Transdev in northern England has stepped in to secure the future of a key cross-Yorkshire bus service at a critical time for the United Kingdom’s economy.
The 784 service will now continue to provide a fast and direct link between the Yorkshire towns of Skipton, Ilkley and Otley, helping to support jobs in retail and tourism as all three communities grapple with the impact of the pandemic.
Buses on the 784 service now run six days a week between the three towns as part of Transdev subsidiary The Keighley Bus Company’s network of routes across the region from today (Monday 5 October 2020) – opening up easy connections on one ticket for the first time with a host of destinations across Yorkshire and east Lancashire.
We’re really excited to bring our brand of friendly service already enjoyed by thousands of our customers across Yorkshire to this important new addition to our fast-growing network across the North.
It’s also great news for our amazing team at our newest operating base in Bradford, who only last month began operating our new Flyer buses serving Leeds Bradford Airport, as we’ll create extra new jobs by taking on the 784 service.
The 784 is a great fit alongside our existing services, and will offer easy connections to and from Keighley, Barnoldswick, Colne and Burnley, as well as Grassington and many smaller communities served by our friendly Wharfedale Links buses.
With easy connections and money-saving unlimited travel tickets across Yorkshire and east Lancashire, our new 784 route will bring more people in to visit Skipton, Ilkley and Otley – and that’s vital for local businesses, who very much need our support right now.
Ben Mansfield, General Manager at Transdev
Confirmation that the future of the 784 service has been secured is being welcomed by Skipton Business Improvement District (BID), which has invested approximately £1.5 million in projects to boost the town’s economy.
Skipton has successfully re-opened after COVID-19 lockdown, with many independent shops and our weekly market thriving from local support and a high number of tourism arrivals enjoying the staycation experiences. We continue to adapt our business and visitor offering to be COVID-secure at all times, promoting Skipton as an attractive and safe destination to explore with so much to discover.
Public transportation has a vital role to play in our town’s recovery and future growth by making it easy for visitors and residents to commute, thereby supporting our local economy and increasing the town’s appeal for the job market in the longer term.
We very much welcome Transdev’s decision to secure the future of the 784 service, providing a high quality, reliable and sustainable travel option as part of its wider network serving North and West Yorkshire and beyond.
Andrew Mear, Skipton BID Chairman