Summer DalesBus services revealedConcerns raised about impact of ongoing Harrogate roadworks on bus serviceHarrogate Bus Company announces changes to key routesHarrogate bus company introduces £1 fare for young peopleHarrogate Bus Company apologises for Jennyfields and Bilton cancellations

The Harrogate Bus Company has apologised after a number of bus journeys in the Harrogate area were cancelled this morning.

Passengers in the Jennyfields and Bilton areas faced delays and cancellations, especially around the morning rush hour.

The number 2, Harrogate to Bilton, and number 3, Harrogate to Jennyfield, buses were among those affected.

Sylvia Young got in touch to say she and many others were “sick of the bus service”. Ms Young sent this photo of this morning’s cancellations.

She added:

“It’s not now and again it is nearly every day the buses people need for work are cancelled. Two hours of no buses in or out of Jennyfield. It’s a disgrace.”

The cancellations attracted numerous social media comments, with some people claiming the problems were due to problems with the company’s new electric buses, including charging the batteries.

The Stray Ferret put these claims to the Harrogate Bus Company, which is owned by French firm Transdev.

We also asked if services would continue to be affected.

A spokesperson for the company said:

“We are aware of a small number of journeys to Jennyfield and Bilton which were unable to run this morning due to a vehicle-related issue.

“We apologise to any customers affected and remind our customers that they can track their buses in real time using the free Transdev Go app.”

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Harrogate bus station to close temporarily at nights after 7pm

Alternative bus stops have been announced as Harrogate bus station prepares to close temporarily.

The Harrogate Bus Company, which is owned by Transdev, shared the news on social media last night.

It said the bus station, on Station Parade, will close after 7pm, from Sunday to Thursday between April 21 and May 23.

As a result, the 1, 2, 3, 7 and 36, which all offer evening services, will be affected.

A phot of a bus leaving Harrogate bus station.

The closures begin this Sunday.

The Stray Ferret asked the Harrogate Bus Company where exactly the alternative stops will be. A spokesperson gave the following information:

Services 1 and 7:

Services 2 and 3:

The 36:

A graphic of the alternative bus stops. Pic: The Harrogate Bus Company.

A Transdev spokesperson told the Stray Ferret the bus station will be closed while the operator carries out work to “support the infrastructure” of its new electric fleet, which is set to be introduced this summer.

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Major changes announced to bus routes in Harrogate district

Two new bus routes are set to be introduced in Harrogate this weekend.

The Harrogate Bus Company said in a press release the services would provide ‘new and improved links for housing developments and business parks’.

The company, which is part of French form Transdev, said it has partnered with North Yorkshire Council to bring the new 4, which will link King Edwin Park and the Harrogate West Business Park off Penny Pot Lane in Killinghall to the town centre.

It will also serve Skipton Road and Ripon Road.

The new route, which is being funded by the King Edwin Park housing developer, will run hourly from 7am to 7pm, Monday to Saturday.

In addition, the 6 and X6 will merge to provide an all-day service to Harrogate’s Pannal Ash, RHS Harlow Carr and Beckwith Knowle.

It will operate every 30 minutes, Monday to Saturday, and hourly on Sundays. Extra buses will run every 20 minutes during peak times.

Harrogate Bus Company said it will operate as the current route, but extending to Beckwith Knowle, where there is a business park.

The firm added:

“The route will change on Otley Road and in Pannal Ash so we pick up on the opposite side of the road – this follows customer requests.”

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Changes to existing routes

Along with the new routes, the Harrogate Bus Company also announced it would be making changes to existing routes. Some of the details at this stage are vague.

These include:

1 Harrogate – Knaresborough: There will be a full timetable change from Monday to Saturday. Buses will still run every 10 minutes.

2 Harrogate – Bilton: Changes will be made to buses at peak times on weekdays.

3 Harrogate – Jennyfield: Changes will be made to buses at peak times on weekdays.

8 Harrogate – Knaresborough – Wetherby: This route will be taken over by 21 Transport on behalf of the council. The firm said Transdev tickets will no longer be valid on this route.

21 Knaresborough – Boroughbridge: Changes ‘to improve reliability’ will be introduced.

24 Harrogate – Pateley Bridge: Changes ‘to improve reliability’ will be introduced.

36 Leeds – Harrogate – Ripon: Changes ‘to improve reliability’ will be introduced.

S1 Ripley – Rossett School: A new school bus will serve pupils from Ripley to Harrogate Grammar School and Rossett School. It added people in Jennyfields who currently use the 620H should switch to the S1.

S2 and S6 Bilton – Rossett School: The S2 and S6 will merge into a single route, which will follow the route of the regular 2 bus around Bilton. A large double decker bus will be provided which is sufficient for all customers, it added.

S8 Woodlands – Rossett School: Changes ‘to improve reliability’ will be introduced.

620H Dacre – Rossett School: This route will be taken over by another operator on behalf of the council. Harrogate Bus Company said it does not know which firm will take over, but added it will no longer serve Jennyfields. It advised residents to use the S1 instead.

727H Jennyfield – Harrogate Grammar School

The Harrogate Bus Company, which has not released any further information on the changes, said timetables will be available ‘soon’.

The changes will come into effect on Sunday, April 7.

Pateley town council calls for 24 bus to operate later service

Pateley Bridge Town Council has called for a later service to be added to the 24 bus that connects Pateley and Harrogate.

The route, which runs about every two hours, provides a service for those living in Pateley Bridge and Harrogate as well as numerous villages in between, including Summerbridge, Darley and Birstwith.

However, the last weekday bus leaves Harrogate at 5.30pm, meaning some people in Nidderdale who commute to Harrogate or Leeds struggle to get back home on public transport after work.

At a meeting this week, the town council agreed to contact North Yorkshire Council about adding a later service, which would leave Harrogate bus station at about 6.40pm.

Councillors said this would align with commuter trains from Leeds that arrive in Harrogate between 6pm and 6.30pm.

Cllr James Critchley, who favoured the additional service, said it would also encourage a more environmentally-friendly lifestyle. He said:

“The biggest problem we face is climate change and people need to get out of their cars.”

North Yorkshire Council will decide whether to investigate the proposal.

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24 bus saved

The plan comes after the 24 bus route was under threat this year.

North Yorkshire Council warned in January it was one of 80 bus services in the county facing uncertain futures after the Harrogate Bus Company, which is owned by Transdev, indicated the service was no longer commercially viable.

However, Cllr Keane Duncan, the Conservative executive member for highways and transport at North Yorkshire County Council, said in April:

“The 24 is a key route that many people rely on so I am pleased to announce that we have been able to step in to support this service.

“When the operator notified us that it planned to withdraw most services on this route, we secured short-term funds to cover these until April 2023.

“This allowed us time to investigate a longer-term solution. We have now secured continuation of the service until April 2024, operated by Transdev (The Harrogate Bus Company).”

Bus route changes ‘could leave vulnerable more isolated’ in Harrogate

Some of the most vulnerable members of the community could be left isolated if planned changes to bus routes come into effect later this month, according to opponents.

The number 6 on Harlow Hill and the 2a and 2b in Bilton are both being changed by operator The Harrogate Bus Company, part of Transdev, from Sunday, February 19.

Residents on Harlow Hill said they have been told their nearest bus stop will be just a three-minute walk away – but they say that is not true for the many elderly and disabled people who rely on the service.

At the weekly Music and Movement group, which meets at the Green Hut on Harlow Avenue, there is serious concern about the impact of changes.

As the 20 members enjoyed tea and biscuits at the end of the session, volunteer Margaret Willis told the Stray Ferret:

“The ladies who come here are very able and capable, but they are also vulnerable. Many of them live on their own.

“They need to come out and socialise and exercise otherwise they are at risk of becoming isolated.”

The route changes will see the number 6 no longer serving Harlow Avenue or stops down Otley Road between its junctions with Beckwith Road and Pannal Ash Road.

Instead, it will travel up Otley Road, along Beckwith Road and straight back down Pannal Ash Road to join Otley Road.

The current and proposed route of the number 6 bus on Harlow HillThe existing route of the 6, left, and the planned new route.

Crucially, the stop immediately outside the Green Hut will no longer be in use. Many of the Music and Movement group’s members arrive and depart by bus, and some are unable to reach the bus stops that will be on the new route.

The closest stops are 280m away on Beckwith Road up a slight incline, 500m away on Otley Road, and 450m away on Pannal Ash Road along a route that is partially uphill, which many group members said they could not manage.

Members of the Music and Movement group at the Green Hut on Harlow HillMembers of the Music and Movement group

One 92-year-old with mobility problems said she timed the supposed three-minute walk to the bus stop and it took her 20 minutes, even without carrying any bags.

Not only could the changes stop people getting to the Green Hut – putting some of its events at risk – but they could also affect people living on Harlow Hill travelling to medical and other appointments.

Volunteer Charlotte South added:

“I can’t tell you the upset this has caused.

“We want someone from Transdev to come and walk the route with our group and see what the changes really mean for people.”

The members of Music and Movement said they would be happy for an hourly bus, instead of half-hourly, if it meant the route was kept as it is now. They also said they would be happy to pay towards their journeys in order to make the service viable.

Bilton buses

In Bilton, the 2A and 2B buses will be combined to make a single service, which some people have said will prevent them from accessing local shops and services on King Edward’s Drive.

The current 2A loop allows people living on Dene Park and Woodfield Road to use the bus to visit the chemist, Post Office or doctor’s surgery, and catch it back from the opposite side of the road.

When the changes come into effect, they will have to take the bus into town, and catch the next bus back out towards Bilton in order to get to King Edward’s Drive.

The current and proposed route of the number 2 bus in BiltonThe current 2A and 2B routes, left, and the proposed single route of the 2 around Bilton and Woodfield.

Cllr Paul Haslam, who represents the Bilton and Nidd Gorge division on North Yorkshire County Council, said he has been contacted by a number of residents very concerned about the impact of the changes.

He told the Stray Ferret:

“My view is that it’s not ideal. I’m trying to change it back to keep it as it is – even if the service isn’t as frequent, at least it would still exist.

“One of the challenges is that Transdev are saying the numbers aren’t there. I understand their challenge which is why I’ve gone to North Yorkshire as well.”

He said he had been given hope by the news that the 24 bus through Nidderdale had been saved by funding from the county council when Transdev said it would have to drastically reduce the service.

“I would ideally like to see that route maintained. I think it’s important and I’m doing everything I can to try and keep it.”

The shops on King Edwards Drive in BiltonThe shops on King Edward’s Drive

However, for one business owner, the changes are welcome.

Andrew Hart, who runs the Red Box gift shop and Post Office on King Edward’s Drive, said:

“My view is controversial because that bus stop outside is a hub for anti-social behaviour, which we catch on CCTV.

“I’m quite happy that the bus stop and the bus route will be going. The buses that go around those two routes are far too big anyway and very rarely more than a quarter or a third full.

“I think the reduction of the route is a very sensible move. People will soon get used to the idea. Quite often, the buses don’t turn up, so most of [the customers] will walk through.”

The Stray Ferret approached Transdev about the concerns over the proposed changes, but had not received a response by the time of publication.

Information published when the route changes were announced last month said the company was prioritising “the busiest stops” and leaving out those used less frequently in order to “speed up journey times”.

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Harrogate district trains and buses to run reduced timetable

Trains and buses in the Harrogate district are operating reduced timetables during the third national lockdown.

Northern announced yesterday it will begin its new timetable on Monday, with the company warning there will be fewer trains.

From Monday there will be 30 daily departures from Harrogate to Leeds on Monday to Friday, compared to 38 before the new timetable.

Tricia Williams, the chief operating officer at Northern, said:

“We will focus on delivering services during the morning and evening peaks so those who need to travel can get to where they’re needed and have the space to maintain social distancing.”

“We’re therefore calling on people to check carefully before they travel and behave responsibly on our trains.”

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The Harrogate Bus Company started its new timetable on Sunday and said it will run eight out of 10 journeys. The following applies:

(The 1) Harrogate to Knaresborough:

(2A) Harrogate to Bilton and Dene Park:

(2B) Harrogate to Bilton and The Knox:

(3) Harrogate to Jennyfield:

(6/X6) Harrogate to Pannal Ash:

(7) Harrogate to Wetherby and Leeds:

(36) Ripon to Harrogate and Leeds:

The Harrogate Bus Company’s chief executive Alex Hornby said:

“Our message to our customers is that we are still very much here for you – our buses are clean, safe and ready to go, just as they have always been throughout the pandemic.

“We know from experience that our buses provide a vital service for key workers and others who depend on us to reach essential shops and services.”