Are there problems at Kirkby Lonsdale Buses?

[Ballyheigue]

This week, according to a post on the Dalesbus website, Kirkby Lonsdale buses have been running the 580 every 2 hours instead of hourly from Monday through to Thursday.

Next week from Tuesday to Friday they'll be doing the same. Now the 580 timetable does not have a school holiday variant so what's going on?

Please note, The Dalesbus post describing what's been happening to the 580 over the last few days has now been removed and replaced by a post regarding what's happening over Easter period and next week.

 

[YorkRailFan]

There's still a post on Twitter/X from 31st March about the 580 this week:

Craven Connection bus 580 between Settle and Skipton is operating a 2-hourly service as per the Saturday timetable this week, until Thursday 2nd April.

https://x.com/i/status/2038929135209169406

 

[Acathater]

The Morecambe town services seem to be running normally.

Who drives the Skipton end of the 580 run? Do the Morecambe based drivers do the whole run, or are there local drivers at the east end of the route? If the latter it would only need one or two on holiday to cause difficulty

 

[markymark2000]

Who drives the Skipton end of the 580 run? Do the Morecambe based drivers do the whole run, or are there local drivers at the east end of the route? If the latter it would only need one or two on holiday to cause difficulty

The driver does the full run from Lancaster to Skipton, 30 minutes off, full run back to Lancaster.

 

[NorthernSpirit]

Despite Pennine Motor Services not running for the past 12 years, what's happened to their outstation at Settle / Giggleswick? (The main depot at Broughton Road, Skipton is now a carpet shop) As surely Kirkby Lonsdale Buses could have bought an outstation from them to simply store a couple of buses to aid an early morning from and later evening journey back to where the outstation is and to prevent any running issues.

 

[RustySpoons]

Despite Pennine Motor Services not running for the past 12 years, what's happened to their outstation at Settle / Giggleswick? (The main depot at Broughton Road, Skipton is now a carpet shop) As surely Kirkby Lonsdale Buses could have bought an outstation from them to simply store a couple of buses to aid an early morning from and later evening journey back to where the outstation is and to prevent any running issues.

As of about 12 months ago when I last made an effort to have a look the building was still standing but look unused, there's no evidence of anyone having taken it over or company operating out of it.

 

[Baxenden Bank]

As of about 12 months ago when I last made an effort to have a look the building was still standing but look unused, there's no evidence of anyone having taken it over or company operating out of it.

Despite Pennine Motor Services not running for the past 12 years, what's happened to their outstation at Settle / Giggleswick? (The main depot at Broughton Road, Skipton is now a carpet shop) As surely Kirkby Lonsdale Buses could have bought an outstation from them to simply store a couple of buses to aid an early morning from and later evening journey back to where the outstation is and to prevent any running issues.

There is also the former Ribble outstation at Ingleton, previously owned by Pennine. The premises is on the main road immediately adjacent to Bibbys depot and was up for sale.

Technically I would argue that the main depot was at Gargrave and was redeveloped for housing a while back.

Lambs garage at Hornby also redeveloped for housing.

 

[lyndhurst25]

As of about 12 months ago when I last made an effort to have a look the building was still standing but look unused, there's no evidence of anyone having taken it over or company operating out of it.

Somebody owns and uses the old Settle bus garage. I recently saw somebody parking their car inside it.

 

[YorkRailFan]

Registration changes for the 81, 82, 580 & 581 have appeared online from 4th May.

PC1016989/52 – bustimes.org

bustimes.org

PC1016989/47 – bustimes.org

bustimes.org

PC1016989/60 – bustimes.org

bustimes.org

Can't find what these changes are yet though but I wonder if these are temporary changes becoming more permanent...

 

[Jimmi]

This message is being displayed in the Lonsdale Buses app with Dalesbus just posting the same info on their socials:

Due to operational reasons, we regret to inform passengers that several 580 services Mon-Fri will be withdrawn until further notice from Monday, 13th April 2026

The following services will not operate:
Settle -> Skipton: 10:30, 12:30, 14:30
Skipton -> Settle: 09:45, 11:45, 13:45
*Please Note* The 15:45 will continue to operate from Skipton to Settle

All other 580 services will continue to operate as scheduled.

 

[Acathater]

This message is being displayed in the Lonsdale Buses app with Dalesbus just posting the same info on their socials:

Due to operational reasons, we regret to inform passengers that several 580 services Mon-Fri will be withdrawn until further notice from Monday, 13th April 2026

The following services will not operate:
Settle -> Skipton: 10:30, 12:30, 14:30
Skipton -> Settle: 09:45, 11:45, 13:45
*Please Note* The 15:45 will continue to operate from Skipton to Settle

All other 580 services will continue to operate as scheduled.

to me that suggests fuel cost / availability issues

 

[markymark2000]

I note that the Skipton to Settle and 75 is being taken over by Transdev from 2nd May. Timetable is reduced to 2 round trips but is extended to Settle which is interesting.

to me that suggests fuel cost / availability issues

It does seem a bit odd given that the bus for those runs will still be getting into Skipton at 09:25 (08:45 from Settle) and it's the same vehicle duty (and I presume driver duty too looking at the timings) that does the 15:45 trip that they already confirm is running. It'd be good for them to expand on these 'operational issues'

 

[Ballyheigue]

So what does the driver who usually drove the short workings do for over 6 hours in Skipton? If it's returning light to the depot and back again for the 15.45, that's a lot of wasted fuel and by the time it get's to the depot, he/she won't have that much time before needing to set off to Skipton for the 15.45!

 

[stevieinselby]

I note that the Skipton to Settle and 75 is being taken over by Transdev from 2nd May. Timetable is reduced to 2 round trips but is extended to Settle which is interesting.

