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14
Oct
Call to revive Ripon to Scarborough bus route
Could a bus service between Ripon and Scarborough improve the city’s connection problems?
That is one suggestion being mooted as part of the consultation on a new local transport plan being drawn up by David Skaith, the Labour Mayor of York and North Yorkshire.
The plan aims to improve local transport and for people in Ripon, which doesn't have a train station, public transport to the east of the county has long been a headache.
Now, Cllr George Jabbour, a Conservative who represents Helmsley and Sinnington on North Yorkshire Council, has suggested reviving the historic 128 bus route — which linked Ripon to Scarborough via Helmsley and Pickering.
Cllr Jabbour told the Stray Ferret the route was popular in the 1980s and would be viable now given the government's commitment to a £2 fare cap from January.
Cllr George Jabbour (right).
The council's transport, economy, environment and enterprise overview and scrutiny committee is due to discuss the local transport plan next week.
A report ahead of the meeting says the local transport plan will "provide a comprehensive long-term framework to guide transport investment and decision making across York and North Yorkshire" until 2050.
A separate summary report of the council's area committee feedback on the local transport plan so far points out that Thirsk station provides the closest access to the East Coast Mainline for residents in Ripon — but there are only four return trips a day.
It means residents have to get a connecting bus or train to get to Scarborough.
Cllr Jabbour suggests a bus from Ripon to Thrisk, which then travels on to Scarborough and would provide a “realistic and sustainable solution."
The summary report said:
The 28 bus service currently connects Scarborough to Helmsley via Pickering and Kirkbymoorside. It is a popular route, but passengers frequently wonder why it could not be extended to Thirsk station. At the same time, the 70 bus service between Thirsk and Ripon is not frequent enough.
Therefore, extending the 28 service to Ripon and/or extending the 70 service to Scarborough would provide an efficient solution that offers a strategic bus route across the breadth of our county.
Scarborough
It comes as improving bus services have come under the political spotlight nationally and locally.
In his first week in office in July, Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced that a £2 single bus fare cap would be introduced in January 2027 for the rest of the year.
Meanwhile, David Skaith, Labour Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, who has long pledged to improve bus services in the region, took the first step towards bringing buses into public ownership on October 2.
Cllr Jabbour said his proposal to revive the bus link between Ripon and Scarborough was now more urgent than ever.
He said:
Now more than ever it [the service] is a priority. I believe that a bus between Ripon and Scarborough could be more viable.
Consultation on the mayor’s local transport plan is currently being held and closes on November 18, 2026.
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