Transdev Blazefield

[SCH117X]

The latest commentary on the West Yorkshire Information Service fleetlist (accessible at www.wyis.org) is that York is getting three more Mellor Stratas (61-63 from Burnley) with the remainding Versas being withdrawn.

 

[stevieinselby]

The 16 bus route has not taken over the Carr Lane, Grantham Drive, Sowerby Road and Lindsey Avenue council estate whose passengers if elderly passholders (and there are many) cannot use the first 24 service.

Why would it need to? Those areas still have the same level of hourly service on the Transdev 24 that they have had on various incarnations of the 24 and 26 for over twenty years. Why can they uniquely not use the 24 now?
For much of that history, the first bus into York didn't arrive until 10am, considerably later than now!

 

[Seehof]

Because it now means, compared to a week ago, they cannot use their passes on the first 24 to Piccadilly. However, if someone was to argue that it is not worth changing a timetable for about 8 passengers all pass holders who are not time sensitive then I would tend to agree with them. My basic point is that public transport should try to be as attractive as possible for potential users and this before 9am journey on an hourly route does not help.
More Mellors “bone shaker vans” will not help either!!

 

[duncombec]

Because it now means, compared to a week ago, they cannot use their passes on the first 24 to Piccadilly. However, if someone was to argue that it is not worth changing a timetable for about 8 passengers all pass holders who are not time sensitive then I would tend to agree with them. My basic point is that public transport should try to be as attractive as possible for potential users and this before 9am journey on an hourly route does not help.
More Mellors “bone shaker vans” will not help either!!

For large parts of the country, though, 9:30 is the starting validity time for ENCTS passes, as anything before that is "bought back" by local authorities.

As other posters have said, unless there was a "pass early" agreement in place, it appears parts of this journey wouldn't have qualified under the previous timetable either - unless too much use was being made of the threshold allowing a few minutes grace, and the council have deliberately timed this earlier so that can't be "misused" any more? (I don't have access to the previous timetable, I'm working on a comment earlier in the thread).

Have any of the "about 8 passengers" actually complained about not being able to get the first bus, or are they either paying or just waiting until the second, which would be the "first" under the rules for large parts of elsewhere anyway?

 

[Seehof]

I don’t know what they are doing although the last time I saw it, when it went past me, there were only two passengers on it, the one I could see was not elderly. I do get fed up listening to constant moans about the buses especially from people with elderly bus passes.

 

[stevieinselby]

Because it now means, compared to a week ago, they cannot use their passes on the first 24 to Piccadilly. However, if someone was to argue that it is not worth changing a timetable for about 8 passengers all pass holders who are not time sensitive then I would tend to agree with them. My basic point is that public transport should try to be as attractive as possible for potential users and this before 9am journey on an hourly route does not help.
More Mellors “bone shaker vans” will not help either!!

If they absolutely have to be in town before 10am and they can't afford to spend £2 on the journey then that is a very unfortunate confluence of circumstances.
But it is no different to how it has been for much of the last 20 years – and better than for quite a bit of that time when they didn't even have the option to pay to travel earlier.
Unfortunately, it seems that there is an element of the older generation that has a sense of entitlement around free bus travel, and pretends that they "can't" travel on any buses that where they would have to pay, rather than doing what the rest of us have to do all the time and putting their hands in their pockets if they want to travel in the morning peak.

 

[SCH117X]

Anyway first day this week the 24 has tracked on bustimes and it started out 3 late (ie only 1 minute earlier than last week) and was 15 late at the rail station making up time subsquentially by skipping its loop off the A19.
https://bustimes.org/vehicles/ycst-753-yw19vuj#journeys/626390668 mak

 

[RustySpoons]

If they absolutely have to be in town before 10am and they can't afford to spend £2 on the journey then that is a very unfortunate confluence of circumstances.
But it is no different to how it has been for much of the last 20 years – and better than for quite a bit of that time when they didn't even have the option to pay to travel earlier.
Unfortunately, it seems that there is an element of the older generation that has a sense of entitlement around free bus travel, and pretends that they "can't" travel on any buses that where they would have to pay, rather than doing what the rest of us have to do all the time and putting their hands in their pockets if they want to travel in the morning peak.

I'm sure pass holders get discounted fares outside of ENTCS hours anyway.

