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East Anglia Bus Scene
- Thread starter F Great Eastern
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If they are expecting the London Road park and ride to be busy, hopefully the caravans that were there on Saturday will have moved on.First have announced extra Ipswich Park & Ride buses for the Ed Sheeran concerts next weekend. Buses returning every 5 minutes until about 00.30!
Good to see they’re doing something to cash in on all the visitors. Shame they aren’t running an extra late Felixstowe and Stowmarket bus.Ed Sheeran concert
Heading to see Ed Sheeran this July? We've got your ride sorted. We’ve teamed up with Ipswich Town FC to run extra Park and Ride services from London Road (Copdock) and Martlesham into the town centre to help Ed Sheeran fans get to and from the concerts with ease.www.firstbus.co.uk
F Great Eastern
Established Member
It was seen with the plate on in the depot when it was first delivered.
Suffolk County Council has now announced where its 2025/26 round of BSIP funding will be going to:
Ipswich Buses:
Route 1 - New Sunday Service
Route 3E - New Sunday Service (evenings)
Route 92 - New AM Peak Trip, Planned service reductions withdrawn.
Route 93 - Planned service reductions withdrawn.
Route 4 - Increased Peak hour frequency.
Route 5 - Increaded Monday-Friday frequency.
Route 7 & 16 - Increaded peak hour frequency and additional trips.
Route 15 & 15A - Increaded frequency (every 20mins).
Konect (Go-Ahead East Anglia):
Route 90 & 91 - New Sunday service and additional Monday-Friday trips.
Route 784 - New Sunday and evening trips.
NEW Sudbwary town service.
Route 375 - Now runs Monday-Saturday.
Mulleys:
NEW M40 Service - Hourly Thurston - BSE
Route M77 - Additional morning/evening trips, now also serves Marham Park.
BorderBus:
Route 521 - Increased Satuday frequency, extended to Beccles.
Dan's Coach Travel:
Route DB1 - New Saturday service.
Simonds (Central Connect):
NEW Gislingham to Diss Friday shopping service.
First Bus:
Route 800 (Park & Ride) - New route via University of Suffolk and now serving Ipswich Hospital forecourt. Some trips extended to Adastral Park, and 1 journey per hour extended to Rendlesham via Woodbridge (deja vu anyone?).
Route 70 - Additional trips from Sutton Heath - Ipswich via Mellton & Woodbridge.
Route 106 - Restoring service to Gunton Area.
Source: https://www.suffolk.gov.uk/council-...ounced-with-local-authority-bus-grant-funding .
Ipswich Buses:
Route 1 - New Sunday Service
Route 3E - New Sunday Service (evenings)
Route 92 - New AM Peak Trip, Planned service reductions withdrawn.
Route 93 - Planned service reductions withdrawn.
Route 4 - Increased Peak hour frequency.
Route 5 - Increaded Monday-Friday frequency.
Route 7 & 16 - Increaded peak hour frequency and additional trips.
Route 15 & 15A - Increaded frequency (every 20mins).
Konect (Go-Ahead East Anglia):
Route 90 & 91 - New Sunday service and additional Monday-Friday trips.
Route 784 - New Sunday and evening trips.
NEW Sudbwary town service.
Route 375 - Now runs Monday-Saturday.
Mulleys:
NEW M40 Service - Hourly Thurston - BSE
Route M77 - Additional morning/evening trips, now also serves Marham Park.
BorderBus:
Route 521 - Increased Satuday frequency, extended to Beccles.
Dan's Coach Travel:
Route DB1 - New Saturday service.
Simonds (Central Connect):
NEW Gislingham to Diss Friday shopping service.
First Bus:
Route 800 (Park & Ride) - New route via University of Suffolk and now serving Ipswich Hospital forecourt. Some trips extended to Adastral Park, and 1 journey per hour extended to Rendlesham via Woodbridge (deja vu anyone?).
Route 70 - Additional trips from Sutton Heath - Ipswich via Mellton & Woodbridge.
Route 106 - Restoring service to Gunton Area.
