Connexionsbuses

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Connexionsbuses
ConnexionsBuses.svg
20190806-Connexions-YN05GXD (cropped).jpg
Wright Solar bodied Scania L94UB in Aberford in August 2019
Founded2002
HeadquartersTockwith
Service areaNorth Yorkshire
West Yorkshire
Service typeBus services
DestinationsHarrogate
Leeds
Otley
Wetherby
York
Fleet39 (February 2016)
Chief executiveCraig Temple
Websitewww.connexionsbuses.com

Harrogate Coach Travel, trading as Connexionsbuses, is a bus operator based in Tockwith, England. Founded in 2002, it operates services in North Yorkshire and West Yorkshire.

History[]

Alexander Strider bodied Scania N113CRB
Preserved 1981 Leyland National in South Yorkshire Transport livery

Harrogate Coach Travel was established in 2002 by Craig and Julie Temple to operate local services in the York area, to Ripon via Great Hammerton, before expanding to operate tendered services for North Yorkshire County Council and West Yorkshire Metro.[1][2]

Harrogate Coach Travel also operated the X54 service from York to Harrogate, but that service was withdrawn in August 2010,[3] which left the X52 and X53 services to Ilkley and Guiseley as their only Harrogate services.

In March 2011, the business was rebranded as Connexionsbuses.[2][4] In April 2011, route X70 was introduced between Harrogate and Wetherby and several local services in Harrogate under contract from North Yorkshire County Council.[5]

At the same time, the North Yorkshire contract to run buses between York and Ripon was lost, and Harrogate Coach Travel commenced operating joint services from York to Ripon and Wetherby in partnership with Eddie Brown Tours.[2][6]

In 2011, Connexionsbuses became involved in a bus war with rival operator Transdev in Harrogate concerning services radiating out of Wetherby bus station.[7][8]

Services[]

Connexionsbuses operate services to Harrogate, York, Boroughbridge, Ripon, Ilkley, Otley, Knaresborough and Wetherby. From August 2010, the company expanded more in the Ilkley and Otley areas of West Yorkshire, when they took over the Ilkley and Otley local services from First West Yorkshire and the 940 service to Holt Park from TLC Travel.[9] The company started more services in the Wetherby area in April 2011, linking the town to York. Late 2013 Connexionsbuses took over services 780 from Wetherby to Knaresborough and 923 from Otley to Tadcaster. Late April 2014, Connexionsbuses services 104/110/111/112 were replaced by X4 to Wedderburn X6 to Pannal Ash X6a to Harlow Carr and X12 to Duchy Road all from Harrogate. When Eddie Browns collapsed, Connexions stood in on the 142/143 service until 5 January. The service was then taken over by Transdev York, they also operated the 56/57 Harrogate-Ripon/Roecliffe service which was transferred to The Harrogate Bus Company. They also now operate the 16 Acomb – York and the 13 Copmanthorpe – York – Haxby.

In June 2016, Connexionsbuses commenced operating route 38 from Moortown to White Rose Centre on a commercial basis after Yorkshire Tiger withdrew from the route.[10] It was withdrawn in September 2018 following competition from SquarePeg buses, and the future implementation of a low-emission zone in Leeds.[11][12][13] In October 2018, Connexionsbuses commenced operating route 64 from Aberford to Leeds under contract to First Leeds on Monday to Saturday, with First Leeds ticket machines used.[14]

Fleet[]

As of February 2016, the fleet comprised 39 buses.[2]

Heritage Buses[]

Alongside its service buses, Connexions also maintain a fleet of heritage vehicles. As at October 2019, this consists of nine 1971 to 1999 built vehicles, most of which originally operated in Yorkshire.[15]

References[]

  1. ^ Fleet in Focus Buses issue 720 March 2015 page 81
  2. ^ a b c d Making Connexions Coach & Bus Week issue 1226 2 February 2016 pages 16-22
  3. ^ "X54 Buses from York to Harrogate". Get Down. Retrieved 5 August 2010.
  4. ^ Harrogate Coach Travel becomes Connexionsbuses Connexionbuses 5 March 2011
  5. ^ New service from Harrogate to York Connexionsbuses 5 March 2011
  6. ^ 142/411/412/413 Timetable North Yorkshire Travel Info 30 April 2012
  7. ^ Harrogate to Wetherby bus war breaks out BBC News 4 July 2011
  8. ^ War erupts over bus service Harrogate Advertiser 9 July 2011
  9. ^ "August Public Transport Changes" (PDF). Metro. Retrieved 5 August 2010.[permanent dead link]
  10. ^ Connexions steps in Route One 21 June 2016
  11. ^ 38 White Rose – Headingley – Moortown – Gledhow Lane Connextionsbuses
  12. ^ Service 38 to cease Connextionsbuses 5 September 2018
  13. ^ Clean air plans prompt Connexions to quit Leeds route Buses issue 764 November 2018 page 7
  14. ^ Connexions to take over service 64 in Leeds Connexionsbuses 26 October 2018
  15. ^ "Historic Vehicles". Connexions Buses. Archived from the original on 26 October 2019. Retrieved 26 October 2019.

External links[]

Media related to Connexionsbuses at Wikimedia Commons

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