Britain’s Longest

On 14 August, we continued thoughts about the deficiencies of the 31 miles rule (50km), which dictates those bus services passing from ‘domestic’ to EU drivers’ hours. There were some interesting comments. We suggested a method by which longer distance local bus services could in future be categorised, not by distance but by type.

One simpler solution would be to extend or perhaps even double the distance to 62 miles (100km). Not going to happen but if we imagine it did, there’d still be longer local bus routes.

There are many contenders. These might include the Arriva/Stagecoach 685 between Newcastle and Carlisle at 63 miles, or any number of buses in County Durham & Northumberland. Transdev Yorkshire Coastliner services from Yorkshire to the east coast include the 190 mile 840/X40 from Leeds to Whitby. Arriva’s Cardiff-Aberystwyth X40 is 120 miles. Coastlinx53 from Bournemouth to Exeter runs to 84 miles, as does the summer Sunday Dales Bus 805 from Wakefield to Hawes. It’s easy to argue that these aren’t bus services at all, but expresses in disguise. They are nevertheless registered local services.

Coach & Bus Week recently suggested that Europe’s longest bus route was the famed Travel West Midland’s Birmingham Outer Circle 11A/11C, at 27 miles. We think they probably mean Europe’s longest *urban* route.