Arriva is making significant changes to bus services in Yorkshire, affecting various routes and schedules starting January 5
Wakefield: So, Arriva’s shaking things up with their bus services in West Yorkshire. They’re cutting some routes and changing others, which is a bit of a bummer for regular riders.
They mentioned that even though they’ve hired over 300 new drivers this year, they still need to make these changes to keep things running smoothly. It’s all about trying to improve the service, but it’s tough with the driver shortage.
After looking closely at how often each bus is used, they decided to drop some of the less popular routes. It’s not all bad news, though; they’re also tweaking some routes to make them better for everyone.
Kim Cain, the area director for Arriva Yorkshire, expressed how important these services are to local communities. She apologized for the current performance and reassured everyone that they’re working hard to make things better.
Starting January 5, several services will see changes. For instance, the 8 service will now divert through Staynor Hall estate, thanks to community requests.
Another service, the 21/22, will be taken over by a different bus operator from February 23, but no changes will happen before that.
Some Saturday journeys on the 42 route will only run when the caravan park is open, while the 51 service will now run every hour during the day from December 8, 2024.
There are also adjustments to the 64 service, which will now have more frequent trips to Leeds, and the 106 service will see fewer early morning and evening journeys.
For the 118 route, several journeys will be altered or cut altogether, which might be a hassle for some commuters.
Overall, it’s a mixed bag of changes, and while some routes are getting more attention, others are being reduced or eliminated. If you rely on these buses, it’s a good idea to check the new timetables and plan accordingly.
