Stagecoach Grimsby-Cleethorpes

Infobox Bus transit
name = Stagecoach Grimsby-Cleethorps
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founded = 1993
headquarters = Grimsby, Lincolnshire
locale = Mainly North East Lincolnshire
service_area = UK
service_type = Urban and interurban bus services
destinations = Grimsby, Cleethorpes, Scartho, Waltham, New Waltham, Humberston, Great Coates, Healing, Stallingborough, Immingham, South Killingholme, Habrough, Laceby, Keelby, Humberside Airport
fleet = Optare Solo Volvo B10M Alexander Dennis Trident Alexander Dennis Pointer Volvo Olympian Leyland Olympian
operator = Stagecoach Group
ceo =
website = [http://www.stagecoachbus.com/grimsbycleethorpes/ Official Website]

Stagecoach Grimsby-Cleethorpes is the sector of the Stagecoach Group that operates buses in and around North East Lincolnshire (England), serving a population of over 150,000.

It runs town services in its main hubs of Grimsby and Cleethorpes, as well as services to Immingham and nearby villages. Buses operate via the Riverhead bus station, opened in 1989, which is situated next to the Freshney Place Shopping Centre in Grimsby town centre.

Stagecoach Grimsby-Cleethorpes is currently undergoing amalgamation with Stagecoach in Lincolnshire, after Stagecoach Group took over Lincolnshire RoadCar. MegaRider, DayRider and Family Rider tickets can now be used on former RoadCar services in the Grimsby and Cleethorpes area.

Following the takeover buses and staff based at the former RoadCar's Grimsby depot, in Garden Street, were transferred to the Stagecoach Grimsby-Cleethorpes depot in Victoria Street, although they remain part of the Stagecoach in Lincolnshire section.

Several years ago arsonists set fire to the bus depot and a number of vehicles were destroyed. Stagecoach temporarily brought in buses from other areas, including London, to maintain services in the area.

History, pre-Stagecoach

Grimsby and Cleethorpes Corporations

In 1881 the Portsmouth-based Provincial Tramways Company established a system in Grimsby and Cleethorpes under the management of the Great Grimsby Street Tramways Company.

In 1925 Grimsby Corporation bought the tramway system running within its borough. In 1926 the new company acquired single deck Garrett trolleybuses and later double deck AEC trolleys. This started the gradual process of replacing the ageing trams.In 1927 Grimsby Corporation Transport bought its first motor buses, these being centre entrance single deck Albions. The first double deck motor bus, an AEC Regent with a centre entrance, was purchased in 1930. About this time other local bus companies were being formed.

Grimsby Corporation introduced motor bus routes to outlying areas of the town and in 1934 bought routes from the Ada bus company and Provincial, thereby extending services to New Waltham/Humberston (route 8) and Waltham (route 9). Following World War Two, routes were further extended to the new housing estates.

Cleethorpes Council introduced motor buses in 1930, operating routes within the town and also to Humberston. A joint service with Grimsby (route 6) ran from Grimsby town centre, along Bargate, Weelsby Road and Clee Road to Cleethorpes Bathing Pool.In 1936 Cleethorpes took over the tramways within its area and in 1937 tram services run by the two boroughs finally ended, when a second joint service (route 11) was established along the main road between Grimsby Old Market Place and Cleethorpes Bathing Pool using trolley buses.

Grimsby-Cleethorpes Joint Transport Company

In 1956 the Grimsby company introduced the first one-person operated service on its Corporation Road route 1, using new twin entrance single deckers. In 1957 both councils merged their bus companies to form Grimsby-Cleethorpes Transport, run by a joint committee. The crimson/cream livery of Grimsby and the blue/grey colours of Cleethorpes were replaced with the blue and cream of the new company. The Cleethorpes depot at Pelham Road was closed down, the buses and staff moving to the Grimsby depot in Victoria Street.

In 1959 GCT set up its first joint service with Lincolnshire RoadCar (route 45) from Cleethorpes to Immingham Dock, via Grimsby. After many years of operation RoadCar withdrew from this route. When building began on the Willows Estate in 1968 a second joint service was established on a new route (16) linking the estate with Grimsby town centre.

The last trolleybuses were taken out of service in 1960. During the 1960s the first Fleetline double deckers arrived. These had the driver inside, with automatic doors opposite where he sat. Later twin door Fleetlines were acquired and these were used to gradually extend the one-person operated bus system to the double deck routes. In 1982 the job of conductor was abolished and GCT went over entirely to driver-only services.

