A BUS company has decided to axe its fast York to Leeds service.

Transdev has said its Cityzap service will run for the final time on November 19.

A spokesman for the firm said: "We've carried 1 million customers since we started, but sadly the effects of Covid and rising costs mean that Cityzap is no longer sustainable.

"We hope to see customers on Coastliner which will continue as usual."

The news has been greeted with dismay by York councillors with Dringhouses and Woodthorpe Lib Dem councillor Ashley Mason expressing concern at the potential impact of the decision as he said the service has proved very popular with residents in Dringhouses who live along the route and commute to Leeds to work.

He said that, whilst passenger numbers have not fully recovered since the start of the pandemic, the CityZap has provided a convenient, affordable and sustainable transport offer for residents.

York Press: Dringhouses and Woodthorpe Lib Dem councillor Ashley MasonDringhouses and Woodthorpe Lib Dem councillor Ashley Mason

Cllr Ashley Mason said: “I appreciate the challenges that Transdev and other bus operators are facing, but it is very disappointing that a way could not be found to retain this direct service in some shape or form. Councillors would have been happy to invite users of the services to sit down with us and Transdev representatives to discuss this.

"With this unfortunate decision, users of the CityZap will be faced with more expensive and less convenient train journeys, or using a car, which from an environmental perspective is the worst possible outcome. The Coastliner service will remain, but is less attractive as the morning journey from York Railway Station to Leeds takes an hour and a half, compared to an hour on the CityZap.

“I fear that unless Government takes seriously the warnings about ‘cliff-edge’ cuts to services when current funding streams run out, and provides investment that allows operators to plan ahead, there may be more bad news coming.”

Cllr Mason is asking local residents to let him know what the axing of the CityZap service will mean for them, so that he can make representations to Transdev to try to find a way in which the direct service that has proved popular with commuters could be retained in some form.

 

The service saw a surge in passengers during train strikes earlier this year with a 40.5 per cent rise on the first train strike back in June, compared with numbers using Cityzap before the rail walkouts began.

Transdev CEO Alex Hornby said at the time the firm originally launched the Cityzap route to offer a best-value alternative to the train and enable modal shift from the car with ‘Sky Class’ luxury double decker buses offering quality and luxury at much lower fares compared to the train.

Transdev’s ‘Sky Class’ buses feature spacious group layouts, wireless and USB device charging, fast and free Wi-Fi, double glazing, and a glass ceiling.

Powered by low emission engines, each bus is driven by a dedicated, friendly team from Transdev’s York base – with on-board announcements provided by popular BBC Look North weather forecaster Paul Hudson.

The current service runs every hour across the day, seven days a week.

Full details of all Transdev bus routes and fare deals are available here.