That's the same timetable that KLCH/Lonsdale Buses have been running for at least 5 years – winter Saturdays, 3 journeys Skipton to Malham – summer Saturdays, 2 journeys Skipton to Settle via Malham.

 

[markymark2000]

That's the same timetable that KLCH/Lonsdale Buses have been running for at least 5 years – winter Saturdays, 3 journeys Skipton to Malham – summer Saturdays, 2 journeys Skipton to Settle via Malham.

I had a slight feeling that the 75 ran to Settle but couldn't put my finger on it.

In any case, it looks to be being taken over by Transdev.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

So what does the driver who usually drove the short workings do for over 6 hours in Skipton? If it's returning light to the depot and back again for the 15.45, that's a lot of wasted fuel and by the time it get's to the depot, he/she won't have that much time before needing to set off to Skipton for the 15.45!

Rolling breaks? The driver at 09:25 takes the 10:45, and the driver at 1010 who would've taken the 1045 instead then takes the 1245, and so on?

 

[Jimmi]

Looking at the tracking for yesterday, it appears some trips had the usual 35 minute layover at Skipton, whilst two duties had a 3+ hour layover at Skipton (one arriving into Skipton at 0925 and not departing again until 1245, the other arriving at 1210 and departing at 1545)

 

[Ballyheigue]

Looking at the tracking for yesterday, it appears some trips had the usual 35 minute layover at Skipton, whilst two duties had a 3+ hour layover at Skipton (one arriving into Skipton at 0925 and not departing again until 1245, the other arriving at 1210 and departing at 1545)

I guess they must have come to an agreement with 2 drivers for reduced hours and split shifts which now makes sense, although if I were one of them, I wouldn't mind a 6 hour break and split shifts.

 

[Steve440]

This message is being displayed in the Lonsdale Buses app with Dalesbus just posting the same info on their socials:

Due to operational reasons, we regret to inform passengers that several 580 services Mon-Fri will be withdrawn until further notice from Monday, 13th April 2026

The following services will not operate:
Settle -> Skipton: 10:30, 12:30, 14:30
Skipton -> Settle: 09:45, 11:45, 13:45
*Please Note* The 15:45 will continue to operate from Skipton to Settle

All other 580 services will continue to operate as scheduled.

Maybe they should concentrate on this service rather than trying to compete with Stagecoach between Morecambe and Carnforth.

 

[stevieinselby]

Maybe they should concentrate on this service rather than trying to compete with Stagecoach between Morecambe and Carnforth.

Maybe there's more money in competing with Stagecoach than in competing with Northern Rail. In a privatised and deregulated world, that's the only thing they "should" be concentrating on!

 

[Acathater]

Maybe there's more money in competing with Stagecoach than in competing with Northern Rail. In a privatised and deregulated world, that's the only thing they "should" be concentrating on!

All they're doing at the moment is making the Morecambe-Carnforth service unviable for either company

 

[YorkRailFan]

The latest update regarding the 580 is the following journeys have been withdrawn permanently:

Due to operational reasons Lonsdale Buses regret to inform passengers that the following service 580 journeys on Monday to Friday will no longer run:
Skipton to Settle at 0945, 1145 and 1345
Settle to Skipton at 1030, 1230 and 1430

The 1545 journey from Skipton to Settle, and all other service 580 journeys, will continue to operate as scheduled.

Latest News

Bus services 159 and 825 are amended until further notice due to the emergency closure of Middleham Bridge between Middleham and Leyburn: - Hodgsons service 159 (Monday to Saturday) will operate a...

www.dalesbus.org

 

[Teapot42]

Are Lonsdale running the 572 at the moment?

There appears to be a registration for it, but it's not showing on Bustimes.

 

[Open top 80]

Are Lonsdale running the 572 at the moment?

There appears to be a registration for it, but it's not showing on Bustimes.

The Saturday only route 80 bus from Lancaster to Hawes via Ribblehead station is also not on Bus times as well

 

[Jimmi]

Are Lonsdale running the 572 at the moment?

There appears to be a registration for it, but it's not showing on Bustimes.

Yes, the 106/571/572 are all running and tracking but the timetables aren't showing up on there atm.

 

[Acathater]

The Saturday only route 80 bus from Lancaster to Hawes via Ribblehead station is also not on Bus times as well

80 isn't listed on the Lonsdale website

the 572 is shown, but sponsored by Furness & Westmorland, not North Yorks. Could it be the council simply forgot to list a one bus / week service?

 

[markymark2000]

I know someone who has been raising this with the relevant people and there's apparently been a few issues for Cumberland and Westmorland authorities in getting data to Traveline which has caused issues there.

The other data source that could be used for Kirkby Lonsdale is their bus open data, but the quality of the data is shocking and missing most of the stops and the company refuses to fix their open data (which also affects their Ticketing system)

 

[YorkRailFan]

The timetable for the 80 seems to only appear on the DalesBus website.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 4 May 2026 ==

Also noted on the DalesBus website that the following Saturday journeys will no longer operate:

As a result the following journeys will no longer operate on Saturdays:
0845 from Settle to Skipton (service 580)
1745 from Skipton to Settle (service 580)
1830 from Settle to Kirkby Lonsdale (service 581)

Latest News

Bus services 159 and 825 are amended until further notice due to the emergency closure of Middleham Bridge between Middleham and Leyburn: - Hodgsons service 159 (Monday to Saturday) will operate a...

www.dalesbus.org

Presumably this is due to the 75 on Saturdays transferring to Transdev and these journeys were used to minimise dead running for the bus used for the 75.