North Yorkshire’s pilot on-demand bus service has revealed its operating hours over Christmas and New Year.
Launched on 1 July 2021 by North Yorkshire County Council, the YorBus pilot is under way in the Ripon, Bedale and Masham area.
The YorBus service will be out of operation from Saturday, 25 December, to Tuesday, 28 December, and from Saturday, 1 January, to Monday, 3 January. It will operate as normal on the other days over the festive period.
YorBus has been running for almost six months; in which time over 4,300 journeys have been completed and the service has an average ride rating of 4.8 stars out of 5. There are 450 active users and there are even a few users who have used the service more than 100 times.
County Councillor Don Mackenzie, Executive Member for Access, said:
YorBus is a pioneering initiative which in the space of a few months has built up a large number of repeat customers and the word is spreading fast. The user ratings alone demonstrate just how popular it is in our most rural communities.
Over the pilot period we listened to user feedback and introduced virtual stops at numerous locations ranging from tourist attractions to hard-to-reach villages as it became clear users would benefit from closer pick-up or drop-off stops not on other bus routes.
It has been vital in helping people commute to work and make essential journeys including to and from hospital appointments. We are continuing to review the demand-responsive service to help us decide whether it should be introduced elsewhere in the county.
The service allows passengers to book a ride though a dedicated app created by Via, the leader in TransitTech. It runs from 6.55am to 6pm on weekdays and 9am to 6pm on Saturdays. There is 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 ramp access for users of wheelchairs, pushchairs and those with mobility difficulties.
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.
