First Calderdale & Huddersfield - HolmfirthCONNECTION

From 29 October 2006, buses running between Huddersfield and Holmfirth were re-branded as part of the HolmfirthCONNECTION. This was a service that was run in partnership with First Calderdale & Huddersfield and Transpennine Express. It was designed to provide a direct bus to train link for passengers travelling from the Holme Valley on the bus to Huddersfield railway station to connect with trains to Leeds, Dewsbury and Manchester on Transpennine Express services.

Buses 309-316 had their timetables changed and their terminus in Huddersfield moved from the bus station (buses still serve the bus station on journeys towards Holmfirth) to the railway station. The timetable changed to co-ordinate with the trains and included the introduction of a couple of late night journeys between Huddersfield and Holmfirth running after midnight. These service are currently the 314 and X11.

Passengers are able to buy tickets on the bus as normal when travelling between the Holme Valley and Huddersfield but were also able to buy tickets on the bus for their train journey as well. The tickets can be bought to be used on the day or for a week. The weekly ticket provides unlimited travel for that week on First buses in the Calderdale and Kirklees areas and on the trains from Huddersfield to Leeds, Dewsbury or Manchester.

The offer is an attractive one for people living in the Holme Valley as Holmfirth doesn't have a railway station and their connections to the trains at Huddersfield railway station is made easier as passengers are able to walk off the bus, into the railway station and onto the train without having to queue up for another ticket.

This offer is that train travel is restricted to Transpennine Express services and is not valid on any Northern Rail services running along the same routes. The other is that the offer is only available for passengers travelling from the Holme Valley and is not available for people starting their journey on Transpennine Express services from Dewsbury, Leeds or Manchester.

In December 2007, First made several changes to its HolmfirthCONNECTION services, withdrawing the 309, 310 and 311 services, extending the daytime 312 service and the 314 service to Holme, extending the 316 service to Parkhead and re-routing the 313 service via Thongsbridge to Holmfirth before continuing to Hepworth. Three express services were introduced, the X10 from Holme to Huddersfield, plus one journey each from the X13 from Hepworth to Huddersfield and the X11 from Parkhead to Huddersfield, both running one journey each.

The changes were originally proposed for October 2007 but was delayed following complaints from local residents who were unhappy with some of the changes, especially the 313 service as Jackson Bridge would be left unserved by First. This led to a protest outside Holmfirth bus station. Following consulation with First and Metro, First agreed to provide some buses to run via Jackson Bridge and introduce some peak time express journeys. Also as some compensation, First offered free travel to all passengers of services 312, 313, 314, 315, 316, X10, X13 and X16 on its first weekday service, on 10 December 2007.

HolmfirthCONNECTION services underwent changes again in July 2008, with the Monday-Saturday daytime service on service 312 and all journeys on service 315 withdrawn and replaced by new service 308. More changes took place in April 2009, with the 308 terminating at Holmfirth instead of Parkhead, the 314 re-routed between Holmfirth and Holme, the 316 serving Parkhead instead of Holme and the X10 and X16 services replaced by a new X11 service, while in July 2009, all 313A journeys were re-numbered 313.

The current services that form the HolmfirthCONNECTION are: