AN improvement has been announced to the Helmsley-Malton bus route.

The trial on demand bus connection between Helmsley and Malton, which was run by Ryedale Community Transport, will become a regular service from April 9. This is a new milestone in the transformation of this bus route, which started as the Ryedale Rover following a public meeting in Helmsley, organised by George Jabbour two years ago.

Last year, journeys became free for bus pass holders thanks to funding from the locality budget of the Helmsley and Sinnington division after a recommendation by Councillor Jabbour.

However, the service, which operated on Tuesdays and Fridays, has been on-demand and required customers to register in advance to book a seat. This will change from April 9 and the service will continue to run as the 177-bus route sponsored by North Yorkshire Council. Therefore, buses will be running regularly and stopping at Nunnington, Harome, Helmsley, Sproxton, Ampleforth, Oswaldkirk and Malton; it will no longer require passengers to book in advance.

Ryedale Community Transport’s Chief Officer, Mark Harris, said:

“We are pleased that the Ryedale Rover trial project, sponsored by the National Lottery Fund, has evolved into an established regular route now sponsored by North Yorkshire Council. By working closely with Councillor Jabbour we have taken account of local requirements for transport to develop this new route and hope that it may be a template for other areas in which we are trialling the Ryedale Rover.”

North Yorkshire Councillor George Jabbour explained:

"This has been a long-term project that involved working closely with all stakeholders over the past two years. I am absolutely delighted that the bus route between Helmsley and Malton has proven to be so popular that it has now become an established regular service that is supported by North Yorkshire Council. It has taken a lot of effort and persistence to reach this point from when the public meeting was held at Helmsley Town Hall in March 2022.

"I am confident that Mark and the rest of the team at Ryedale Community Transport will make a success of the next chapter of this brilliant bus service.”