


UPDATE - Please see this post. Some of the above information is incorrect

Service 90 reprieved until July

The following reliable comment with regards to cancelled (from April 2nd) Stagecoach services 90 and 590 between Brigg, Scunthorpe and Crowle has been posted on my original post on the topic.

"Reprieved until July and subject of talks with Council re contract out to tender thereafter."

Between Brigg and Scunthorpe the 90 provides a more direct alternative to Hornsby service 4, though one journey in each direction does serve Scawby. Between Scunthorpe and Crowle Sweyne Coaches provide a limited weekday morning alternative, and Stagecoach tendered service 357 provides a basic Saturday alternative.

It would therefore be hard to see the justification for North Lincolnshire Council funding the 90 in it's present form, but should the 90 be fully withdrawn weekday peaktime and afternoon, and college journeys between Scunthorpe and Crowle would probably need replacing, as would the one journey in each direction currently diverted via Scawby.