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Harrogate’s leading bus operator has told the Harrogate Advertiser it is to introduce a new timetable on its key 1 route after the newspaper passed on concerns about the service’s punctuality.

Highly-regarded within the industry, the award-winning Harrogate Bus Company has long flagged up the lack of bus priority measures on the busiest roads in Harrogate and the challenges it faces, as a result, to run on time.

But frustration among passengers has, if anything, grown stronger since lockdown ended after Covid.

One reader got in touch this week to say: "I would like to know about the company's compliance with its own timetable.

Frustrated bus passengers - Harrogate Bus Company said it was taking steps to improve its record on punctuality on the no 1 route with a new timetable and the deployment of extra staff. (Picture Gerard Binks)

"The advertised ten minutes between buses appears to have fallen away on the Knaresbrough to Harrogate no 1 route.

"A number of times recently I have waited significantly longer."

In response, Harrogate Bus Company said it was working to improve its record on punctuality with a new timetable and the deployment of extra staff.

It also pointed to recent temporary problems on the route not of its own making, including roadworks at Mother Shipton’s in Knaresborough which created extra delays.

Harrogate Bus Company’s General Manager, Joy Devine, said: “We apologise to customers affected by delays to our route 1 buses, primarily caused by ongoing roadworks and congestion around Starbeck Crossing.

“We have placed an additional duty manager at Harrogate bus station to regulate the service and ensure as many buses as possible depart there on time.

“Without bus priority measures on the busiest roads in Harrogate, it can be a challenge to run on time.

"We are deploying extra buses and drivers.

"However, these can also be affected by roadworks and congestion.”

Harrogate Bus Company is shortly to go all-electric in a ground-breaking new initiative.

The firm, which is a subsidiary of Transdev, placed orders in autumn 2023 worth £21 million for 39 new electric buses and re-equip its Starbeck depot to convert its entire Harrogate fleet to fully electric power.

In total, 20 new Mercedes-Benz E-Citaro all-electric single deck buses will be used on The Harrogate Bus Company’s, including route 1 between Harrogate and Knaresborough.

Harrogate Bus Company is to react to passengers' frustrations over time-keeping with new timetable and extra staff