First Bus improves Bradford-Leeds connectivity with combined frequency every seven minutes
- New Bradford network timetables introduced from Sunday 19 May
- Investment in three additional buses on key travel corridor
- X6 express and 72 services increased to each operate every 15 minutes
First Bus is increasing the frequency of its X6 and 72 services between Bradford and Leeds to provide a combined service up to every seven minutes during the day Monday-Saturday.
The change is part of an overall review of its Bradford network to help customers with connectivity and better punctuality. With these changes, First Bus aims to mitigate some of the challenges caused by important ongoing infrastructure works and the closure of Bradford Interchange.
This builds on revised routes First Bus already introduced on 14 April to improve journeys times. The network changes, which include the X6 and 72, cover the majority of its Bradford network and come into effect from Sunday 19 May.
Michael Moore, Head of Network for First Bus in West Yorkshire, said: “We are delighted to invest in three additional buses on our 72 and X6 services between Bradford and Leeds. This will further increase frequency to operate every 15 minutes on the X6 express and every 15-16 minutes for the 72.
“This enables us to better co-ordinate both services at Bradford and Leeds and manage combined frequencies during the day, especially at peak times when pressure on the road network is at its greatest.”
The majority of other Bradford services have been reviewed and retimed using specialist scheduling software First Bus has invested in to support better prediction of journey times throughout the day.
“This will mean some timetable adjustments to allow for peak periods, which we believe will give more accuracy for customers to plan their journeys,” added Michael Moore.
“We have again worked closely with the Combined Authority and Bradford Council’s highways team to introduce these enhancements, which aim to make it easier to travel around the city while the current works are completed.”
Full details of the changes are available on the First Bus website https://www.firstbus.co.uk/bradford/plan-journey/timetables?date=2024-05-19
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Notes to editors
Media enquiries to Richard Harrison, PR Manager, First Bus North & West Yorkshire 07973 668116 richard.m.harrison@firstbus.co.uk
About First Bus
At First Bus, we are on a mission to grow bus usage. We will get behind initiatives that move people out of cars and onto bus.
We are one of the UK’s largest bus operators, delivering over a million passenger journeys every day for the communities we serve.
Transforming our business for the better, we are putting our people and customers at the heart of all we do.
We are all about making journeys easier for our customers, which is why we were the first national bus operator to rollout Tap On, Tap Off payment technology across our entire UK fleet of 4500 buses. Our First Bus app has also been voted ‘best in class’ amongst UK bus operators.
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We are passionate about giving back to the communities we serve, which is why we are helping local businesses to progress their own decarbonisation journeys with access to our charging hubs while our buses are on the road.
We also operate the Aircoach network in Ireland, Specialist Passenger Solutions, First Travel Solutions and Ensignbus.
First Bus is a division of FirstGroup. Find more information on First Bus here: https://news.firstbus.co.uk/