Source: https://www.suffolk.gov.uk/council-...ounced-with-local-authority-bus-grant-funding .
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I'm confused how the Ipswich Buses 92, 93 had planned service reductions, they are already 2 hourly so I wonder if they were at risk of being completely withdrawn?
I wonder if different vehicles are planned for the Ipswich P&R now with the new route and extension to Rendlesham again, I'm guessing it'll need 7 vehicles (I think that's what it was when it had the Rendlesham bit before, the current PVR of 5 is very heavily padded at each end so I guess can absorb running into the hospital)?
I wonder if different vehicles are planned for the Ipswich P&R now with the new route and extension to Rendlesham again, I'm guessing it'll need 7 vehicles (I think that's what it was when it had the Rendlesham bit before, the current PVR of 5 is very heavily padded at each end so I guess can absorb running into the hospital)?
I’m guessing the Rendlesham extensions may replace the existing route 65, which was introduced once the 800 to Rendlesham was withdrawn. The 7 vehicle PVR was for a 4 bus per hour frequency however, so maybe 6 will be appropriate? The Enviro 300s have been rumoured to all be moving to Essex for well over a year now, but surprisingly that swap for StreetLites it’s taking far longer than anticipated for some unknown reason!
buslad1988
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Decent amount for Ipswich Buses there - mainly window dressing enhancing peak frequencies where buses are taken out for schools.
Presume additional 7’s mean Henley Gate to be served? I’d imagine eventually they’ll introduce a new 11 via Westerfield Road as a dedicated direct town service (like they’ve done with the 20 for Wolsey Grange) - I believe a new road bridge specifically for buses is to be installed over the railway line running through the site.
Whilst welcome, they could have made some physical route adjustments network wide at the same time! It’s been said before too many routes are focused on travelling to/from town centre rather than connecting the out of town supermarkets and retail parks.
Also surprised at the 5 getting a frequency uplift when the 6 is still only every 30 mins and it’s the only service that covers that side of Ipswich.
Go-ahead have done well - with their enhancements to the 90/91 will that see Beestons off that corridor? It’s usually the rule BSIP money can’t be spent on introducing competing services. Atleast an operator and SCC finally see a pontential there to enhance that corridor out of its spiralling decline.
Firsts enhancements to the 70 seem bizarre - it’s probably time the Park & Ride had its service number changed also. I’m interested to know the route it’ll take around the waterfront! If it’s serving the University and Hopsital grounds, presumably it’ll now use Felixstowe Road?
It’s disappointing also that they haven’t used any funds to return the Felixstowe corridor to a 15 minute headway.
On a seperate note, upgrades to the A12 has also been approved - included in those proposals was a new ‘bus link/gate’ outside the Police headquarters allowing buses to avoid a roundabout. Whilst the Park & Ride won’t directly benefit, the 66 should be helped and presumably any service that’s introduced to Brightwell Lakes also utilising it.
== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: ==
Ipswich Buses official news announcement - also stating additional changes from 31st August.
There’s no mention of the 7 in that news article so it must be heavily revised (perhaps an addition of a 7A?) if it’s using section 106 money. Presume an announcement on that coming later.
The 16 is a huge increase to every 30 minutes Mondays to Saturdays! It’s currently 2 hourly peaks and Saturdays so that’s a hefty uplift! Although it’s only taking it back to what it was pre 2017/8? That’s always been an odd route, goes around the houses and although it serves an Asda it’s only one-way. They should have maybe tried to link it with the 12 to create a circular - providing additional links and connections!
They will surely be needing more buses for these enhancements? I wonder if they’re interested in the Flyer Optare Versa’s which are becoming available from Transdev.
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A lot of those rumours seemed to be based on the idea that the P&R was up for retendering this year. Whilst it certainly was proposed to be at one point, it now looks like this has been postponed to next year so presumably Arriva have had a contract extension for a further year (compared proposed decisions FP/086/03/24 and FP/113/04/25 on Essex County Council's website).
The other factor which might have led to such a rumour was Arriva's repeated lack of response to First's incursions on their routes. This new route, changes to service 1's routing in Shrub End to compete with First and the withdrawal of First's competitive S5 and S10 services (plus Arriva's short-lived extension of route 1 to Stanway on Sundays) seems to show that Arriva still have some fight in them after all. Apparently when first published there was a new route 58 by First to Prettygate in the council's summary of July timetable changes, which would have been a further escalation, but this was swiftly removed.
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Flange Squeal
Established Member
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The PSV Recycling Ltd’s Facebook page has a pair of Beestons Volvo B8L / MCV eVoSeti deckers for sale. 523/4 FN.
Source: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1AYxSzYras/
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F Great Eastern
Established Member
PSV Recycling is essentially the dealer arm of Beestons.
Apparently Beestons were due 2 in 2024, 2 in 2025 and 2 in 2026 but for some reason another two turned up in 2025 that were not expected. Not quite sure what the full story is there, but apparently that is the reason that two are now for sale as they will have no use for them until September.
Apparently Beestons were due 2 in 2024, 2 in 2025 and 2 in 2026 but for some reason another two turned up in 2025 that were not expected. Not quite sure what the full story is there, but apparently that is the reason that two are now for sale as they will have no use for them until September.
buslad1988
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As suspected, the constant revolving door of Beestons fleet continues. Not sure how two buses can just turn up unexpected!
Is there any news on what’s happening later this year when Go-Ahead improve the Ipswich - Hadleigh/Sudbury corridor, including Sunday service?
What with that and First’s Suffolk One service, that’ll be that be a lot of their revenue stream gone.
F Great Eastern
Established Member
There shouldn't really be any problem for Beestons on the 91 corridor, but whether there will be in reality will be is another matter and depends how much First and Go-Ahead want to flex their muscles.
Incidentally when Beestons were running the 90 they were getting about £300 a week in terms of subsidy, when Chambers took it over, that increased to almost £1,800 per week and that is before you take into account the other subsidy they were getting from the fare scheme, so the cost of operating that service has skyrocketed massively.
The new grants from the UK Government are not supposed to be used to compete with commercial operators so I would say that these services that are being provided would end up be between Hadleigh and Sudbury during the week and probably the whole route at the weekend. At the moment the 90 connects with the 91, but if Chambers are up for a fight, they could be crafty I guess and stop the connection from happening and register their own purely commercial service between Hadleigh and Ipswich that the 90 feeds, but it would be highly controversial.
The First website I see is saying that they are running all of the services to Suffolk One next year and if you are travelling there you will be on their services, but I have heard nothing to say that the 91C will be stopping. The other thing that is curious about the O8 timetable is it shows as leaving at the bus station in Hadleigh at 08:25 with the Beestons service at 08:30, but for some reason the First service takes 8 minutes to get to the Eight Bells, which according to Google is just two minutes away so they could leave the bus station a few minutes late and closer to 08:30am and still be on time.
One thing Beestons does have going for it is a young fleet on the 91 now and almost zero lost mileage, I can't see that being the case if another operator took the service over. Beestons have not been affected by the driver shortage at all compared to the other operators in the region, even when they've been stretched the owners have found a family member or someone to keep things going.
Incidentally when Beestons were running the 90 they were getting about £300 a week in terms of subsidy, when Chambers took it over, that increased to almost £1,800 per week and that is before you take into account the other subsidy they were getting from the fare scheme, so the cost of operating that service has skyrocketed massively.
The new grants from the UK Government are not supposed to be used to compete with commercial operators so I would say that these services that are being provided would end up be between Hadleigh and Sudbury during the week and probably the whole route at the weekend. At the moment the 90 connects with the 91, but if Chambers are up for a fight, they could be crafty I guess and stop the connection from happening and register their own purely commercial service between Hadleigh and Ipswich that the 90 feeds, but it would be highly controversial.
