The brand new Goole Town Deal-funded Goole + Howden Hopper shuttle bus service has officially launched today (Tuesday, 7 May), making it easier for people to travel to and from Goole town centre.

It connects Goole Station with major employment sites on the outskirts of town and with Howden Station, which offers regular trains services to York, Leeds and beyond, as well London. The aim is to make people’s onward journeys from Goole Station easier, provide local people with low-cost transport to key employment sites and make the town more attractive to potential investors by improving transport connections for those travelling from major cities across the North of England and as far afield as London.

Two Goole Town Deal-branded buses, each of which seats 19 people, are providing the new service and they’re operated by local firm Sweyne Coaches. Stopping at Goole Station, Tom Pudding Way, Glews Garage, Airmyn, the War Memorial in Howden and Howden Station, the buses operate between the hours of 6am and 11pm from Monday to Saturday to try to meet the transport needs of as many people as possible, from shift workers to those who work typical office hours and people travelling into, and around, Goole for shopping and leisure.

A £1 flat rate ticket is available to all users of the new service, regardless of how far they’re traveling and the time of day, and a £5 weekly ticket offering unlimited use is also available.

Goole and Brigg MP Andrew Percy said: “I’m absolutely delighted to see this much-needed new service launching today to boost connectivity between Goole town centre and the key employment sites off Tom Pudding Way, as well as between the railway stations at Goole and Howden. It’s very welcome news for employers, commuters and those visiting Goole on business, as well as for local people coming into Goole for shopping and leisure.

“It’s fantastic to see the Town Deal funding allocated to Goole by the Government being used in this way and I have no doubt that this new service will be well used by local people.”

Sam Partington, Managing Director of Sweyne Coaches, which is operating the new service on behalf of the Goole Town Deal Board, said: “As a local company, we’re delighted to be working with Goole Town Deal to provide this new service for local people.

“Our drivers will be accepting both cash and card payments, and the £5 weekly ticket is particularly good value for those who will be making use of this service on a regular basis.”

The Goole +Howden Hopper service is being funded by the Goole Town Deal programme as part of the £2.4 million Station Hub project, which aims to support Goole’s growth and an anticipated increase in the number of visitors to the town centre by creating an enhanced transport hub and arrival/departure experience at Goole Station. The project is being supported by the East Riding of Yorkshire Council, whose officers have played a key role in the development of this new service. It will operate as a pilot project to gauge whether there is sufficient demand and, if there is, to determine whether additional provision might be needed in the future.

One of eight projects to have been allocated a share of Goole Town Deal funding, the Station Hub scheme will create a more welcoming and attractive gateway to Goole town centre, becoming an important hub for pedestrian, cycle and public transport movements. Alongside the other seven Goole Town Deal-funded projects, an enhanced Station Hub will play an important role in helping to make Goole a more attractive and welcoming place to live, work, invest and enjoy leisure time.

• To keep up to date with progress on the Station Hub project, as well as the other seven Goole Town Deal funded projects, visit www.gooletowndeal.co.uk. You can also follow Goole Town Deal on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

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