Leeds buses: X98 and X99 Wetherby service saved from cancellation as new operator announced
A key bus service, which runs between Wetherby and Leeds, has been saved from cancellation.
In May, Transdev (Harrogate Bus Company) announced plans to give up the X98 and X99 Wetherby to Leeds route after a “substantial increase in costs.”
But now following an intervention from the West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA), it has been confirmed that Go Ahead West Yorkshire will be awarded the contract to operate this service from August 31, 2025. The day after Transdev’s current deal ends.
A spokesperson for WYCA said: “Following the decision by TransDev to cancel the service, we are pleased to have secured Go Ahead travel to continue to run the X98/X99 services between Leeds and Wetherby from August 31 onwards.
“When the current operator announced plans to discontinue the service, we acted quickly to secure and fund an alternative provider for what is a vital link between Wetherby and Leeds.
“This is another example of the Combined Authority stepping in to protect services and work with alternative operators, as we continue to create a better-connected region that works for all.”
The timetable on the X98 and X99 services will remain broadly the same, with the exception of the last short journey from Wetherby to East Keswick/Collingham which will be withdrawn due to low usage.
News of the route’s impending axe was first reported by the Wetherby Free Press. The new service will be funded by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority’s Bus Service Improvement Plan.