Yorkshire Coastliner

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Transdev York & Country
840 Coastliner at the top of Blue Bank.jpg
ParentTransdev
Founded1990; 33 years ago (1990)
HeadquartersHarrogate, North Yorkshire
England
Service area
Service typeBus and coach
Depots3
Fleet57 (at May 2021)
Managing DirectorAlex Hornby
Websitewww.transdevbus.co.uk/york/services

Transdev York & Country (also known as Yorkshire Coastliner) operates both local and regional bus services in North Yorkshire and West Yorkshire, England. It is a subsidiary of Transdev Blazefield, which operates bus services across Greater Manchester, Lancashire, North Yorkshire and West Yorkshire.

History

The company was established in 1990, when the York-based services of AJS Group were sold to Yorkshire Rider.[1][2] At the time, AJS Group retained the regional services between Leeds and Bridlington, Filey, Scarborough and Whitby via York and Malton.

In August 1991, Yorkshire Coastliner was included in the purchase of AJS Group by Blazefield Group, following the sale of seven of the company's eight remaining bus firms at the time – a deal valued at £2.2 million.[3]

In January 2006, French-based operator Transdev acquired the Blazefield Group, along with 305 vehicles.[4][5]

In August 2008, Top Line Travel and Veolia Transport were purchased.[6] The company further expanded in February 2012, following the purchase of York Pullman's local bus operations. The sale included the transfer of 31 staff and 17 vehicles.[7][8]

In 2018, following the award of contracts by North Yorkshire County Council to replace those formerly operated by Stephensons of Easingwold, local services in and around York were rebranded York & Country, with vehicles subsequently rebranded in a two-tone blue livery.[9]

Services and branding

Branding: past and present

CityZap

The CityZap brand was introduced on 27 March 2016, with services running direct between York and Leeds via A64.[10][11] As of April 2022, the service operates daily, with an hourly frequency during the day. There is no early morning or evening service.[a]

A second service, operated by Burnley Bus Company was launched in November 2017, running direct between Leeds and Manchester.[12][13] The service was subsequently withdrawn in July 2018, owing to low passenger numbers.[14][15]

In December 2020, four double-deck Alexander Dennis Enviro400MMC vehicles were introduced on services between York and Leeds – an investment of £1.4 million. Vehicles include free WiFi, USB and wireless charging, tables and audio-visual next stop announcements.[16][17]

CityZap is to cease operations on 19 November 2022, with Transdev Blazefield claiming the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have made running the express service unsustainable.[18][19]

Coastliner

The Coastliner brand encompasses a group of regional services linking the cities of Leeds and York with the towns and villages of Malton, Pickering and Thornton-le-Dale and coastal resorts of Scarborough and Whitby. Services are operated by a fleet of Volvo B5TL/Wright Gemini 3 double-deck vehicles, branded in a two-tone blue livery. Vehicles include free WiFi, USB and wireless charging and audio-visual next stop announcements.[20][21]

In May 2018, the route of the 840 service, which runs between Leeds and Whitby, was voted as the "most scenic bus route in Britain" in an online poll.[22][23][24][25]

Flyer

In September 2020, in partnership with Leeds Bradford Airport, Transdev Blazefield and West Yorkshire Combined Authority, the company commenced operation of a network services centring around the airport. Operations were transferred from former operator, Yorkshire Tiger, including a depot at Idle, West Yorkshire. Services 737, 747 and 757 were subsequently rebranded Flyer and renumbered A1 (Horsforth & Leeds), A2 (Bradford & Harrogate) and A3 (Bradford, Guiseley, Otley[26] & Shipley).[27][28][29][30][31][32]

As of April 2022, services are operated by a fleet of Optare Versa single-deck vehicles, branded in a yellow and purple livery. Vehicles include free WiFi, USB charging ports, audio-visual next stop announcements and additional luggage storage. Some vehicles are also fitted with wireless chargers.

York & Country

The York & Country brand encompasses local services operating in and around the cathedral city of York, with destinations including Acomb, Derwenthorpe, Fulford, Haxby and Rawcliffe. Some services extend beyond the city to Castle Howard and Malton in the east, as well as Boroughbridge, Knaresborough and Ripon in the west. Services are operated by a fleet of Alexander Dennis Enviro 200 MMC and Optare Versa single-deck vehicles, branded in a two-tone blue livery.[33]

Fleet and operations

Depots

As of April 2022, the company operates from three depots across the region: Bradford (Idle), Malton and York (Fulford).

Vehicles

As of May 2021, the fleet consists of 57 buses. The fleet consists mainly of diesel-powered single and double-deck buses manufactured by Alexander Dennis, Optare and Wrightbus.[34]

Notes

  1. ^ During times where CityZap does not operate, services 840 and 843 operate as an alternative between Leeds and York, with services running via Copmanthorpe, Tadcaster and Seacroft.

References

  1. ^ "York City goes suburban". Commercial Motor. 21 December 1989. p. 16.
  2. ^ "Rider takes control". Commercial Motor. 26 July 1990. p. 19.
  3. ^ "AJS sells remaining bus firms". Commercial Motor. 8 August 1991. p. 16.
  4. ^ "Transdev acquires Blazefield Group". Bus & Coach Professional. 7 January 2006. Archived from the original on 29 October 2013. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  5. ^ Briggs, Ian (9 January 2006). "A new stop for Blazefield". Yorkshire Post. Archived from the original on 15 April 2016. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  6. ^ "Blazefield expands with York deal". Bus & Coach Professional. 4 June 2008. Archived from the original on 30 October 2013. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  7. ^ Liptrot, Katie (4 February 2012). "York bus firm sells vehicles to rival". York Press. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  8. ^ "Transdev buys York Pullman's bus ops". Coach & Bus Week. 7 February 2012. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  9. ^ Dougall, Emily (13 February 2018). "Transdev York awarded former Stephensons contracts". Coach & Bus Week. Retrieved 7 May 2022.
  10. ^ "Transdev launches new express services between York and Leeds". Coach & Bus Week. 21 March 2016. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  11. ^ "CityZap unveiled". Bus & Coach Buyer. 24 March 2016. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  12. ^ "Transdev goes for second Zap and ups route 36". Buses. No. 752. 19 November 2017. p. 13.
  13. ^ Dougall, Emily (14 November 2017). "Transdev launches new Leeds-Manchester Cityzap express". Coach & Bus Week. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  14. ^ Deakin, Tim (6 August 2018). "Cityzap ends Leeds to Manchester service". Routeone. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  15. ^ "Transdev adds Jets and reduces Zap". Buses. No. 760. 21 June 2018. p. 18.
  16. ^ Lewis, Haydn (11 December 2020). "Paul Hudson lends his voice to new CityZap buses in York". York Press. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
  17. ^ Snowdon, Ros (31 January 2021). "Investment in luxury 'Sky Class' buses between Leeds and York set to boost region's recovery". Yorkshire Post. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  18. ^ "Cityzap zaps for the final time on 19 November" (Press release). Harrogate: Transdev Blazefield. 21 September 2022. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
  19. ^ Cooper, Joe (22 September 2022). "Anger as popular York to Leeds express bus faces the axe". YorkshireLive. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  20. ^ Cole, David (13 December 2016). "Coastliner upgrades". Bus & Coach Buyer. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  21. ^ "High-spec' boost for Britain's 'most scenic' local bus route". Routeone. 19 September 2018. Retrieved 10 May 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  22. ^ Wearn, Rebecca (27 May 2018). "Britain's 'most scenic' bus route revealed". BBC News. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  23. ^ "Yorkshire bus route is named the most scenic in Britain". Yorkshire Post. 28 May 2018. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  24. ^ "'Britain's Most Scenic Bus Route' named". Routeone. 28 May 2018. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  25. ^ Kirby, Dean (28 May 2018). "Passengers say this Yorkshire bus route to Whitby is the most scenic in Britain". i. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  26. ^ "Timetable | Metro". www.wymetro.com. Retrieved 8 August 2022.
  27. ^ Jenkinson, Keith (24 September 2020). "Tiger quits Bradford". Buses. No. 787. p. 31.
  28. ^ Dougall, Emily (8 September 2020). "Transdev Flyer takes off to Leeds Bradford Airport". Coach & Bus Week. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  29. ^ "Transdev launches Flyer buses, connecting Yorkshire with Leeds Bradford Airport". Harrogate Informer. 3 September 2020. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  30. ^ Chalmers, Graham (1 September 2020). "New Flyer buses to 'revolutionise' Harrogate passengers' travel at Leeds Bradford airport". Harrogate Advertiser. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  31. ^ "Transdev Flyer airport venture takes to the roads in Yorkshire". Routeone. 2 September 2020. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  32. ^ Peat, Chris (1 September 2020). "Transdev's Flyer takes off". Bus & Coach Buyer. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  33. ^ "Quick Enviro200 delivery gets new Transdev services in York on the road". Alexander Dennis. 9 September 2019. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  34. ^ "A blazing fleet". Coach & Bus Week. No. 1284. 28 March 2017. p. 58.

External links

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