Whitby: Campaign launched to save North Yorkshire coastal bus route

The 840 Leeds-to-Whitby route was voted the UK's "most scenic" bus route in 2018

A campaign has been launched to secure the future of a North Yorkshire bus route dubbed Britain's most scenic.

The 840 Coastliner service runs from Leeds via Malton to Whitby, but operator Transdev confirmed the Malton-Whitby part of the route could be withdrawn as early as April next year.

No final decision had yet been made over the route's future, Transdev said.

A petition calling for the service to be saved has so far attracted at least 1,300 signatures.

Operator Transdev said no final decision about the route's future had been made

Transdev operates two Coastliner services, the 840 and 843, between Leeds and the North Yorkshire coast.

The services diverge at Malton, with the 843 then going on to Scarborough while the 840 crosses the North York Moors through Pickering and on to Whitby.

It was that section which earned the "most scenic route" title from Bus Users UK in 2018.

Kel Pizzuti, general manager for Coastliner, said the company faced a decline in customer numbers and a drop in government funding.

He said the service between Malton and Whitby was contracted by North Yorkshire County Council and would remain in place until April 2023.

"We are reviewing future arrangements for this section of the route with the county council and, in partnership with them, we will update customers once the review is complete."

Earlier this year, Transdev scrapped its fast CityZap service between York and Leeds due to low passenger numbers following the pandemic.

Villages along the route include Goathland, where the ITV series Heartbeat was filmed

Mark Witherington, who runs an antique shop in Pickering and who started the petition calling for the 840 route to be saved, said it was vital for rural communities.

"There are a lot of people who don't drive or don't have access to a vehicle," he said.

"They are totally reliant on that bus to get out and do the shopping or go to the hospital, doctors, or even go to work."

Losing the route would completely deprive communities of access to public transport as there was no rail service, Mr Witherington said.

"There are about 30 miles between Malton and Whitby and it's a fair old distance if you don't drive.

"To think there's going to be no public transport at all, that's unthinkable."

He said he hoped the county council would examine the issue and give the service "the funding it needs".