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01
Apr
Mayor announces extra bus service between Harrogate and Pateley Bridge
The Harrogate Bus Company is to run an extra evening service from Harrogate to Pateley Bridge from this summer.
The news was revealed in a press release from the Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, David Skaith, who set out his vision for bus services in York and North Yorkshire.
Other measures he announced include awarding an additional £50,000 to both the Moorsbus and DalesBus, integrating £1 fares for under-19s in York and North Yorkshire, and protecting the cheaper fares for NHS staff at York Hospital.
Harrogate Bus Company's number 24 service currently runs seven times in each direction between Harrogate and Pateley Bridge, six days a week, and three times on Sundays.
The route takes in Killinghall, Hampsthwaite, Birstwith, Darley, and Summerbridge, and takes about 50 minutes.
The new service will run on weekday evenings and is expected to start in July.
Fuller details will be revealed nearer the time.
Mr Skaith said:
Buses across York and North Yorkshire are not good enough, today marks a landmark step in the journey to fix that. From today I will be working tirelessly to get our buses working for people and communities across our region.
Over the next year I'll be investing £95m into our region's transport and highways, improving bus stops, making our streets safer for children to get to school, and taking action to fix our roads thanks to an extra £16m from government to tackle potholes across the region.
He added:
Safeguarding and improving our rural buses will also make a huge impact on our more isolated communities. Bettering residents’ journeys out of the area, but also visitors’ journeys in, protecting our thriving visitor economy and promoting connection with our vast and beautiful landscapes.
I have seen, first-hand, the support DalesBus and MoorsBus do for our really rural areas and that is why I am committing extra funding to them, as well as adding an additional service from Harrogate to Pateley Bridge.
This year, York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority will consult on a Local Transport Plan, setting the plans to deliver the Strategic Transport Framework.
Mr Skaith added:
As I work towards a public consultation on franchising, there is work that I and the bus operators need to do to start making changes now. That is why I have called a roundtable with bus operators in the region to discuss what needs to be done to improve services for residents, businesses and visitors.
I'll also keep pushing for the long-term investment our region needs to fix our broken transport service, making York and North Yorkshire an easier place to live, work and enjoy.
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