On Trains & Buses

Changes to D&G Bus services around Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire will come into force from 14^th April 2025. This includes two new weekday services supported by Stoke-on-Trent City Council using the government’s Bus Service Improvement Plan scheme and a withdrawal due to low passenger numbers. In addition, one service, 8A, sees journeys retimed to improve reliability. The new routes are Service 27, serving Bentilee, Meir Hay and Longton and Service 96, which connects Packmoor, Turnhurst, Tunstall and Middleport. Service 40 will be withdrawn after Friday 11^th April due to low passenger numbers, though First Bus will continue to operate Saturday journeys on this route.

Changes are being made to Cheshire East bus services, notably the reintroduced 71, 72 and 73 rural services, which now provide a direct link between Nantwich, Wrenbury, Audlem and Leighton Hospital. Furthermore, the frequency of the northern section of the 391 and 392 services is being increased to run every hour, rather than every two hours, between Poynton and Stockport, following a significant rise in passenger numbers over the past year. These revised and restored services are due to commence on 31 March.

Part of the B5470 between Rainow and Kettleshulme has collapsed, affecting the bus service that passes along this road. Such is the complexity of the situation that no timeline has been given for any resolution.

The result is that High Peak Buses routes 60 and 60A have been divided with one section between Macclesfield and Rainow, and another between Kettleshulme and Hayfield. Only a limited number of through journeys operate between Macclesfield and Hayfield, possibly for commuting and with an extended diversion around by the A537. For now, we have an emergency timetable in operation.

Bus Éireann has announced enhancements to the Sligo town bus services, introducing a new seven-day S3 route from Markievicz Road to Finisklin, along with improvements to the S1 and S2 routes. Starting on Sunday, 2^nd February 2025, Route S1, running from Cartron to Cairns Road, will offer increased evening services from 18:30 to midnight, including additional stops at Hollymount and Clarion Village. Route S2, from Strandhill to Rosses Point, will follow a revised route with new stops at Rosses Point Promenade, Oyster Island, and Wine Street.

Bus Éireann will resume full timetabled services for Cork City Routes 202/202A, 205, and 208 beginning 2^nd February 2025, after reduced frequency timetables were implemented in October 2024 due to driver recruitment challenges. Since then, ongoing recruitment efforts have strengthened the pipeline for the driver training school.

Route 202/202A will return to a 20-minute frequency, Route 205 to every 15 minutes, and Route 208 to every 10 minutes. The 220 service is under review for improvements in punctuality and reliability, with a new timetable anticipated by April 2025.

Expressway, Bus Éireann’s long distance coach service, announces an improved timetable for Route 30 from 26^th January 2025. With thirteen trips each-way daily, the updated schedule offers more frequent and punctual travel. Significant benefits include consistent arrival and departure times, a 10-minute comfort break in Cavan and increased service frequency for Beleek, Bellanaleck, Derrylin and Belturbet, moving from a three-hourly frequency to an hourly one. Passengers will see changes to departure times, with all services operating under the Route 30 pattern, eliminating the X30 route and Butlersbridge being served. The new timetable accommodates varying traffic conditions and operates on a different basis from Monday to Friday versus what happens during weekends and public holidays.

Due to a road closure on the R477 in County Clare, service 350 is temporarily diverted onto the N67 until 14^th March 2025 between Ballyvaughan and Lisdoonvarna. During the diversion, an additional route, numbered 350C, will provide a shuttle service up to four times a day along the R477 between these locations.

My collection of festive season travel summaries got a lot of attention on Christmas Eve, with visitor numbers reaching several orders of magnitude beyond what usually happens. GenAI was in the production pipeline for this effort, and I deliberately avoided linking to temporary information sources. Hopefully, the information was useful to anyone who accessed it. Otherwise, all the very best for 2025.

During the 2024/5 Christmas and New Year period, High Peak Bus services will have adjusted schedules. On Christmas Eve, Tuesday 24 December, weekday timetables will operate with an early finish for the Skyline 199 and 185 services. There will be no services on Christmas Day and Boxing Day. On Friday 27 December, services will follow Saturday timetables, with the exception of service 394, which will use a weekday timetable. During the weekend of 28-29 December, normal Saturday and Sunday schedules apply. On Monday 30 December and New Year’s Eve, services will again follow Saturday timetables, except for service 394 which retains a weekday schedule, with early finishes on routes 199 and 185. There will be no service on New Year’s Day. Normal service levels will resume from Thursday 2 January 2025.

A new hourly express bus service, numbered X4 and running between Runcorn and Liverpool, commenced on 2024-12-16, stopping at Widnes, Speke and Aigburth. It provides quick and affordable connections to Halton with an average travel time between Runcorn and Liverpool ONE bus station of around 50 minutes - nearly half that of some existing services. The fare is only £2 per journey during the trial period.