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Scenic route to Whitby continues with £2 fare March 31, 2023

An 840 bus climbs into the North York Moors from WhitbyA Yorkshire bus service which was voted Britain’s Most Scenic Bus route in a national survey in 2018 will continue and will not be withdrawn in early April.

It follows extra Government funding to support buses which will extend a £2 fare cap scheme for a further three months until the end of June.

The Coastliner 840 service is one of many routes taking part in the Government-funded scheme which offers single bus journeys anywhere for just £2. It takes a route of more than 70 miles from Leeds via Tadcaster, York, Malton, Kirby Misperton, Pickering, Thornton-le-Dale and Goathland to Whitby with a full journey time of around 3 hours 25 minutes.

A review of the route will now take place in the Autumn as parent bus company Transdev works with North Yorkshire Council on longer-term plans.

Despite the fantastic route, the bright-blue double-deckers had been struggling to find enough regular passengers before the £2 scheme, especially during the winter months. It led to to some residents along the route recently launching a "Save the 840" petition after hearing the route was under review with fears it might come to an end unless it received public subsidies.

Back in 2018, more than 5,000 people voted in the online bid to find the most scenic bus route in Britain. Among other Yorkshire nominations were the 351 service operating on Fridays from Holmfirth over Holme Moss to Glossop in Derbyshire and Brontë Bus B3 services between Keighley and Hebden Bridge.

The Government national £2 fare cap scheme running until the end of June is in addition to longer-term £2 schemes currently operating within the boundaries of West Yorkshire and South Yorkshire.

Not all routes are included in the Government £2 fare cap scheme, although some are listed as not included while being included in the West Yorkshire or South Yorkshire £2 fare cap scheme.

Details can be found at this GOV.UK - £2 bus fare cap web page.

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