By John Baron
A raft of changes to Leeds bus services have been announced today – including improvements to the popular number 14 Leeds-Bramley-Pudsey service.
From Sunday, 18 February the FirstBus-operated service will see its Monday to Saturday frequency increased from hourly to half-hourly during the daytime, and an hourly evening service will be introduced from Leeds.
On Saturdays, the service will start three hours earlier from Leeds, one and a half hours earlier from Pudsey. Sunday frequency will remain hourly, and hours of operation will now be 9.05am to 6.05pm from Leeds. These enhancements are funded by the Combined Authority through its Bus Service Improvement Plan.
Changes have also been made to improve the reliability of the number 33 and 34 service, which goes through Kirkstall and Rodley; the 81 Leeds, Armley, Pudsey service; and the 508 service.
Councillor Tom Hinchcliffe (Lab, Bramley & Stanningley) said he had been campaigning for improvements to the number 14 service for some time.
“I’m extremely grateful to Mayor of West Yorkshire Tracy Brabin and the West Yorkshire Combined Authority for funding these improvements to the number 14 service,” Cllr Hinchcliffe said.
“This bus is an important part of our local transport infrastructure. Many Bramley and Stanningley residents have told me how disappointed they were when the number 14 was cut last year by First Bus. Following our successful campaigns to reinstate the number 9 service and increase frequencies of the number 60/60A service, I’m delighted we have been able to improve this service too. There is still more to do and I will continue to campaign for better connectivity and transport services for local residents.”
The bus industry has been affected by changes to post-Covid travel patterns which have hit revenues, leading to operators cutting back on routes and frequencies.
The Mayor of West Yorkshire Tracy Brabin said she has stepped in to support services as part of her mission to build a better-connected region.
“Better bus services are a vital part of my mission for a better-connected West Yorkshire,” she added. “I’m delighted that these new and improved services will be hitting our streets next month – connecting communities, reducing reliance on cars and getting people where they need to go.”
List of changes in Leeds
27 Leeds • Headingley • Horsforth • Yeadon • Guiseley
On weekdays, additional journeys will operate at 1925 and 2025 from Guiseley to Leeds.
33 34 Leeds • Kirkstall • Horsforth • Guiseley • Menston • Otley
On weekdays, additional journeys will be introduced 0610 Leeds to Otley and 1005 Otley to Leeds. Some service 33/34 departures will be swapped over and some journeys will be retimed by around 5-15 minutes. Additional later journeys will operate Mon-Fri 2330 Leeds to Guiseley, Sat 2330 Leeds to Horsforth, Sun 2215 Leeds to Otley.
51 52 Leeds • Morley • Tingley Mills
On weekdays, late evening journeys from Leeds after 2000 will operate via Elland Road Park & Ride.
81 Leeds • Armley • Pudsey
The early afternoon timetable will be amended with one additional round trip and other journeys retimed.
110 Wakefield • Outwood • Leeds
Most journeys will be retimed by around 5 minutes, and evening journeys from Wakefield will be retimed by around 10 minutes.
118 Wakefield • East Ardsley • White Rose Centre
Most journeys will be retimed by around 5-10 minutes. On school days, the 0825 Gascoigne Road to Wakefield will start from White Rose Centre at 0800.
163 Leeds • Garforth • Kippax • Castleford
The 2305 from Leeds will be extended to terminate in Castleford instead of Kippax.
174 175 Wakefield • Stanley • Kippax • Garforth • Wetherby / Castleford
Due to safety concerns, the 174 will no longer serve Bottom Boat Road. On Saturday mornings, the first 175 journey will commence from Castleford instead of Micklefield. Most journeys will be retimed by 5-15 minutes.
200 201 Leeds • White Rose • Morley • Cleckheaton / Batley • Heckmondwike
On Saturday mornings, additional short journeys will operate, 0634 Birstall to Cleckheaton and 0710 Batley to Heckmondwike. On Sundays, the 0800 Batley to Heckmondwike will be withdrawn, and most other journeys will be retimed 12 minutes later. Evening journeys will be significantly retimed and amended. Many other journeys will be retimed by up to 5 minutes.
202 203 Leeds • White Rose • Dewsbury • Mirfield • Huddersfield
Significant changes will be made to the timetable to improve service punctuality and reliability. In the morning peak there will be earlier journeys from Dewsbury to Leeds (0440) and Leeds to Huddersfield (0537), but fewer journeys between Dewsbury and Huddersfield. The evening frequency will be reduced from half-hourly to hourly, with alternate journeys on routes 202 and 203, and last journeys earlier at 2242 from Leeds (currently 2324) and 2244 from Huddersfield (currently 2330). On Sundays the service will be significantly retimed.
212 Dewsbury • Batley • Kirkhamgate • Wakefield
Most journeys will be significantly retimed. On weekdays, there will be an additional earlier journey from Wakefield to Dewsbury at 0605.
229 Huddersfield • Heckmondwike • Birstall Retail Park • Leeds
On weekdays and Saturdays, the 1722 from Leeds will continue beyond Heckmondwike to Huddersfield, and the 1753 will terminate at Heckmondwike (1705/1735 on Sundays). On Saturday mornings, the first journey from Huddersfield will be 30 minutes earlier at 0653. Evening journeys will be significantly retimed and will finish earlier at 2235 from Leeds (currently 2310), but later from Huddersfield at 2314 (currently 2230).
254 255 Leeds • Cleckheaton • Brighouse / Halifax
On Saturday mornings, the timetable will be significantly revised and enhanced with additional earlier through journeys from Leeds to Brighouse and Halifax. On Sunday evenings an additional journey will operate 1820 Leeds to Cleckheaton. Some evening journeys will be amended and retimed by 5-10 minutes.
425 Wakefield • East Ardsley • Morley • Bradford
Some journeys will be retimed by around 5 minutes.
444 446 Leeds • Rothwell • Carlton / Woodlesford • Wakefield
The evening frequency will be increased from hourly to half-hourly, alternating between service 444 and 446, with a later finish from Wakefield at 2324 instead of 2220. The early morning service from Wakefield will be enhanced. Most journeys will be retimed by around 5-15 minutes. These enhancements are funded by the Combined Authority through our Bus Service Improvement Plan.
508 Halifax • Shelf • Odsal • Thornbury • Leeds
This service will start earlier and finish later. Late evening frequency will be reduced from hourly to approximately two-hourly. Most journeys will be significantly retimed.
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Oh WOW……that’s amazing news on the number 14…It used to be every half hour and once upon a time run from Pudsey Owlcotes to White Rose both of which are quite difficult to get to for me without going into Leeds bus station. Well done to those who campaigned and brought this service back to us. It’s so nice to have good transport news for a change. Another case of people power as in the number 9 bus.
508 …. we need to get from Farsley and Bramley to kirkstal for shops and pool and various …. Leeds services are worse than ever… I live in Farsley and work at St James my days are 4 hours longer most days due poor inadequate bus services. I can get to France quicker !!! Disgrace First Bus
In east leeds we now have no bus on sunday or bank holidays and the last bus in the week is 18-05 from town . That is in richmound hill and cross green.