The First website I see is saying that they are running all of the services to Suffolk One next year and if you are travelling there you will be on their services, but I have heard nothing to say that the 91C will be stopping. The other thing that is curious about the O8 timetable is it shows as leaving at the bus station in Hadleigh at 08:25 with the Beestons service at 08:30, but for some reason the First service takes 8 minutes to get to the Eight Bells, which according to Google is just two minutes away so they could leave the bus station a few minutes late and closer to 08:30am and still be on time.
One thing Beestons does have going for it is a young fleet on the 91 now and almost zero lost mileage, I can't see that being the case if another operator took the service over. Beestons have not been affected by the driver shortage at all compared to the other operators in the region, even when they've been stretched the owners have found a family member or someone to keep things going.
They’ve been on loan to Norwich for the UEA open day shuttles
Thank you.
F Great Eastern
Established Member
KonectBuses are doing a mass renumbering of much of their routes from the end of this month.
They also cancelled a number of services today because of a lack of staff. Lets hope the service expansion they are doing later this month backed with taxpayers hard earned funds s backed up with a larger number of drivers and better terms and conditions for staff.
They also cancelled a number of services today because of a lack of staff. Lets hope the service expansion they are doing later this month backed with taxpayers hard earned funds s backed up with a larger number of drivers and better terms and conditions for staff.
Teflon988
Member
Beestons' ongoing Volvo arrivals continue with four B8L EvoSetis - routeone
Beestons of Hadleigh in Suffolk has taken delivery of four MCV EvoSeti-bodied Volvo B8L tri-axle double-deck buses.
www.route-one.net
buslad1988
Member
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- 651
Ipswich Buses have announced the alterations for the 7 and (new 17 - strange numbering again) incorporating Henley Gate.
The 7 has been cut back to Henley Road, with increased frequency of every 30 mins from 0645 to 1845. Fantastically huge increase however it’s routing can’t be sustainable long term; historically Dale Hall has had poor usage, there’s often cars badly parked throughout and it adds on journey time.
Its replacement covering Castle Hill/Asda is the 17… 3 journeys weekdays! Once again leaving thousands of homes in that side of the town effectively cut off from one of the largest supermarkets and retail parks.
The initial plans for Henley Gate included a bus service direct via Westerfield Road to the town/rail station and utilising a bus gate within the site - maybe the 17 will eventually do this?
Once again another strange move from the company, with the publicity also featuring their ‘new look’ white buses.
The revised network map also includes a Homebase and Aldi which both closed down over a year ago.
The 7 has been cut back to Henley Road, with increased frequency of every 30 mins from 0645 to 1845. Fantastically huge increase however it’s routing can’t be sustainable long term; historically Dale Hall has had poor usage, there’s often cars badly parked throughout and it adds on journey time.
Its replacement covering Castle Hill/Asda is the 17… 3 journeys weekdays! Once again leaving thousands of homes in that side of the town effectively cut off from one of the largest supermarkets and retail parks.
The initial plans for Henley Gate included a bus service direct via Westerfield Road to the town/rail station and utilising a bus gate within the site - maybe the 17 will eventually do this?
Once again another strange move from the company, with the publicity also featuring their ‘new look’ white buses.
The revised network map also includes a Homebase and Aldi which both closed down over a year ago.
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F Great Eastern
Established Member
Konnectbuses has their new timetables up.
A lot of service renumbering is happening here and the 50 (formerly 90) service timetable in the week between Hadleigh and Sudbury now leaves Hadleigh at exactly the same time that the Beestons service to Ipswich leaves which is going to lead to missed connections it's tight enough now with a 5 minute connection.
Also of note is that the 50 service on a Sunday clearly looks designed for the Sudbury to Hadleigh corridor (and Konnectbuses operational convenience) rather than the Hadleigh to Ipswich one which surely has more potential passengers. Having the last bus from Ipswich to Hadleigh at 16:15 but having 6pm bus from Hadleigh to Sudbury that almost nobody is going to use is going to be insane.
With many Ipswich Town matches likely to be moved to Sunday afternoon this season with the new TV deal, you would have imagined that having a later bus from Ipswich to Hadleigh, which is going to be by far the section of the route with most potential, is a no brainer, but probably a consequence of having an operator running a service to Suffolk County town that has no depot anywhere near it.