It's a funny one though. A number of years ago the bus that ran past my grandparents house was due to be withdrawn, even with a subsidy it wasn't paying. 'We'll pay instead of using our passes if it means we can keep the bus'. The service wasn't withdrawn, just reduced to two hourly. The same passengers who said they'd pay carried on using their passes, 'why should we pay when we have a pass?'.

 

[Deerfold]

I'm sure pass holders get discounted fares outside of ENTCS hours anyway.

In most areas and on most operators they don't. A handful do give a discount on normal fares, either subsidised by a local authority, or as a commercial decision.

I'm not aware of any discounts on Transdev in York (though the local authority is already paying for ENTCS use for an extra 30 minutes in the morning).

 

[YorkRailFan]

£1 fares for Under 19s on Transdev services within North Yorkshire:

We're on board with North Yorkshire Council's new young person fare scheme, which means that under 19s travel for just £1!

This means that bus journeys wholly within North Yorkshire and the City of York will be just £1 each way for under 19s from Sunday 15 September.

You can buy this ticket from your driver with cash or contactless.

This deal is valid on our main bus services but doesn't include dedicated school services.

young people travel for £1 in York & North Yorks

www.transdevbus.co.uk

Some fantastic news for Under 19s, allowing £1 (single) trips to the seaside on Coastliner!

 

[158756]

Mainline Services M1/M2/M3/M4/M5/M6 Keighley/Skipton/Barnoldswick/Earby – Colne – Nelson – Burnley – Padiham – Hapton/Accrington/Whalley/Clitheroe
The timetables will be revised to improve overall service reliability, with more double deck buses utilised on busy Monday to Friday peak time journeys to offer increased capacity for customers.

I've noticed Transdev don't seem to have followed through with this planned capacity improvement. They often had 4 or 5 deckers on Mainline at peak times before the summer, but since the timetable change it looks like there are only 3.

Queensgate has gained the two above mentioned Enviro 400s, but per bustimes.org one of them still hasn't run. One older vehicle has been withdrawn over the summer, and it looks like the X43 PVR has increased by 1, so it looks like they are struggling for enough deckers to maintain the previous capacity, never mind increasing it.

 

[M60lad]

Not to sure whether this is going to be normal but one duty on M6 Skipton yesterday was back to being a Mainline Versa when in the past on Saturdays all duties were decker operated despite one MMC400 being parked up in Burnley for most of the day before going out on late 8s to Bacup, why it couldn't have been used on M6 during the day I'm not to sure.

 

[SCH117X]

Queensgate has gained the two above mentioned Enviro 400s, but per bustimes.org one of them still hasn't run.

Suspect 2017 is still a paper transfer only and has not actually arrived at Queensgate. The West Yorkshire Information Service fleetleist whilst now listing under the Burnley vehicles does not yet have a date for when it arrived there.

 

[Deerfold]

I've noticed Transdev don't seem to have followed through with this planned capacity improvement. They often had 4 or 5 deckers on Mainline at peak times before the summer, but since the timetable change it looks like there are only 3.

Queensgate has gained the two above mentioned Enviro 400s, but per bustimes.org one of them still hasn't run. One older vehicle has been withdrawn over the summer, and it looks like the X43 PVR has increased by 1, so it looks like they are struggling for enough deckers to maintain the previous capacity, never mind increasing it.

We've been getting more branded deckers on trips I use on the M4, whereas previously when we've had a decker it's been a generic Transdev bus (and less common).

 

[YorkRailFan]

Upcoming service changes at Rosso from 27 October:

From 27 Oct, there will be changes to Rossendale Rovers following tender awards from Lancashire County Council.

We will no longer run the 10, 11 or 12 in Rawtenstall - these sevices will instead be operated by Vision Bus to a similar timetable.

We'll still be serving you on the 7 & 8, with a few changes.

The 7 Todmorden - Bacup - Rawtenstall

There'll be a few timetable changes to help us run as reliably as possible.

The 8 Bacup - Burnley

We'll be introducing a new timetable to help us run as reliably as possible. Most of our journeys in the main part of the day will now depart around 15 minutes later than they do now, at 5 minutes past the hour from Burnley and 28 minutes past the hour from Bacup. Buses in the afternoon from Bacup back to Burnley will leave 5 minutes later.

Due to low numbers of customers using these trips, the 7.30pm from Burnley and 7.53pm from Bacup will no longer run, and on Saturdays we won't run the trips departing Burnley at 6.35am and Bacup at 6.58am.

