Residents are being encouraged to attend roadshows across North Yorkshire aimed at spreading the word about a pilot on-demand bus service.
During the roadshow tour next week, the YorBus team will be visiting locations within the operational area and staff will explain how the service works and answer any questions.
Run by North Yorkshire County Council, YorBus will be piloted in the Ripon, Bedale and Masham area from 1 July 2021.
Users will be able to choose when and where they want to travel via a dedicated app, which will be available to download from 28 June. The app has been created by Via, the leader in TransitTech.
Once a desired pick-up and drop-off location has been selected, riders will be directed to a nearby bus stop. The mobile app allows passengers to plan and track their bus journey, even when on-board.
County Councillor Don Mackenzie, Executive Member for Access, said:
We are very excited to see the roll-out of this on-demand bus service that will enhance our existing public transport network across North Yorkshire.
The flexibility of the service means that more seats will be taken, resulting in less traffic on the roads. It aims to cut carbon emissions and sits well within our aspirations of achieving net carbon neutrality by 2030.
I would encourage residents to attend the roadshows as they are a great opportunity to talk to staff about the new service, find out how it works, how to book and to ask any other questions.
The roadshows are being held at the following times and locations:
Tuesday 22 June 9.30am to 11.30am: Bedale Market Place
Wednesday 23 June 9.30am to 11.30am: Masham Market Place (Church End)
Thursday 24 June 10am to 12noon: Ripon library
Thursday 24 June 1pm to 2pm: Grewelthorpe near Village Hall
Thursday 24 June 2.30pm to 3.30pm: Kirkby Malzeard opposite The Queens Head
Friday 25 June 9.30am to 11.30am: Lightwater Valley car park
Friday 25 June 1.30pm to 3.30pm: Fountains Abbey car park
The service will run from 6.55am to 6pm on weekdays and 9am to 6pm on Saturdays. There will be a flat fare for using the service; £1.20 for adults and 65p for children between the ages of 5-17.
Customers can choose to pay with card or cash on the bus. Children under 5 can travel for free and concessionary bus passes can be used on the service, subject to existing Terms and Conditions.
YorBus is fully accessible, with low floor access and a ramp access for users of wheelchairs, pushchairs and those with mobility difficulties.
For further information on the YorBus service, visit www.northyorks.gov.uk/YorBus
Via works with more than 200 partners across the globe and in the UK, including Transport for Wales, Milton Keynes Council, Stagecoach, and Go-Coach to power flexible, technology-enabled solutions that increase efficiency, reduce operational cost, and expand access to public transport.
