Wheels In Motion

The newsletter of the May 2014 Friends of DalesBus Vol 19 Dalesbus 2014 and beyond Let’s start with the good news – its spring, a lovely summer ahead, and the best DalesBus Issue 2 services ever to enjoy – a superb integrated network serving the whole of the Dales. A real bonus for 2014 is the restoration at weekends of the popular - service extended to (also serving the Washburn Valley at Blubberhouses). Thanks to a generous grant from the National Park’s Sustainable Development Fund we have a new service from to via Settle, and continuation of Northern Dalesman to Swaledale. Last year was another record year with 48,000 passenger journeys and 5% Inside this issue: growth . The D&BCIC’s finances are in good shape. The bad news? Serious cuts to weekday buses in the Dales, and the loss of Pennine Motor bus services, replaced by mornings-only North County Council minibuses to Dalesbus 2014 and 1 beyond Settle, and no afternoon buses from Malham. The popular 74 service - has been saved, but cut to only three buses a day, and there have been further service cuts in Metro Timetable Wensleydale and Swaledale bus services. Updates 1 What does the future hold? Next year: DalesBus will lose almost all the Local Sustainable Transport Funding via DITA and the National Park’s Sustainable Development funding was a The Grand Depart one off. Without major new cash for DalesBus, the network could be down to a handful of 2 “commercial” services. New Saturday Bus Ill-informed rumour-mongers have been suggesting that this is going to happen. Nonsense! Bus Operating Fund 2 We have been here before – every year. Dales &Bowland CIC Directors are in fact in dialogue with the new Combined Authority – which now includes – plus the Local Enterprise Partnership, with our new allies, the MoorsBus CIC, Pennine Motors Service Update and 3 who will be running their first pilot service in July, to secure major new funding for both aftermath DalesBus and Moorsbus for 2015. This is a regional success story, too good to fail, and politicians understand this. Winter Social Review 4 But we need your support. Numbers talk. Use DalesBus whenever you possibly can this summer and bring friends and family onto our buses. Spread the word. We want to pass the Summer Guided magic 50,000 passenger barrier. If you are a Senior and lucky enough to benefit from free Walks 4 DalesBus travel why not give us desperately needed help by donating to our Bus Fund. We are still over £1,000 short of our £5,000 target, so every little helps, and in the coming election year, make sure the people who want your vote pledge their support for DalesBus. Metro Timetable Updates These updates shown below apply to the summer 2014 Metro DalesBus booklet, Page 15 Service 24 The 1735 journey from to Harrogate on Sundays And Bank Holidays, runs at 1730 and 5 minutes earlier throughout. Page 18 Service 72R The 1400 journey from Skipton to Grassington continues from This newsletter was Grassington at 1445 to Kettlewell (1505) and Buckden (1515). produced by Pearl Lewis. Pages 48/49 Northern Dalesman 830 service, Due to road works between Richmond and If you have any items you Reeth some journeys will be retimed as follows (until around the end of May): would like to be included  The 1520 Sunday/Bank Holiday journey from Reeth to Richmond will run 20 minutes in future newsletters, earlier at 1500 please forward them to  The 1555 Bank Holiday journey from Richmond to Hawes, continuing to Ribblehead, me at the following e-mail Ingleton and , will leave Richmond at 1540, resuming normal times from address:- Grinton at 1614 [email protected]  The 1630 Sunday journey from Richmond to Hawes, continuing to Ribblehead, Ingleton Or to my home address: and Morecambe, will leave Richmond at 1615, resuming normal times from Grinton at 84 Ireland Crescent 1649 LS16 6SZ There may also be some delays to other journeys due to the road works - we apologise for any inconvenience caused. Page 67 Dales Rambler tickets are now priced as follows: Adult: £11.00; Child: £5.50; Railcard: £7.25; Family: £23.00

