York bus operator Transdev York & Country is to hire new drivers after winning back local authority contract work in the city, with extended routes and more journeys.
The changes will be introduced from Monday 2 September, as part of a package of new contracts awarded to the bus firm by City of York Council.
Transdev York & Country’s blue buses are to serve the new Germany Beck development in Fulford for the first time, with a newly extended route 24 and existing route 25 providing a combined half hourly service for Fulford.
And the company is to return to providing all journeys on route 19, which links Skelton, Rawcliffe and Clifton with the city centre six days a week – currently it only runs the route on Saturdays with weekday journeys provided by another bus operator.
Other changes will see a new route for First York’s route 11 in South Bank, taking over from existing route 26 which will be withdrawn – while route 24 will start and finish at Acomb Shops, with the current one-way loop around Ascot Way and St Stephen’s Road replaced by an extended Connexions Buses route 16.
Meanwhile Transdev York & Country’s existing route 20, which links Rawcliffe, Haxby, New Earswick, Heworth, Tang Hall and Osbaldwick with the Clifton Moor and Monks Cross shopping parks, will continue unchanged.
We’re looking forward to serving the fast-growing Germany Beck development for the first time, providing residents with a new bus link to the heart of the city centre – much easier, cheaper and better for the environment than taking a car into central York.
We’re also recruiting at our state-of-the-art green depot in Rawcliffe for new drivers. It doesn’t matter if you’ve never driven a bus before as we can train you, and we’re offering £14.05 an hour while you train, rising to £15.05 an hour when you become a fully qualified driver.
As part of Transdev, we also offer one of the best benefits packages in our industry, including free travel across a wide area of the North of England and discounts on shopping, leisure and more, plus awards and rewards for our best performers and chances to progress through our StepUp talent development programme.
Adam Emmott, Transdev York & Country General Manager
These are key services for our local communities, and I’d like to thank all those involved for ensuring a smooth transition period, which means there will be no break in services.
I’m delighted that residents living in the Germany Beck development will now have a bus service and I’d encourage residents to use the new routes on offer. And don’t forget that until December, we are subsidising fares for families and young people, making buses an even better way to travel in York.
Cllr Kate Ravilious, Executive Member for Transport at City of York Council