Connexions Buses (Harrogate Coach Travel)

[Dfatcontroller]

Omnicity YP58 UGC (former Metrobus) has been re-registered as URH 806 and repainted to Connexions livery.

The previous URH806 is back to YN55NKR.

 

[YorkRailFan]

Citaro K300 RSA has been repainted into 'the64' livery.

 

[YorkRailFan]

Easter Travel information:

Our services for the Easter period are listed below.

To summarise - Services 11, 22, 940, 961, 962, 965 will operate to a Saturday timetable on Good Friday.

No other routes will run on Good Friday.

Easter Saturday is normal Saturday service on all routes

Easter Monday has no services operating, then Tuesday 7th April returns to normal School holiday services on all routes

Services over the Easter Period 2026 - Connexions

www.connexionsbuses.com

No Good Friday service on the 13 is slightly surprising as all other City of York Council funded services are operating to a Saturday timetable on Good Friday.

 

[SCH117X]

Easter Travel information:

Services over the Easter Period 2026 - Connexions

www.connexionsbuses.com

No Good Friday service on the 13 is slightly surprising as all other City of York Council funded services are operating to a Saturday timetable on Good Friday.

Monday-Friday is only partly funded accorded to iTravel York

13

Copmanthorpe - City - Haxby

Connexions

Commercial with some sections supported by CYC (Mon-Fri), fully supported by CYC (Sat)

 

[YorkRailFan]

Monday-Friday is only partly funded accorded to iTravel York

It would've been a Saturday service which is fully funded though. They did operate a full weekday school holiday timetable on the 13 on Christmas Eve last year, although it fell on a weekday.

 

[Ballyheigue]

It would've been a Saturday service which is fully funded though. They did operate a full weekday school holiday timetable on the 13 on Christmas Eve last year, although it fell on a weekday.

Simple answer, no driver available. I know if someone asked me to work a bank holiday I'd say no, I suppose the answer going forward is all new applicants have to work bank holidays, but then again the attraction of working for Connexions is no anti social hours/days. You can't change the contract for existing employees without going through a very lengthy process, all of which is a lot of hassle and cost, and may not even happen should the employees/union fight it hard.

 

[YorkRailFan]

Simple answer, no driver available. I know if someone asked me to work a bank holiday I'd say no, I suppose the answer going forward is all new applicants have to work bank holidays, but then again the attraction of working for Connexions is no anti social hours/days. You can't change the contract for existing employees without going through a very lengthy process, all of which is a lot of hassle and cost, and may not even happen should the employees/union fight it hard.

They are operating West Yorkshire contract services on Good Friday...

 

[Leedsbusman]

Simple answer, no driver available. I know if someone asked me to work a bank holiday I'd say no, I suppose the answer going forward is all new applicants have to work bank holidays, but then again the attraction of working for Connexions is no anti social hours/days. You can't change the contract for existing employees without going through a very lengthy process, all of which is a lot of hassle and cost, and may not even happen should the employees/union fight it hard.

Is that a fact or your guess?
It could easily be that the contract does not specify operation on public holidays.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

It could easily be that the contract does not specify operation on public holidays.

Could well be as last year’s Easter announcement said

On Good Friday, we will only be operating the services that WYCA pay for (the 11, 22, 940, 961,962, 964 and 965) and these will be to a Saturday timetable.

No subsidy = no service

 

[Ballyheigue]

Is that a fact or your guess?
It could easily be that the contract does not specify operation on public holidays.

Well why didn't they say that in the first place to save on all the speculation lol! I'd still turn down the shift though.

 

[YorkRailFan]

Could well be as last year’s Easter announcement said


No subsidy = no service

Interesting to see that last year's announcement says the 964 will run on Good Friday yet there's no mention of it in this year's announcement. Although the timetables on the website show the 964 running on Good Friday: https://www.connexionsbuses.com/tim...c69c7eca7?date=2026-04-03&direction=clockwise

I suppose if the 13 were fully funded on weekdays, we'd see a Saturday service on Good Friday.