Page 2 Wheels In Motion The Grand Depart - Buses affected The Tour de France will visit the area on 5th and 6th July 2014, resulting in a large number of road closures and alterations to bus services. Further information will be provided by North Yorkshire County Council For full Details visit:http://www.northyorks.gov.uk/article/28353/Tour-de-France-Grand-Dpart-2014 On Saturday 5th July, the will be operating a special pre-bookable service for Le Tour. Details here: www.wensleydalerail.com/train-timetable/grand-depart-2014-timetable On Sunday 6th July, DalesBus services are expected to operate as follows: Normal service: routes 564A, 564C, 810, 811, 826, 830, 831, 832, 855, 856, 866, 872, 881, Upper Dales CONNECT No service: routes 800, 818, 820, 821, 823, 825, 870, 871, 873, 874, 875 To be confirmed: route 812 New Saturday Bus link between Harrogate, Skipton and Malham The volunteer-led Dales & Bowland Community Interest Company has introduced a new Saturday bus service linking Harrogate, Skipton and Malham. Cravenlink bus 75 provides trips from Harrogate Bus Station to Skipton at 9.10am, 12.30pm and 3.10pm straight along the A59 with just a short diversion to Bolton Bridge for visitors to . Journey time to Skipton is just 45 minutes. Return buses depart Skipton Bus Station at 11.25am, 2.05pm and 5.35pm. The 9.10am and 3.10pm buses extend to Gargrave, and Malham with a return journey at 4.55pm. This allows easy access to the , Malham Tarn, Malham Cove, Gordale Scar, Janet’s Foss and easy canal walks between Skipton and Gargrave. This complements Sunday DalesBus service 875 from York, and Harrogate to Skipton and Malham – why not make a weekend of it and stay in Malhamdale? The Saturday service is being underwritten by the Dales and Bowland CIC, whose Chairman Chris Nash of Skipton said ‘I believe that there is a market for such a service and hope that it will be supported on such a scale that it becomes financially viable’. Cllr Robert Heseltine, a Member of both North Yorkshire County Council and the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority, is also a strong supporter of the new service “believing that this is the opportunity for bus services in North Yorkshire to turn over a new leaf”. However its continuation beyond October depends upon the number of passengers carried; return journeys from Harrogate will cost £7.50 to Skipton and £8 to Malham whilst concessionary bus pass holders travel free. No booking is required – just turn up and go! The Independent Travel Editor, Simon Calder has praised DalesBus as an excellent alternative to the rural rail network decimated 50 years ago by Dr Beeching; indeed DalesBus goes to places which have never seen a train! Bus Operating Fund Our Bus Operations Fund for 2014 has totalled £ 3,966.00 for the year so far. Many thanks to everybody who has already generously donated to the fund. We are closing in on our target of £5000. We need to keep DalesBus in operation for the summer and winter of 2014. The facts are clear. More passengers than ever are travelling on DalesBus services. We have a great Sunday Bus Network that works and passengers trust. If we can reach our target it will show to everyone how much we really value the bus services into the Yorkshire Dales. We will be making a massive statement, If you wish to make a donation, please send any cheques/PO (made payable to Friends of DalesBus) to our Treasurer, Mick Williams, 19 Cyprus Mount, St Johns, , West Yorkshire, WF1 2RJ (Tel: 01924 361083) Please clearly state on the back of your cheque; “Bus Operating Fund”. If you wish to receive an acknowledgement letter, just let us know.

Help spread the good word of DalesBus— from the Marketing Team (All Volunteers) If you can help with the distribution of promotional leaflets that would be amazing. 1 Check the local library and the larger ones in local towns and cities, the Tourist Info Centers, Bus Stations etc have the DalesBus pocket timetable on display. If not either replace yourself (supplies from the main bus stations or order from Metro website) or ask nicely why there aren’t any. Past experience has taught us in some places it’s often best to replenish the stock yourself. And please keep going back to check .2 Help the very small number of volunteers who distribute 10 different leaflets within an area extending from Middlesborough to Lancaster! To get a supply of the leaflets may not be simple but please contact John Carey, Production Coordinator to find the best way. He has an email address at [email protected]. We need them in the obvious places like libraries etc but also cafes, takeaways, hairdressers, health centers and other places where people are waiting.

We find most people are very friendly and will let us leave them.

Friends of DalesBus Page 3

Pennine Motor Services (Update) Pennine Motor Services have now ceased operations as from 17th May 2014. Pennine have operated bus service 580 between Skipton, Settle and Giggleswick, some journeys on bus service 210 between Skipton and Malham, and other bus services in the Skipton and area. The following replacement bus services have been announced so far: Transdev Burnley & Pendle have announced that an improved service will be provided on the Mainline route between Skipton, Barnoldswick and Burnley. North Yorkshire County Council will operate Monday to Friday from Skipton to Carleton on new Service 12 from 19th May 2014. North Yorkshire County Council will operate Monday to Friday from Skipton to Embsay on new Service 14 from 19th May 2014. Buses are provided on Sunday and Bank Holidays by Service 873.

North Yorkshire County Council will operate Monday to Friday from Skipton to Horse Close on new Service 16 from 19th May 2014. North Yorkshire County Council will operate Monday to Friday from Skipton to Gargrave, Hellifield, Settle and Giggleswick on new Service 58 from 19th May 2014. A limited alternative service between Skipton and Gargrave is provided on Saturday by Service 75 and on Sunday/Bank Holidays by DalesBus Services 873/875.

Monday to Friday service 210 between Skipton and Malham is expected to be replaced by a schooldays-only service. Alternative buses are provided on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays by Service 211, on Saturdays by York Pullman Service 75 and on Sundays/Bank Holidays by DalesBus Services 873/875.

