mattb7tl
Forum Member
Streetlites 🛐
Posts: 743
|
Post by mattb7tl on Nov 29, 2023 19:14:36 GMT 1
I think in the new proposals for the EP+ and franchising they're wanting core routes to operate between 0500 with final journeys departing between 2300 - 2359. Also given that Halifax & Todmorden is the 2nd most profitable after Leeds, I think a complete redrawing of all the timetables should be done and re-instate journeys that dissapeared over Covid (services after 2000 on the 541/542). What qualifies as a core route? In the early days where the plans came out they had a map with all the routes they considered to be core. It missed a good chunk of frequent services. I don't believe they included the 301/302. |
|
deerfold
Forum Member
Posts: 2,368
Member is Online
|
Post by deerfold on Nov 29, 2023 20:12:05 GMT 1
The 363 is just the early/late/Sunday variation of the X63, though. It's amazing that Transdev can provide a 0020 service from Bradford to Keighley on a Friday/Saturday night, a 2340 from Leeds to Keighley, a 2340 (daily) service from Skipton to Keighley, 2315 from Leeds to Ripon, whilst First can't manage services between West Yorkshire's largest towns and cities in an evening without help (there is one early 66 service receives funding). (Bradford/Leeds to Keighley have strong competition from rail which the 503 and 363 don't). The last Halifax to Leeds service is now 2100 and the 508 is still receiving subsidies! I Agree with you over the Transdev later journeys (although isn't the 23:40 Skipton to Keighley just to return the bus back to Keighley in service rather than a dead run?) It is, but it's the return of a 2300 departure from Keighley so runs fairly late in both directions (and has been improved from 2230 at one point). Though it is quite annoying - if I get the last train from Leeds to Steeton and Silsden, I often see it as I walk home, but with no chance of catching it at the speed I can run these days. You mentioned railway competition but that does affect the 503 & 363 baring in mind there's trains at 23:00 Huddersfield to Halifax & Bradford & 23:40 Bradford/23:54 Halifax to Huddersfield what also covers Brighouse (& Elland once it opens), as for 508 to be blunt it's a dying route so it's not surprising it doesn't run until 11pm, If they was to look at later buses between Halifax & Leeds I think 255 would be the better route to add them to. The trains between Halifax, Brighouse and Huddersfield are 2-hourly in an evening so aren't going to massively affect bus usage (and would affect the less if the buses ran to a decent time). There used to be 5 buses an hour Halifax - Leeds (223, 224, 2x508, M62) in a decent time as well as the far slower 226/7. It could be as quick to catch the bus as the train if you were arriving in Halifax by a connecting bus and wanted the far side of Leeds from the bus station. They do seem to keep changing who the 508 is aimed at. It's got slower and slower, serving more and more areas and then suddenly rerouted to be much quicker, but infrequent without very early and late evening journeys. |
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Nov 29, 2023 20:38:43 GMT 1
I Agree with you over the Transdev later journeys (although isn't the 23:40 Skipton to Keighley just to return the bus back to Keighley in service rather than a dead run?) It is, but it's the return of a 2300 departure from Keighley so runs fairly late in both directions (and has been improved from 2230 at one point). Though it is quite annoying - if I get the last train from Leeds to Steeton and Silsden, I often see it as I walk home, but with no chance of catching it at the speed I can run these days. You mentioned railway competition but that does affect the 503 & 363 baring in mind there's trains at 23:00 Huddersfield to Halifax & Bradford & 23:40 Bradford/23:54 Halifax to Huddersfield what also covers Brighouse (& Elland once it opens), as for 508 to be blunt it's a dying route so it's not surprising it doesn't run until 11pm, If they was to look at later buses between Halifax & Leeds I think 255 would be the better route to add them to. The trains between Halifax, Brighouse and Huddersfield are 2-hourly in an evening so aren't going to massively affect bus usage (and would affect the less if the buses ran to a decent time). There used to be 5 buses an hour Halifax - Leeds (223, 224, 2x508, M62) in a decent time as well as the far slower 226/7. It could be as quick to catch the bus as the train if you were arriving in Halifax by a connecting bus and wanted the far side of Leeds from the bus station. They do seem to keep changing who the 508 is aimed at. It's got slower and slower, serving more and more areas and then suddenly rerouted to be much quicker, but infrequent without very early and late evening journeys. Isn't it still planned for the Bradford - Huddersfield train to become Hourly during the evenings at some point within the next few years? To be honest the rail plans seem to be changed every other week so its possible that has now been dropped. If it does still go ahead it would help plug the gap left by buses on a evening between Huddersfield,Brighouse,Halifax & Bradford & would allow any funds for later journeys to go towards 255 & 576 what don't have any rail stations near any of the key areas served. Introducing an evening service on 255 would also reduce the almost 90 min gap between Halifax & Hipperholme after 21:35. I'd say the current 508 is aimed at city workers plus daytime/early evening leisure travellers, with it still serving the Wellington Street office blocks rather than going via the Town Hall although why they have a bus run dead from Halifax to Leeds for the 6:45 departure is odd to me rather than having an early Pre-7am arrival into Leeds in service. |
|
pricel
Forum Member
Posts: 458
|
Post by pricel on Nov 30, 2023 0:11:00 GMT 1
Personal observations for Calderdale:
1. 503 Halifax to Huddersfield via Elland
2. 576 Halifax to Bradford via Queensbury
3. 521 Halifax to Illingworth via Ovenden
3. 590/1/2 Calder Valley Connection routes (gotten busier over the years with deckers being common allocations now)
4. 509/510/511/512/513 Mixenden Circulars
5. 548/549 Halifax to Brighouse, Rasterick and Huddersfield or 579 Halifax to Sowerby, I can't decide which
6. 542 Siddal to Norton Tower
7. 20 Halifax to Rye Lane
8. 522/523 Halifax to Illingworth via Keighley Road
9. 22 Halifax to Claremount
10. 21 Halifax to Highroadwell Circular
508 used to be on this list but ever since April it's been poorly used. However, 502 and 587 customer levels do seem to be rising so I would probably not put them far behind this list.
|
|
