York-based bus operator York and Country today reveals plans for significant improvements to its expanding network serving market towns and villages north of the city.
The fast-growing bus company has been carefully reviewing the routes it took over when it reached a deal with previous operator Reliance Motor Services last December, including consulting with customers and local community leaders.
Now York and Country is to launch a package of improvements from Sunday, 6 April 2025 to routes between York and Easingwold, Thirsk, Helmsley and Kirkbymoorside, delivering more reliable journeys, plus:
- New evening trips on route 30 between York and Easingwold, with late evening journeys on Fridays and Saturdays
- A new early morning bus from York to Easingwold and Thirsk
- A quicker route in and out of Thirsk, serving the Industrial Park across the day
- A new route 32 linking Sowerby village, Sowerby Gateway and the Lime Gardens housing development with Thirsk, with most buses continuing to Easingwold and York as routes 30/30X, including students’ trips to York College and with through fares available
- A more direct route in and out of York along Bootham for routes 30, 30X and 31X, with journeys in both directions serving the Theatre Royal
We’re delighted to announce this exciting package of improvements to these important routes providing vital links between rural communities and the city of York, for commuting, studying, shopping and leisure.
We’ve listened carefully to valued feedback from our customers since we took over these routes from Reliance last December, and many of the suggestions we received are included in our improvements from next month.
In and around Thirsk, we’ll be providing regular buses for the first time to the rapidly expanding Sowerby Gateway and Lime Gardens developments, plus a more regular service across the day passing Thirsk Industrial Park – ideal for commuters and visitors to the Skeldale Medivet Hospital.
Our new route 30 journey on Friday and Saturdays leaving York at 10.30pm for Easingwold will also make it easier to enjoy an evening out in the city without having to drive home – something many of our customers have told us they’d like to see.
Adam Emmott, York and Country General Manager
New timetables and maps for routes 30, 30X, 31X, 40 and the new route 32 will be available soon online on Transdev Blazefield and on the free Transdev Go mobile app. Printed timetables will also be available from the usual outlets.