 

[Leedsbusman]

Interesting to see that last year's announcement says the 964 will run on Good Friday yet there's no mention of it in this year's announcement. Although the timetables on the website show the 964 running on Good Friday: https://www.connexionsbuses.com/tim...c69c7eca7?date=2026-04-03&direction=clockwise

I suppose if the 13 were fully funded on weekdays, we'd see a Saturday service on Good Friday.

Not unless the contract specifies that bank holiday operation is required.

 

[YorkRailFan]

Not unless the contract specifies that bank holiday operation is required.

True, but the only Bank Holiday that City of York Council funded* services is Good Friday, these services don't run on May Bank Holidays or August Bank Holiday. So it would be a clause in the contract specifying a Good Friday service.

*Excluding Park & Ride services here

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 3 Apr 2026 ==

Connexions will be operating service 61 between St James Hospital and Hunslet from 7th April until a tender process in July following the closure of Yorkshire Buses:

Temporary replacement services will start on Tuesday, 7 April 2026 and will run to the current timetable:

Service 30 – Horsforth - Pudsey (off peak service) – Lethers Travel
 Service 61 – St James Hospital - Hunslet (South Leeds Stadium) – Connexions Buses
Service 116 – Leeds – Ossett - Wakefield – First Leeds
Service 212 – Wakefield - Batley – Dewsbury – Go Ahead West Yorkshire

https://www.wymetro.com/plan-a-journey/travel-news/bus-travel-alerts/yorkshire-buses/

(My bolding)

 

[SCH117X]

Rediculous from them yesterday. A burst water main closed the Leeds Road out of Harrogate meaning the X52 along with Transdevs A2 and 36 were diverting with delays mounting. They ran 37 minutes late the 1630 X52 and cancelled the 1730 which is the last working from Harrogate leraving any Otley passengers for the 1730 having catch an A2 and either change onto a X84 or A3 at added expense and journey time.

 

[YorkRailFan]

Fare changes from 20th April:

We have waited as long as we can in the hope that fuel prices would return to normal, but we are having to raise our Capped fares from 20th April. Our fuel costs have increased by up to 45% over the last month, costing us over £9,000 extra per week.

Fares will increase from £2.50 to £3.00 for a Single Fare.

You can also buy a Capped Fare return for £5.00.

Bundles of 10 single tickets are available in our app. Mytrip by passenger.

Journeys wholly within West Yorkshire remain as they are at the moment due to the Mayors Fare scheme funding.

We hope that you understand

Fares to increase from 20th April 2026 - Connexions

www.connexionsbuses.com

I was surprised that they managed to keep the £2.50 single on cross-boundary and North Yorkshire services going on for so long to be honest.

 

[YorkRailFan]

Connexions have acquired a Volvo B8L Tri-axle MCV EvoSeti double decker for their coaching fleet with registration JT26 BUS.

Ready to hit the road on Monday - here is our brand new 98 seat double decker.
It's got seatbelts fitted to every seat, and is available for hire - perfectly suited to schools and clubs for travelling any distance! It's also wheelchair accessible.

ConnexionsBuses

Ready to hit the road on Monday- here is our brand new 98 seat double decker. It’s got seatbelts fitted to every seat, and is available for hire- perfectly suited to schools and clubs for travelling...

www.facebook.com

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 31 May 2026 ==

Scania L94UB Wright Solar K200 CXB has been withdrawn.

 

[Trainman40083]

Connexions have acquired a Volvo B8L Tri-axle MCV EvoSeti double decker for their coaching fleet with registration JT26 BUS.

ConnexionsBuses

Ready to hit the road on Monday- here is our brand new 98 seat double decker. It’s got seatbelts fitted to every seat, and is available for hire- perfectly suited to schools and clubs for travelling...

www.facebook.com

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 31 May 2026 ==

Scania L94UB Wright Solar K200 CXB has been withdrawn.

No surprise about the Scania.

 

[YorkRailFan]

ADL 300 bodied Scania K230UB formerly of Stagecoach East Scotland with registration SV12 AYK has been acquired by Connexions. It now carries registration 4078 NU and has been repainted into Connexions livery.

This replaces Scania N270UB OminiCity that carried the registration 4078 NU and was new to Cardiff Bus as CN57 BHX.