Pennine Motor Services the Aftermath As Chairman of the Friends of DalesBus I have sent a letter to the Editor of the Herald newspaper expressing our full support for the residents of Settle and all the communities along the A65 in their fight to have a decent bus service restored after the Pennine Motor company went into liquidation. In my letter I have stated that at the moment all they have is a totally inadequate mornings-only replacement NYCC service, which uses cramped, overcrowded minibuses that are not designed for anything but short local trips. Without a decent, all day bus service, (which must also run on Saturdays, a popular day for shopping and family visits), many business in the Settle and Ingleton areas will suffer. Ingleton has lost its connections to Skipton and even Settle Market is now at risk. It will be inevitable that fewer visitors will come to spend money in the shops and cafes, and the economy will be hit hard, costing the people of Craven far more than the pathetic “savings” in bus subsidy and senior pass reimbursement, surely the real motive behind NYCC’s totally inadequate response to the Pennine crisis. What is urgently needed is for North Yorkshire County Council to sit down with at least one of the major bus operators in the area to restore at least a two hourly, all day service between Skipton and Settle, and restoring the connections to and from Ingleton, operating six days a week using full sized buses, charging sensible, affordable fares, and with adequate space for pushchairs and luggage. Is this too much to ask? The Friends of DalesBus will support and help promote any such urgently needed initiative. Watch this space.

A walk on part for the Friends of DalesBus The Friends of DalesBus Committee would like to say a huge thank you to our member Trevor Else for organising the behind the scenes tour of Leeds Grand Theatre on 19th March 2014. The tour was well attended by members who had a very enjoyable afternoon. During the tour we learned many interesting facts from our guide Grace as we explored some of the areas backstage. We were amazed to learn what goes on to ensure it will be ' ‘alright on the night' However as Trevor is a keen walker we stopped short at saying ‘Break a Leg’ Thanks also for the tea, coffee and cakes before and after the tour!

Friends of DalesBus Wheels in Motion Steve, it’s not every day you are 60! Friends of Dalesbus members filled the dining room at the Blue Bell Inn , Kettlewell in January this year, among those attending the Winter social was our walk leader and committee member, Steve Thorp whose 60th birthday coincided with the event. Steve looked both surprised and delighted when he was presented with a birthday cake at the end of the meal. Many thanks go to committee member Hazel Ranby, for organising a great event and working especially hard behind the scenes to produce the surprise cake. Our thanks also go to the Blue Bell Inn for the wonderful food and service on the day. They are also keen to promote DalesBus too! Please book early for our next social on August 10th in Grassington. Details are enclosed with this mail out. Can you help? We need to be doing everything we can in order to keep our DalesBus services. Whilst other areas have been badly hit through the bus service cuts - we still have our superb network on a Sunday for everyone to enjoy and use for whatever purpose. Let’s keep what is special There are a number of ways we can make an impact  Keep using the services - enjoy the ride the view and the company.  Be active - join a guided walk or offer to lead one.  Donate to the Bus Operating Fund - for details on how to do so, see the update in this Newsletter - every pound donated will count.  Get a friend to join the group - with more members in our group we will have a louder voice. If you think you could give some of your time then please contact the Chairman 07766 405517 or talk to any member of the committee. Your help will make a big difference and will be much appreciated! Welcome to the Friends of DalesBus Summer Programme of Guided Walks for 2014. This year, there are all kinds of guided walks arranged during June to October. We will be visiting all parts of the Dales, from North to South, East to West making the best use of our DalesBus network. We have walks using the Settle – Carlisle Railway to access Swaledale and the Western Dales and as an added bonus this year we are being assisted by the Bowland Ramblers (Leader- Brian Holden) who are offering a series of walks using the 810 service from Burnley. There are also some walks where we make use of the Settle-Carlisle Railway for the outward journey, then connect with a bus in Wharfedale in particular using the early evening Dalesbus 871 service to return. Return rail tickets issued to stations north of Skipton are again valid for use on this bus back to for all onward connections. Big thanks to Irene Armitage, who is offering a number of easier steady walks throughout the summer months. I hope you have time to join her for some of them. Ideal for anyone new to walking. ( See enclosed guided walk booklet) Finally like last year, we are always looking for new experienced ramblers to lead and back-mark walks in the autumn, winter and beyond. Contact Duncan Ward on 07969 512743 We think this summer’s walk programme is the best yet and it’s a great opportunity to put your best foot forward. and enjoy the views! Here's to a great summer of walks in the Yorkshire dales.

Additional short guided walks are being offered by Veronica Boulton. These will be between 2 to 5 miles long and will last about half a day with added emphasis on refreshments, places to sit down on route and comfort breaks. Anyone who wishes to join her do so at their own risk and of course the walks will depend on the weather forecast on the day, The walks may make use of some of the Saturday Dalesbuses, for example the new Cravenlink 75 service.

Contact Veronica by email: [email protected] or by phone on 0113 2672929

If you have a favourite walk or an amusing anecdote from one of the walks, we would like to hear from you. Send your item to Pearl Lewis at the address on the front cover of the Newsletter but do please keep it short.