Also lets hope they have enough drivers to run the new services since even today, with all schools are off, they have cancelled at least 10 services according to their own website
A lot of service renumbering is happening here and the 50 (formerly 90) service timetable in the week between Hadleigh and Sudbury now leaves Hadleigh at exactly the same time that the Beestons service to Ipswich leaves which is going to lead to missed connections it's tight enough now with a 5 minute connection.
Also of note is that the 50 service on a Sunday clearly looks designed for the Sudbury to Hadleigh corridor (and Konnectbuses operational convenience) rather than the Hadleigh to Ipswich one which surely has more potential passengers. Having the last bus from Ipswich to Hadleigh at 16:15 but having 6pm bus from Hadleigh to Sudbury that almost nobody is going to use is going to be insane.
With many Ipswich Town matches likely to be moved to Sunday afternoon this season with the new TV deal, you would have imagined that having a later bus from Ipswich to Hadleigh, which is going to be by far the section of the route with most potential, is a no brainer, but probably a consequence of having an operator running a service to Suffolk County town that has no depot anywhere near it.
Also lets hope they have enough drivers to run the new services since even today, with all schools are off, they have cancelled at least 10 services according to their own website
Stan Drews
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Ipswich Town we’re relegated last season, so back in the Championship where Sunday afternoon games are rare, so that’s unlikely to create a problem.
buslad1988
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Some of Suffolk County Councils decision making regarding where to spend this money has been questionable to say the least…
To have direct Ipswich to Sudbury buses on Sundays but not the rest of the week. To have no Sunday services to Stowmarket.
A Sudbury Town service but not a Felixstowe or Woodbridge equivalent?
Ipswich Buses town service 16 now running from 0625 to 1855 - it never warranted that at its peak.
Also I don’t think mentioned on here is that Ipswich Buses have lost their Ipswich School contract to Central Connect (Simmonds) which is apparently why the remaining four expected E200MMC’s never arrived - also explains the strange fleet numbering for the three that did! The two coaches may also be departing now too.
The previous peak time gaps on services like the 4, 7 and 16 was due to buses being taken off to fulfil that contract - arguably IB would have kept those buses on said routes now anyway now they’ve lost the contract… but are instead being paid to run them with BSIP money (which smacks of being more than a coincidence!).
IB put out a X message proudly saying this is “one of the most significant overhauls of Ipswich’s bus network in the last two decades” - all they’ve really done is return many of the frequencies to pre-covid levels! There’s no radical new links or loops to avoid passengers having to make journeys into town to change buses etc. It’s simply a sideways step of propping up what they’ve got with govt funding rather than tackle the core issue which is the whole network needs an overhaul.
Hopefully Firsts service changes will be announced next week. Can’t wait to see how they’ve used their funds - however I won’t hold my breath!
markymark2000
On Moderation
This sort of thing has been rife over the past few years, people don't either don't want to see it, or don't want it publicising. If you throw enough money around in people faces, things which would have ended up happening anyway, have ended up with BSIP funding, or numerous areas have made cuts to services specifically so that they can claim BSIP funds to put the service back to the level it always was. It's just greed and what happens when there is little-no accountability over the the very specific 'improvement's which are made.
buslad1988
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Exactly. That money should have been spent on trying new services which might have taken a little while to turn a profit (the whole purpose of the BSIP!). Instead they’ve used it to prop up routes which have been running for 30/40 years.
A North West loop service connecting the large estates on the 8/9/10 with Morrisons, Asda/Anglia Retail Park and including Henley Gate could have had great potential. Re-joining the 2 and 6 at the Hospital to create a 2/2A linking Sainsbury’s/Euro Retail Park directly with Rushmere. The 6 could then be cut back to Northgate only operating a higher frequency shuttle type service to town. The 15/15A needs to somehow include Tesco (and the new M&S) and maybe utilise the 12 and 16 to link Chantry with Asda.
