Great British Bus Routes: Yorkshire

Buses are the most used mode of public transport, but you wouldn't think that from the portrayal they receive in the media. As good as trains are, buses reach more places. But finding out which bus goes where and which routes are really worth using can be difficult if you don't know where to look.

This new blog will profile Britain's most useful and/or scenic bus routes, one at a time. We will cover routes in all regions. Some will be chosen for the speed with which they connect two major places. Some will be chosen for the sheer beauty of the landscapes through which they pass, landscapes which really should be enjoyed from a bus window, where you can take it all in.

For each route, we will detail where it goes and what can be done in the places it links and passes through. We will also advise which day rover tickets are valid and where else such tickets can take you on connecting services. We certainly won't be ignoring the trains, as they are often the best way to connect to some of our best bus routes.

Above all, we will be honest about what we really think about the routes we cover and we will encourage you to be by leaving comments about your experiences on that route. This blog is completely independent of any bus operator or local authority.

1 comment:

Anonymous7 September 2014 at 17:19
Hello, here are several belters what are a must to cover

888 operated by Wrights from Newcastle to Keswick via Alston and Penrith, this runs one morning journey at about 9.30am from Newcastle and a PM bus about 4.30pm from Keswick daily until a few weeks from now, see the Cumbria County Council website www.cumbria.gov.uk for timetable info.

4 Whitby to Loftus then continuing as an X4 to Saltburn and Middlesbrough. This is the long way from Middlesbrough to Whitby but it takes in a lot of coastal scenery. Runs half hourly Mon to Sat daytime and hourly Sunday daytime with some early evening workings. See www.northyorks.gov.uk or www.arrivabus.co.uk for timetable.

528 ALERT THIS ROUTE IS UNDER THREAT OF THE DREADED AXE. Rochdale - Littleborough - Halifax Road (over the moors where the Tour de France went) - Ripponden - Halifax. The local council over Rochdale have tried to highlight how important this route is for workers in Rochdale and Littleborough who have jobs over the border in Ripponden and Halifax. This is the fastest way to get to Halifax by bus, and the only way to access Ripponden from Rochdale and Littleborough unless you travel the long way round through Hebden Bridge on the 590, then catch a 901 or continue to Halifax and change there to one of the other services such as the 560. Now West Yorkshire Metro only see the point of view of West Yorkshire residents using the 528 and haven't bothered to consult users over the border. Hopefully this useful and scenic route won't be axed. On a positive note, it is alleged that the current operator, Yorkshire Tiger, have said they'll continue to operate this route, together with others in the Ripponden/Halifax area that are contracted to Metro for 20% less, please note this hasn't been confirmed so is just hear say at present.

900/901 Hebden Bridge - Crag Vale - Ripponden - Barkisland (note this first section until now follows part of the Tour de France route) - Stainland 901 or Pole Moor 900 - Huddersfield. Both these routes are scenic but the 900 travels through some of the most remote and highest scenery in West Yorkshire between Barkisland and Pole Moor. The combined 900/1 runs hourly Mon to Sat daytime with a small number of journeys on Summer Sun days. Journeys run mostly as a 901 but a handful of through 900s operate Mon to Sat as well. See www.wymetro.com for times.

Dalesbus - every weekend a selection of Dalesbus routes start in West Yorkshire. These include the 800 from Leeds - Guiseley - Ilkley - Cracoe - Grassington - Buckden - Aysgarth and Hawes. Aysgarth is famous for it's falls and Hawes is a small town with a cheese factory you can look round as well as a cheese museam and sampling centre where you can buy the cheese you've sampled. This route also covers much of the area where the Tour de France went as far as Hawes. Other routes from Leeds include the 870/4 via Otley (where you can link onto the 820) to Ilkley - Bolton Abbey (where there is a challenging narrow arch for the bus to drive through) - Grassington - Kettlewell and Buckden. 818/20/21 Dewsbury - Bradford - Shipley - Otley - Fewston Valley (source of many reserviors what serve Leeds and an area known as Little Switzerland) - Menwith Hill (the US spy base) - Paeteley Bridge - Brimham Rocks - Ripon - Masham (2 brewery's you can look around here) - Middleham (famous horse racing stables here such as Mark Johnsons and there's a castle) - Leyburn - Richmond (also has a big castle). The number 818 is used for the Dewsbury to Otley section, 820 Otley to Ripon section and 821 Ripon to Richmond section but the same bus is used as well as through tickets available. See www.dalesbus.org for times, also for other dales services.

36 Leeds - Harewood House - Harrogate - Ripley (an aincent quaint village with a castle and tea rooms) - Ripon. This route used luxuary B7 double deckers and rund every 15 mins (10 mins at peaks!) Mon to Sat daytime, half hourly to hourly evenings and Sundays. See www.harrogatebus.co.uk for times.