 

[YorkRailFan]

Looks like Connexions have a Mercedes Hybrid Citaro demonstrator with registration BV26 HWA. It's been spotted on the X70.

but i like to hold something i can see

Connexions buses have this Mercedes hybrid citaro on demonstration. I haven't heard one bad word said about this model, certainly the Transdev ones at Flyer do exactly what it says on the tin. I spent 10 minutes trimming the long grass by hand but couldn't do anything about the ugliest tree in...

www.flickr.com

(Not my photo, credit to original photographer)

 

[stevieinselby]

Looks like Connexions have a Mercedes Hybrid Citaro demonstrator with registration BV26 HWA. It's been spotted on the X70.

but i like to hold something i can see

Connexions buses have this Mercedes hybrid citaro on demonstration. I haven't heard one bad word said about this model, certainly the Transdev ones at Flyer do exactly what it says on the tin. I spent 10 minutes trimming the long grass by hand but couldn't do anything about the ugliest tree in...

www.flickr.com

(Not my photo, credit to original photographer)

Good job that Transdev don't generally use any of their grey Citaro hybrids on the 7 or there could be some confusion from passengers!

 

[YorkRailFan]

Looks like Connexions has acquired another Mercedes-Benz Citaro. This time the former BJ10 VUS, formerly of Go North West & Go North East. It has been re-registered to K200 CXB (not to be confused with the withdrawn Wright Solar that had the same registration).

 

[SCH117X]

Theres also ex Stagecoach Highland 28649 SV12AYK, an ADL Enviro 300 / Scania K230UB which has been registered 4078NU.

 

[YorkRailFan]

Theres also ex Stagecoach Highland 28649 SV12AYK, an ADL Enviro 300 / Scania K230UB which has been registered 4078NU.

As I mentioned in #168.

The Citaro demonstrator BV26 HWA was tracking as ESU 912 (a Scania CN94UB OmniCity) but hasn't tracked since mid July so has either had its ticket machine swapped or has been returned to Mercedes-Benz.

 

[YorkRailFan]

Connexions have acquired a Volvo B11RT Plaxton Elite, formerly registered YY65 SYA, but has been re-registered to ESU 912. This replaces the former ESU 912 that was a Scania CN94UB OmniCity.

 

[Seehof]

Anybody been on their 412 York - Wetherby route? What a roller coaster ride in an elderly double decker bus. Not an enjoyable experience! Are they ever going to put some decent buses on this route?

 

[SCH117X]

Anybody been on their 412 York - Wetherby route? What a roller coaster ride in an elderly double decker bus. Not an enjoyable experience! Are they ever going to put some decent buses on this route?

Seen similar comments about the X52.It pot luck with them whether its a relatively new bus, something around mid life which ought to have been refurbished but hasn't or something that really belonged at Barnsley some months back.

 

[Andyh82]

I remember the days when enthusiasts would have enjoyed being thrashed around the countryside in a mid life Scania decker rather than the more common enviro 200 or Streetlite

 

[BULLSAREMAGIC]

I remember the days when enthusiasts would have enjoyed being thrashed around the countryside in a mid life Scania decker rather than the more common enviro 200 or Streetlite

In my driving days I used to love to hammer the oldest vehicle in the fleet on longer journies for example a 20 year old ex NCT olympian up the hill to Alton Towers. Happy days

 

[Bayum]

Anybody been on their 412 York - Wetherby route? What a roller coaster ride in an elderly double decker bus. Not an enjoyable experience! Are they ever going to put some decent buses on this route?

I think this is three-fold: road condition, driver thrashing and the God-awful route it takes.

 

[alex397]

Anybody been on their 412 York - Wetherby route? What a roller coaster ride in an elderly double decker bus. Not an enjoyable experience! Are they ever going to put some decent buses on this route?

Sounds enjoyable to me to be honest! But we’re all different.
I did actually go on it last year, and I don’t recall it being a bad experience in terms of ride quality. I just remember it being a fun and scenic ride with a friendly driver. My only concern was the rather sparse timetable for the route.

It depends what you mean by decent buses. New vehicles arn’t always an improvement, and ride quality is often determined by the awful British roads