Some key North Yorkshire bus routes have changed hands.
Reliance Motor Services, which began operating 94 years ago and is based at Sutton on the Forest near York, has sold routes and buses to York and Country, a company belonging to global operator Transdev.
The deal between Transdev and Reliance is for an undisclosed sum, with the changeover happening on Sunday, 19 January.
It involves York and Country acquiring 11 buses from Reliance as well as its core network of bus routes serving Easingwold, Thirsk and Helmsley plus several villages north of York.
From the same date, many of Reliance’s bus drivers will join Transdev’s York and Country team, based at its depot at Rawcliffe which opened in March.
No jobs will be lost as a result of the agreement.
Former Reliance routes which will become part of the York and Country network are:
- Routes 30 and 30X – linking Thirsk, Sowerby, Raskelf, Easingwold, Shipton and Skelton with York
- Route 31X – York and Country will now operate Reliance’s share of this joint route with East Yorkshire Buses, serving Kirkbymoorside, Helmsley, Ampleforth, Coxwold, Easingwold, Shipton, Skelton and York. Return tickets issued by either operator will continue to be valid on both companies’ buses, as now
- Route 40 – between Easingwold, Stillington, Huby, Sutton on the Forest, York Hospital and York city centre
- Dalesbus route 74 – on Saturdays between York, Harrogate, Otley, Ilkley, Bolton Abbey, Burnsall and Grassington
- School routes 155R and 162R – for students with travel permits, linking Huby and Alne with Outwood Academy Easingwold.
Other dedicated school and college bus services operated by Reliance under contract to North Yorkshire Council will remain with them.
Transdev said timetables on the affected routes will remain similar to now, “with minor revisions to early morning and evening journeys which currently start from, or terminate at, Reliance’s depot in Sutton on the Forest”.
Buses acquired from Reliance as part of the agreement will be repainted into the blue colours of York and Country in due course.
Full timetables for the routes involved will be available closer to the date of change on York and Country’s website and on the Transdev Go app.
‘Sorry to say farewell’
Transdev MD Henri Rohard said: “We are delighted to be looking forward to expanding our network of routes to the north of York, while welcoming new colleagues to our York and Country operation.
“This agreement demonstrates Transdev’s long-term commitment to develop our business here in York and North Yorkshire.
“Reliance is a long-established operator with a proud record of customer service, and we will seek to build on this – with all the resources of our green bus depot at Rawcliffe in York.
“Together with our new driving colleagues, we’re looking forward to serving our new customers and further strengthening our positive relationship with our local authority partners in York and North Yorkshire.
“We are people serving people, and this agreement presents an exciting opportunity for us to work together to attract more customers to our newly expanded network.”
Reliance Motor Services co-owner Gary Newby said: “While we are sorry to say farewell to our loyal customers on the routes which will see a change of operator, and to several of our drivers, we know they will be in the best hands.
“Transdev has invested significantly in an impressive new depot in York and has a strong track record of delivering for its customers.
“We thank all those who have travelled with us over the years, and our team of drivers, whose hard work and dedication to customer care is reflected in Reliance’s excellent reputation for quality and reliability.”
As a result of today’s announcement, the full range of Transdev day and period bus passes will become valid on York and Country’s newly-expanded network from 19 January.
Season tickets issued by Reliance will also continue to be accepted on its former routes for a time following the change, with further announcements expected ahead of the same date.