In their first review of fares and tickets since September 2019, East Yorkshire Bus Company has said that the changes, which are due to come into effect on Sunday, May 22, will make travelling across the region simpler for customers.
The changes will introduce five new app only zones: Beverley, York City, Driffield, York Country and Bridlington Country as well as changes to the existing York Zone.
East Yorkshire’s Area Director, Ben Gilligan, has said: “We’re introducing new ticket zones to help our customers enjoy a simpler journey. We’ve improved our range of tickets available online and via our app to give customers more choice and flexibility and reduce the need to pay on the bus.
“We recognise that costs for many people are going up at the moment and we are not insulated from this, so we’re keen to help our customers get the tickets that are most suitable for them. Bus travel is still excellent value with costs from as little as £2 per day which is far cheaper than owning and running a car.”
These zones will replace point-to-point weekly tickets, which will no longer be available to buy on the bus.
Additionally, those who travel within the City of Hull can take advantage of the new and improved Hull Zone which combines the previous Hull & Hull Plus zone areas. This builds on the introduction of our Flexi5 and Flexi20 tickets in 2020 which provides additional flexibility for customers who no longer need to travel every day.
Tickets for the new zones will be available on the East Yorkshire Buses app only, and customers can purchase them in advance to allow for a quicker, more convenient commute. Those who frequently travel around Hull can also take advantage of cheaper weekly tickets on app rather than in person.
The firm says that customers who already have tickets in their app wallets will still be able to use them as normal until their expiry date, at which point they’ll be able to choose from a new, simplified range.
Another change is that dogs now travel for free on any East Yorkshire bus, although customers are encouraged to seat their pets on the floor and not on the seats.
The company operates as a stand-alone company within Go North East and has a long history of serving the area. The roots of East Yorkshire go back to December 1919, when Ernest John Lee purchased a 14-seat Ford Model T bus for a service between Elloughton and Hull. In 1922 a Mr Beaulah was taken into partnership with Mr Lee and formed Lee & Beaulah.
A couple of years later Hull & District Motor Services was set up by H. A. Harvey to run a service between Kirk Ella and Hull. Finally, on 5 October 1926 the British Automobile Traction Company registered the name East Yorkshire Motor Services Ltd. to take over Lee & Beaulah and Hull & District Motor Services.
After nationalisation, the company was privatised again in February 1987, becoming a subsidiary of EYMS Group Limited which had been formed by its management team. It went from strength to strength, acquiring many small bus businesses in and around Hull.
Up until 2018, the company was owned by Peter Shipp, who had been with the business since 1980. In June 2018, Peter Shipp handed over the company to the Go-Ahead Group, a leading UK public transport operator.
Go-Ahead is an international business with operations in the UK, Ireland, Singapore, Germany and more, with people taking over one billion journeys on the group's buses and rail services each year. East Yorkshire and Go-Ahead share the values of excellent customer service and strong employee engagement, being well established in the local communities they serve.
Now known as East Yorkshire, rather than EYMS, the company operates as a stand-alone company within Go North East, overseen by the Go North East executive director team but with a Hull-based senior management team.
The Head Office and main depot are located on Anlaby Road in Hull, where we have been based since 1929. There are also depots in Bridlington, Elloughton, Pocklington, Scarborough and Withernsea. All these depots have an active role to play in the continued success of East Yorkshire.
East Yorkshire say that they are strongly committed to providing passengers with quality transport and is determined to invest in new and refurbished buses, continually improving standards. The fleet is now made up of over 270 vehicles, including double decks, single decks, minibuses, coaches, open top buses and two vintage vehicles.
East Yorkshire recognises that it has a major effect on the community it serves, and has a policy of involvement in that community. It has close links with universities, colleges, attractions and local authorities in the region, and runs an annual Big Bus Day event in Hull in partnership with the Streetlife Museum of Transport and Hull City Council. The company also works with local businesses in order to help reduce traffic and parking problems in the region.