Sorry, we can't find this page!

www.transdevbus.co.uk

These changes will only increase speculation that Transdev may just merge Rosso into another subsidiary.

Additionally, the York & Country 25 will revert to its previous route in Heworth from 23 September prior to the changes at the beginning of September. The 25 will continue to serve Germany Beck in Fulford.

Following customer feedback, we're changing the route of the 25 around Heworth, and reverting back to the previous route.

From Monday 23 September, buses on the 25 will travel along East Parade to Heworth Church, then along Melrosegate to Fifth Avenue. We won't serve Fourth Avenue anymore, this is served by Firstbus's 6.

Sorry, we can't find this page!

www.transdevbus.co.uk

 

[Andyh82]

It was reported back on page 143 that Vision Bus had worn the Rossendale locals

Transdev Blazefield

More summer buses for Coastliner this summer... but only to Scarborough. summer is here! I'm always surprised Whitby isn't better served. Unrelated, but Transdev seem to have adopted a lowercase approach to their news headlines on their website. Obviously it's intentional, but to me it just...

www.railforums.co.uk

 

[YorkRailFan]

£1 fares for all on Sundays and after 7pm during the rest of the week in Lancashire with Transdev subsidiaries Rosso, Burnley and Blackburn all offering this.

Travel for just £1 on Sundays and after 7pm with us!
No hoops to jump through - just get on board in #Lancashire and buy the ticket from your driver - cash or contactless.

x.com

x.com

 

[Leedsbusman]

£1 fares for all on Sundays and after 7pm during the rest of the week in Lancashire with Transdev subsidiaries Rosso, Burnley and Blackburn all offering this.

x.com

x.com

Yes as it has been through Lancashire since May. https://news.lancashire.gov.uk/news/sunday-bus-fares-just-gbp-1-from-this-weekend

 

[RustySpoons]

Upcoming service changes at Rosso from 27 October:

Sorry, we can't find this page!

www.transdevbus.co.uk

These changes will only increase speculation that Transdev may just merge Rosso into another subsidiary.

Additionally, the York & Country 25 will revert to its previous route in Heworth from 23 September prior to the changes at the beginning of September. The 25 will continue to serve Germany Beck in Fulford.

Sorry, we can't find this page!

www.transdevbus.co.uk

I think at this point they may as well. Service 8, previously 47, to Bacup was operated by Burnley & Pendle in the pre-Transdev days.

I always find it interesting how travelling patterns and ENCTS reimbursements have changed services over the years. Back in the early 2000s the last bus to Bacup used to depart Burnley at around 2300hrs!

 

[158756]

I think at this point they may as well. Service 8, previously 47, to Bacup was operated by Burnley & Pendle in the pre-Transdev days.

I always find it interesting how travelling patterns and ENCTS reimbursements have changed services over the years. Back in the early 2000s the last bus to Bacup used to depart Burnley at around 2300hrs!

The main reason for that is probably because Lancashire County Council cut all funding for evening services, and have only recently brought them back on some routes with BSIP money.

In fact the council are just reporting today on a 9% increase in bus usage in the 23/24 financial year (still only 92% of the 2018/19 figure, which I think is the correct pre-Covid comparison because the end of 2019/20 was already affected by the pandemic)

Passengers return to buses in highest numbers since pandemic | Lancashire County Council News

More than 40million bus journeys were undertaken in Lancashire in one year, as passengers returned to public transport in numbers not seen since before the pandemic.

news.lancashire.gov.uk

The notes to editors include

• This growth has continued into 2024/25. For the first quarter, patronage has grown by 14% overall, with 55% growth on tendered services and 9% growth on commercial services.
• 4.606m passengers used services supported by LCC in 2023/24, this compares to 3.685m in 2022/23, 3.060m in 2019/20 and 2.978m in 2016/17. Prior to service reductions in 2016, patronage on supported services was at 9.556m in 2014/15.

You can see how patronage on supported services collapsed (because they were cut), and the 55% growth on tendered services in the first quarter of this year is almost certainly down to BSIP.

 

[YorkRailFan]

Transdev has announced the anticipated increase to Coastliner services, with 3 buses per hour between York, Tadcaster and Leeds from 27 October:

We're working with North Yorkshire Council to improve Coastliner from 27 October.