1981 saw GCT change its livery to caramel and cream. In 1986 bus services were deregulated, which resulted in some competition between RoadCar and GCT. RoadCar began running buses from Grimsby town centre to the Grange, Nunsthorpe and Bradley Park estates, areas previously served only by GCT. In 1987 the fleet colours were changed again, to orange and white. In November 1993 Stagecoach Group bought Grimsby-Cleethorpes Transport. The company was renamed Stagecoach Grimsby-Cleethorpes, part of Stagecoach's East Midlands division.

ervice alterations

In 2006 Stagecoach received government funding to improve services. The company itself and North East Lincolnshire Council also put money into the project. Circular route 3F/4, which ran between Cleethorpes Pier and Grimsby-Bradley Cross Roads, was renumbered as 13/14. This was done to avoid confusion between route 3F and Stagecoach in Lincolnshire routes 3, 3A and 3B, which run into the area from Lincoln.

Services on 13/14 were increased from a daytime frequency of 15 minutes to 10 minutes, while evening services were changed from hourly to half-hourly (Monday to Saturday). There were also changes to the Sunday timetable and new, low-floor buses were introduced to benefit the elderly and disabled.

The weekday frequency of route 45, to Immingham, was altered from a 30 minute to a 20 minute service, starting at Grimsby instead of Cleethorpes. Early morning (45) and the hourly evening service, renumbered as 46, continue to run from Cleethorpes (Monday to Saturday), as does the hourly Sunday service.There was a minor alteration to route 7 and timetable amendments to routes 8 and 16. Improvements to shelters and roadside infrastructures are also planned. In 2007 further alterations were made which included the withdrawal of routes 6 and 12 (the 12 is now covered by the X1 Humberside Airport & Hull shuttle).

Routes

* 5: Grimsby, Bradley Park Estate - Europarc industrial estate
* 7: Grimsby bus station - Cleethorpes, North Sea Lane
* 8: Grimsby bus station - Scartho - New Waltham - Humberston - Cleethorpes, North Sea Lane
* 9/9A: Cleethorpes, North Sea Lane - Grimsby - Scartho - Waltham
* 13: Cleethorpes Pier - Nunsthorpe - Grimsby, Bradley Cross Roads (evening journeys to Morrisons)
* 14: Cleethorpes Pier - Yarborough Road - Grimsby, Bradley Cross Roads (evening journeys to Morrisons)
* 16: Grimsby, Wybers Wood Estate - Grimsby, Asda (run jointly with Stagecoach in Lincolnshire)
* 17: Cleethorpes - Humberston Fitties holiday camp (summer only)
* 20: Cleethorpes Pier - Grimsby - Europarc industrial estate
* 45: Cleethorpes, Thrunscoe Estate - Grimsby, Victoria Street Tesco - Great Coates - Healing - Stallingborough - Immingham County Hotel and Docks
* 46: Cleethorpes, North Sea Lane - Grimsby, Victoria Street Tesco - Willows Estate - Great Coates - Healing - Stallingborough - Immingham County Hotel
* 47: Grimsby, Victoria Street Tesco - Great Coates - Healing - Stallingborough - Immingham County Hotel - South Killingholme - Habrough

Stagecoach in Lincolnshire operates services 3 (Grimsby - Lincoln), 25 (Grimsby - Ludford), 51 (Grimsby - Louth), 150 (Grimsby - Immingham - East Halton) and 250 (Grimsby - Immingham - Barton)

X1 service

Stagecoach Grimsby-Cleethorpes operates the hourly X1 service to Hull via Humberside Airport and the Humber Bridge. In 2005 Stagecoach announced it was to withdraw the service, but after local media pressure and discussions with the relevant authorities, the withdrawal was delayed, and in 2006 Stagecoach confirmed that it would stay. A year later it added a stop in Keelby.

In 2007 Stagecoach Grimsby-Cleethorpes service 12 was incorporated into the X1 route, which was altered to run as follows: Waltham (peak hours only) - New Waltham - Cleethorpes - Grimsby - Laceby - Keelby - Humberside Airport - Humber Bridge - Hull.

References

* 100 Years of Public Transport, 1881-1981 (Grimsby-Cleethorpes Transport)