‘Standing room only’ bus fears (From York Press)

Fears it will be ‘standing room only’ on Coastliner bus service

9:38am Tuesday 1st May 2012 in News By Mark Stead , Political Reporter

A BUS operator’s decision to switch the route of one of its York services will leave passengers struggling to find a seat, it has been claimed.

Coastliner, which runs services between York, Leeds, Scarborough, Whitby and Bridlington, intends to alter its 844 service when its summer timetable comes into force at the start of June, saying it has not been used enough by people in the Heworth and Heworth Without areas.

Under the new route, the 844 into York will pass along Rougier Street and Piccadilly, call at Heslington Hall and then head down University Road, Lawrence Street and James Street on the way back to the city centre.

Coastliner’s 840, 843 and 845 service between the East Coast and Leeds will not be affected by the changes, and the company said the existing 844 route was an “experiment” which had now been reviewed, but Heworth Without councillor Nigel Ayre said he now planned to talk to the firm.

He said residents in the Ashley Park area as well as those on Hempland Lane and Heworth Village would see a reduced service, while people living in Algarth Road would be left without any access to buses at all.

“This is a popular service and provides a vital connection for residents in my ward to central York, York College, Tadcaster and Leeds,” he said.

“The service which will remain after the proposed changes will be less regular, and because it is coming from the East Coast, it is often full by the time it reaches Heworth.

“I will be speaking to residents in the coming days and taking the issue up with Coastline and the council.”

Coun Dave Merrett, cabinet member for city strategy, said residents on the 844 route were still close to the “main Coastliner corridor” and Heworth Without also had an hourly No11 First York service into the city centre, but Coastliner’s decision was “purely commercial” and the council had no involvement.

Coastliner’s marketing director Nigel Eggleton said: “The three-year anniversary of the 844 service’s current route gives us cause to look at how many people are using the service, and regrettably there are not enough passengers in that part of York to justify continuing the service.

“The 844 will be rerouted to serve the University of York and we are looking forward to providing students and staff there with direct links to Copmanthorpe, Tadcaster and Leeds for the first time.”