We'll be running more buses between Leeds, Tadcaster and York - with buses running every 20 minutes Monday to Saturday through the main part of the day. We'll still run twice an hour past York to Malton, and hourly to Scarborough and Thornton-le-Dale.

Some trips to York will now finish at Cliffords Street, rather than Stonebow.

We'll have NEW later buses to and from Leeds - there's a new trip at 11.20pm Monday to Saturday from Leeds to York, and our current 10:02pm from York to Tadcaster will now run all of the way to Leeds.

On Saturdays, there will be a new journey at 9:30pm from Scarborough to Tadcaster, and a new journey from Malton to Scarborough at 7:40pm.

Sorry, we can't find this page!

www.transdevbus.co.uk

Personally disappointed that the 840 won't run hourly to Whitby, instead of the bi-hourly service it currently operates, with the other service per hour currently terminating at Thornton-le-Dale.

Where will the additional vehicles to operate these services come from?

 

[SCH117X]

2 B7RLEs from Harrogate were quoted in posting 4345 above as moving to York, 1867 and 1871. The PVR however is 4.

 

[stevieinselby]

Transdev has announced the anticipated increase to Coastliner services, with 3 buses per hour between York, Tadcaster and Leeds from 27 October:

Sorry, we can't find this page!

www.transdevbus.co.uk

Personally disappointed that the 840 won't run hourly to Whitby, instead of the bi-hourly service it currently operates, with the other service per hour currently terminating at Thornton-le-Dale.

Where will the additional vehicles to operate these services come from?

It has previously been said that the additional vehicles for the Leeds—York shorts will be single deckers, so presumably there are some B7RLEs spare around the company, or maybe Versas ... possibly being released from the delivery of new electric buses in Harrogate? So the shorts probably won't be up to the same standard of comfort as the other services – and while passengers won't be on the for as long as those going to Pickering, Scarbados or Whitby, they are well over an hour from York to Leeds so it isn't like they are short journeys where comfort is not so important.

I'm not surprised that Whitby only retains a 2-hourly service, that's about all it has had in the 25 years that I've lived around here (and probably a lot longer!) – what remains disappointing is that the first journeys are still so late (the first bus from Whitby arrives in Leeds at 3pm ), and that Sunday is still only twice daily. The 840 is clearly only intended to get tourists to/from Whitby and Goathland, and doesn't in any way provide a useful service for people living or staying in Whitby to reach the wider world.

One minor degradation is that the service between York and Malton is now a 20/40 split rather than being a regular 30-minute frequency, but in the grand scheme of things – and set against the improved frequency between York, Tadcaster and Leeds and the improved evening services, that seems like a small price to pay, and a better option than arbitrarily holding the Scarborough buses for an extra 10 minutes in York just to get them evenly spaced.

 

[Andyh82]

Looks like a good improvement, with buses every 20 mins and later buses. 11:20 from Leeds is later than a lot of more local services

If they are using B7RLEs on the shorts it shouldn’t be too bad, it’s not like Transdev have a bargain basement spec. In the days of the 844 they did use standard bus seated Versas.

 

[Delenn]

It is such a shame they haven't put a later 840 to Thornton. I think two hourly Whitby is enough in the winter, but I do think there should be "more buses for the summer."

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

I'm not surprised that Whitby only retains a 2-hourly service, that's about all it has had in the 25 years that I've lived around here (and probably a lot longer!) – what remains disappointing is that the first journeys are still so late (the first bus from Whitby arrives in Leeds at 3pm ), and that Sunday is still only twice daily. The 840 is clearly only intended to get tourists to/from Whitby and Goathland, and doesn't in any way provide a useful service for people living or staying in Whitby to reach the wider world.

The service between Whitby and Pickering/Malton et al never had an early service south - even in the days before deregulation, and that was when it was operated by United's Whitby depot. It's designed for the population of Leeds (800k) and York (200k) to get to Whitby (13k).

The two hourly pattern really is the sensible frequency for the winter months, so no surprise from me either. There's fewer tourists and walkers, and once you leave Thornton Dale, precious few houses until you reach Sleights.

Makes much more sense to bolster the busier section of the service.

 

[Ken H]

The service between Whitby and Pickering/Malton et al never had an early service south - even in the days before deregulation, and that was when it was operated by United's Whitby depot. It's designed for the population of Leeds (800k) and York (200k) to get to Whitby (13k).

The two hourly pattern really is the sensible frequency for the winter months, so no surprise from me either. There's fewer tourists and walkers, and once you leave Thornton Dale, precious few houses until you reach Sleights.

