It is situated 2 miles (3 km) to the north-east of the market town of Selby, and is bordered to the west by the River Ouse and to the east by the A19 Barlby bypass.Like other settlements in the Vale of York, the village has historically been vulnerable to flooding, and was particularly badly hit in November 2000.The main electrical substation in the area was damaged by the flood, resulting in power loss for up to two weeks.[3] Barlby is served by an Arriva Yorkshire bus service, 415/416 which runs between Selby and York.[5] In the Middle Ages the village was in the Ouse and Derwent wapentake of the East Riding of Yorkshire, and a chapelry in the large ancient parish of Hemingbrough.