Yorkshire Coastliner

Last updated

Yorkshire Coastliner
840 Coastliner at the top of Blue Bank.jpg
Parent Transdev
Founded1990;34 years ago (1990)
Headquarters Harrogate, North Yorkshire
England
Service area
Service typeBus and coach
StationsMalton Bus Station
Depots3
Fleet58 (at July 2023)
Managing DirectorHenri Rohard [1]
Website www.transdevbus.co.uk/coastliner

Yorkshire Coastliner is a bus company that operates both local and regional bus services in North Yorkshire and West Yorkshire, England. It is a subsidiary of Transdev Blazefield.

Contents

History

The company was established in 1990, when the York-based services of AJS Group were sold to Yorkshire Rider. [2] [3] 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. [4]

In January 2006, French-based operator Transdev acquired the Blazefield Group, along with 305 vehicles. [5] [6]

In August 2008, Top Line Travel and Veolia Transport were purchased. [7] The company further expanded in February 2012, following the purchase of York Pullman's local bus operations. The sale included the transfer of 31 employees and 17 vehicles. [8] [9]

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. [10]

Services and branding

Transdev York bus 2011-02-10.jpg
Yorkshire Coastliner 401.jpg
840 Coastliner at the top of Blue Bank.jpg
Transdev York & Country 752 - YW19 VUH.jpg
Branding: past and present

CityZap

The CityZap brand was introduced on 27 March 2016, with services running direct between York and Leeds via the A64. [11] [12] As of April 2022, the service operated daily, with an hourly frequency during the day. There was no early morning or evening service. [lower-alpha 1]

A second service, operated by The Burnley Bus Company was launched in November 2017, running direct between Leeds and Manchester. [13] [14] The service was subsequently withdrawn in July 2018, owing to low passenger numbers. [15] [16]

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. [17] [18]

The CityZap service ceased operations on 19 November 2022, with Transdev Blazefield claiming the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic had made running the express service unsustainable. [19] [20]

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 bodied Wright Gemini 3 double-deck vehicles branded in a two-tone blue livery, and an Alexander Dennis Enviro400 MMC double-deck vehicle branded in a two-tone gunmetal and silver livery. Vehicles include free WiFi, USB and wireless charging and audio-visual next stop announcements. [21] [22]

In May 2018, the 840 service, which runs between Leeds and Whitby, was voted as the "most scenic bus route in Britain" in an online poll. [23] [24] [25] [26]

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 [27] & Shipley). [28] [29] [30] [31] [32] [33]

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. Services are operated by a fleet of Alexander Dennis Enviro200 MMC and Optare Versa single-deck vehicles branded in a two-tone blue livery, and also a fleet of Mellor Strata single-deck vehicles branded in a two-tone grey livery. [34]

York City Sightseeing

Upon the buyout of original franchise operators Top Line Travel in 2008, Yorkshire Coastliner run the York franchise of international tour bus company City Sightseeing. [35] Services are operated by a fleet of Alexander Dennis Enviro400 open-top double-deck vehicles and a VDL DB250 bodied Plaxton President open-top double-deck vehicle, branded in City Sightseeing's red livery. [36]

In 2014, the fleet used on York's sightseeing tours were converted to electric drivetrains by Magtec. This has been regarded to be the first time a double-decker bus had been converted to electric in the world. [37] [38] [39] However in 2020, these vehicles were replaced for ones that are diesel-operated. [36]

Table of services operated under the Coastliner brand
Route NumberDestination (from Leeds)ViaFrequency (up to)Allocations
840 Whitby York
Malton
Pickering
Thornton-le-Dale
Goathland
Every hour to Thornton-le-Dale
4 journeys a day to Whitby
Volvo B5TL bodied Wright Gemini 3
Volvo B9TL bodied Wright Eclipse Gemini 2
Alexander Dennis Enviro400 MMC
843 Scarborough York
Malton
Every hour Volvo B5TL bodied Wright Gemini 3
Volvo B9TL bodied Wright Eclipse Gemini 2
Alexander Dennis Enviro400 MMC
X43 Scarborough York
Malton
1 return journey a day during Summers Volvo B5TL bodied Wright Gemini 3
Volvo B9TL bodied Wright Eclipse Gemini 2
Alexander Dennis Enviro400 MMC
Table of services operated under the Flyer brand
Route NumberDestination (from Leeds Bradford Airport)ViaFrequency (up to)Allocations
A1 Leeds Horsforth Every 20 minutes Optare Versa
A2 Bradford
Harrogate
Every hour Optare Versa
A3 Bradford
Otley
Shipley
Guiseley
Every hour Optare Versa
Table of services operated under the York & Country brand
Route NumberDestination (from York, unless specified)ViaFrequency (up to)Allocations
14Foxwood
Haxby
5 evening journeys Alexander Dennis Enviro200 MMC
Optare Versa
19 Skelton Every hour on Saturdays Alexander Dennis Enviro200 MMC
Optare Versa
20Monks Cross Shopping Park
from Rawcliffe
Heworth
Osbaldwick
10 journeys a day Alexander Dennis Enviro200 MMC
Mellor Strata
Optare Versa
24 Acomb Every hour Alexander Dennis Enviro200 MMC
Mellor Strata
Optare Versa
25 Fulford
Derwenthorpe
York Every hour Alexander Dennis Enviro200 MMC
Mellor Strata
Optare Versa
26 Fulford
South Bank
York Every hour Alexander Dennis Enviro200 MMC
Mellor Strata
Optare Versa
York City Sightseeing Open-top bus tours of YorkEvery 15 minutes Alexander Dennis Enviro400
VDL DB250 bodied Plaxton President

Fleet and operations

Depots

As of July 2023, the company operates from three depots across the region:

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, Mellor, Optare and Wrightbus. [40]

Table of vehicles operated under the Coastliner brand
BodyChassisLiveryRoute(s)
Alexander Dennis Enviro400 MMC ADL E40DSpare ("Buses People Want to be Seen On")840
843
X43
Wright Eclipse Gemini 2 Volvo B9TL Coastliner840
843
X43
Wright Gemini 3 Volvo B5TL Coastliner840
843
X43
Table of vehicles operated under the Flyer brand
BodyChassisLiveryRoute(s)
Optare Versa IntegralFlyer
Transdev Go
A1
A2
A3
Table of vehicles operated under the York & Country brand
BodyChassisLiveryRoute(s)
Alexander Dennis Enviro200 MMC ADL E20DYork & CountryLocal routes around York & Malton
Alexander Dennis Enviro400 ADL E40DYork City SightseeingYork City Sightseeing
Mellor Strata Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Transdev GoLocal routes around York
Optare Versa York & CountryLocal routes around York & Malton
Plaxton President VDL DB250 York City SightseeingYork City Sightseeing

Notes

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

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