Makes much more sense to bolster the busier section of the service.

Plenty of 91's in 1967. Make sure you look at all 3 pages https://timetableworld.com/ttw-viewer.php?token=9b387cfb-07a2-4de2-be84-dd1e9270304f

 

[YorkRailFan]

maybe Versas

York has quite a few Versas that have been freed up after Transdev lost the contract with North Yorkshire Council for the Castleline (now 81), 22/23 (now 82/83) and 194.

Upcoming service changes in Harrogate from 27 October:

We're making some changes to our buses in Harrogate from 27 Oct, with improved connections and more reliable timetables for you.

The 1 Harrogate - Knaresborough

We're working with North Yorkshire Council to bring you more buses during peak times, and a more reliable timetable too. We're adding extra drivers and buses to this route to help us cope with increasing congestion on Knaresborough Road.

We are combining the 1C and 1D into one route. The 1C will now continue to the Bar Lane roundabout, near The Pastures development, every 30 minutes, in place of the 1D. This gives a more frequent service, as well as evening and Sunday buses, for residents of The Pastures and the Castle Locke development on Boroughbridge Road, which are both within walking distance.

Buses on Sunday evenings will be re-timed to allow better connections in Harrogate with other buses, and we're introducing buses on the 1B on Sunday evenings too.
The 2 Harrogate - Bilton
We'll be making some changes to improve reliability, and changing our evening times on all days to improve connections in Harrogate with other buses.

Download your new timetable.

The 3 Harrogate - Jennyfield

We'll be making some changes to improve reliability, and changing our evening times on all days to improve connections in Harrogate with other buses.

Download your new timetable.

The 6 Harrogate - Pannal Ash

We'll be making some changes to improve reliability.

Download your new timetable.

The 7 Harrogate - Wetherby - Leeds

We'll be making some changes to improve reliability,. We'll also be changing our route at peak times through Thorp Arch Trading Estate to serve more businesses - we'll be running along Wighill Lane, Street 5, Avenue C West, Avenue C East and Wighill Lane.

Download your new timetable.

The 24 Harrogate - Pateley Bridge

We'll be making some changes to improve reliability.

Download your new timetable.

The 36 Harrogate - Leeds or Ripon

We'll be making some changes to improve reliability. Plus we have new trips on early Sunday morning, departing Starbeck at 7:32am and Harrogate Bus Station at 7:45am towards Leeds, and Leeds at 8.40am going towards Harrogate.

Download the new timetable.

X98 X99 Wetherby - East Keswick - Leeds

We'll be making some changes to improve reliability. We'll also have a new journey, in partnership with West Yorkshire Combined Authority, leaving Wetherby at 11.10pm. This new journey will run as an X99 to East Keswick, Keswick Lane, then return back to Wetherby along the A58, giving a late bus for both East Keswick and Collingham.

Sorry, we can't find this page!

www.transdevbus.co.uk

The merging of the 1C and 1D will make things simpler in terms of numbering.

Changes to DalesBus services operated by the Keighley Bus Company from 27 October:

As the days get shorter for the winter, we're going to make some changes to DalesBus timetables. The changes take place from 27 Oct, and services which are finishing for the winter will run for the final time this year on 20 Oct.

820 & 821 Keighley - Scar House

These buses won't run during the winter.

862 Ilkey - Keighley

The bus which usually departs at 6.25pm will instead depart at 6.06pm.

864 & 873 Ilkley - Skipton

The summer extra 864 trips won't run during the winter. The 5.30pm 873 will run along the 864 route during the winter.

Download your new timetable here.

866 Keighley - Skipton

These buses won't run during the winter.

DalesBus winter timetables from 27 Oct

www.transdevbus.co.uk

Interesting that one 873 will skip Bolton Abbey.

 

[SCH117X]

York has quite a few Versas that have been freed up after Transdev lost the contract with North Yorkshire Council for the Castleline (now 81), 22/23 (now 82/83) and 194.

The last info re the 2012 Versas was that they were to go off-lease. Only four are currently at Rawcliffe and one of those is withdrawn.

 

[Deerfold]

I caught the 866 on its trip from Keighley last Sunday - for a route that Metro hasn't managed to produce correct timetables for bus stops and hasn't mentioned in their service changes I was pleasantly surprised to find myself one of 8 people on it.