Thank you for your interest in this story

To continue reading this article, subscribe to the Stray Ferret for as little as £1 a week

Already a subscriber? Log in here.

Apr 2023

Last Updated: 17/04/2023

Transport

Ripon's new city-wide bus service launches with guaranteed funding

by Tim Flanagan

| 17 Apr, 2023

ripon-17th-april-2023-new-ripon-bus-service

Ripon's new city-wide bus service, which launched today, has guaranteed funding for the next four years and the prospect of more to follow.

From today, the current Ripon services – RS1 Lark Lane, RS2 Lead Lane and RS3 Gallows Lane – will increase in frequency and see routes extended, as well as operating on Saturdays.

A new route, numbered RS4, will serve North Bridge.

Andrew Williams, Independent city council leader and the North Yorkshire Council member for Minster and Moorside, told the Stray Ferret:

"We have been able to make this happen with the support of the new unitary authority, in addition to section 106 monies from retail and residential developments in Ripon and money from the city council's contingency fund.

"Looking beyond the first four years, we will be seeking further section 106 contributions to support the service as more residential schemes, such as West Lane, come on stream."

Fellow Independent councillor Peter Horton, who chairs the city council's transport committee, said:

"Ripon's residents have been telling us for years that they want an improved inner-city bus service and after a great deal of detailed discussions, first with North Yorkshire County Council and now the new authority, it has come to fruition.

"We hope that people will become regular users of this sustainable means of transport."

Today's changes

RS1 has a new timetable and route via Bishopton Lane, Ash Bank Road and Lark Lane which extends via the bus station to St Michael's Retail Park for the M&S Food Store. It will depart hourly from 7.15am to 6.15pm with additional journeys between the bus station and St Michael’s Park twice hourly.

RS2 and RS3 have a new timetable with an earlier bus at 7.40am and a later bus at 5.35pm Monday to Friday. The daytime service has new times and will run Monday to Saturday.

RS4 is a new route from the bus station to North Bridge via North Street returning via Magdalen’s Road. There are three journeys per day Monday to Saturday.

The services will be run with buses from Dales & District Travel and North Yorkshire Council, with a single journey costing no more than £2 and pensioners with bus passes travelling free. More details are available from www.northyorks.gov.uk/businfo

Pic shows: Cllr Andrew Williams (centre) with his daughter Lilly-May, with Cllr Peter Horton (left) and Paul McMillan, one of the team of drivers providing the new service.

Ripon City Council bids to take charge of key assets

Months of roadworks ahead on Ripon to Harrogate road

Thank you for your interest in this story

Ripon's new city-wide bus service launches with guaranteed funding

Today's changes

Read more: