8:50am Friday 3rd September 2010
By Mike Laycock
EARLY morning and evening bus services are being cut on some key routes by York's biggest operator, First.
The timetables affected by the service reductions, which come into effect on Sunday, are:
• Route 1, from Wigginton to Chapelfields through the city centre
• Route 5, from Strensall to Acomb (Green Lane) through York
• Route 10, from Stamford Bridge to Poppleton through York
• Route 11, from Ashley Park to Bishopthorpe through York
• Route 12, from Haxby (West Nooks) to Acomb through York
• Route 13/13A, from Copmanthorpe to Monks Cross through York.
The changes mean, for example, that the first bus into York from Wigginton will in future leave Mill Lane in the village at 06.28 instead of the current 05.54.
In addition, the last bus to Wigginton on a Friday night, currently leaving the Theatre Royal at 0.04 and arriving at 00.29, will in future leave from the theatre at 23.29, arriving in Wigginton at 23.54.
But passengers are being promised improved reliability with the new service times.
And at the same time, City of York Council said York Pullman planned to operate two additional journeys on Mondays to Fridays on route 10 on an experimental basis to assess demand – a 05.50 service from Nether Poppleton to Stamford Bridge and 06.43 Stamford Bridge to York Station service.
A spokesman for First today defended the changes to its timetables, saying the journeys affected carried less than two per cent of the passengers on the services.
“We have a responsibility to provide sustainable services and running near empty buses on some journeys threatens the long-term viability of those services, as well as negatively affecting the local environment,” he said.
“We never take the decision to withdraw journeys lightly, however the majority of our customers on these routes will be unaffected by these changes.”
A council spokeswoman said that for information on bus route and times, people should phone 01904 551400. “Lines are open 8am to 8pm, seven days a week, with calls charged at local rates,” she said.
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