What they’ve done is so lazy and just much of the same old. I’m very disappointed that someone who used to be part of Reading Buses management is responsible for this. Arguably the ex Stagecoach MD Jeremy Cooper made more positive changes in his short time in charge than what Dan Bassett has done so far.
That's a massive contract for IB to lose, I don't know exactly how many vehicles are involved but I believe it's a significant number. The service changes feel like "we've got some money so we'll just chuck it around". I actually fear for IB now, feels like a slow death could be incoming once the BSIP funds go.
Is there any news on the Village Link contracts that First currently operate?
buslad1988
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Believe it was about four/five? Clearly a lot weighed on them winning it back as they subsequently couldn’t afford the additional four E200MMC’s.
Admittedly the future doesn’t look prosperous for them. They’re getting to the stage they require heavy fleet investment (particularly double deckers but arguably singles too as the Tempos need ousting). With wage bills ever rising they’re currently staying afloat but not enough to make any heavy orders or even buy enough newer second hand stock in bulk. Not to mention their current identity crisis as well.
Their main threat now appears to be Central Connect more so than First. If CC decided to start a couple of town services they could be in serious trouble.
Seems like First are keeping hold of the Village Links routes for now, I’ve not seen anything mentioned on SCC’s website. The 70 has got BSIP money so has some kind of uplift. With First also gaining those additional Suffolk One routes and with no apparent transfers incoming it must mean they’ll be trimming back some of the commercial network at peaks.
pjnathanail
Member
The Ipswich School contracts have not been lost to Central Connect or Simonds. Ipswich Buses previously operated the Ipswich School services as a subcontractor to Kura, who held the main transport contract for the school. Kura lost that contract to Studentsafe earlier in the year, but the actual operator(s) of the routes are, as yet, unknown. Indeed, unless anybody on here works at Ipswich School or spends the time to go and see what / who turns up in September, the full picture of who operates which route may take some time to emerge, as private arrangements such as this are not subject to the same publishing requirements that public sector transport tenders are.
F Great Eastern
Established Member
This year there is a change in the TV deal which means a lot more games will be moved for TV in the Championship to Sundays.
== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: ==
This has always happened through the years though hasn't it.
When an operator knows that there is likely to be some money around (and let's be frank, over the last 10-15 years that's not been often), of course you are going to get someone which are going to say that they are going to withdraw services unless they get funding, in the hope that the service gets propped up with said funding. .
This is where the local authority has to be canny and realise that it's no coincidence that services that haven't been spoken about being under threat over the years, suddenly become in need of funding as soon as companies realise that they might get it if they play that card.
That is why in my view BSIP funds should be primarily used for expanding services and running new ones where there currently are no or very sparse services, rather than being used to prop up existing services like you say.
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markymark2000
On Moderation
Fully agree. I've seen it happen with far too much BSIP funds where it's not been used for it's original purpose of improving buses services. Or a small extra trip being added to make it an 'improvement' which suddenly means the whole tendered service can be paid for by BSIP funds rather than the councils normal pot. So much BSIP funds have been misspent and not delivered actual improvements that passengers want.
Purely for balance, it's worth noting that some such as Norfolk have spend their funds a bit more wisely on things which will have longer lasting benefits for bus users such as infrastructure related changes.
The corollary of this is a well-used but financially marginal service gets scrapped, while a new route, with fewer potential passengers, gets supported. Should BSIP support niche routes, or serve the largest number of passengers? (Whilst accepting that there may be some game-playing by bus companies)
F Great Eastern
Established Member
I think that a bit of common sense needs applied here. You would be amazed at how many routes suddenly are deemed to be 'marginal' by their operator all of a sudden when things like BSIP grants become available, that have never been deemed marginal previously.
I'm not against funds being used for marginal services, but for funds to be used for such things, a detailed analysis of passenger flows over the previous few years and the costs of running said services should be undertaken to determine if those services really are marginal now and haven't been in the past. I suspect some routes in the country may be ploughing along with similar numbers to they always have and are only being given the marginal label now because it is a way to extract money out of the council.
Also there may be an argument that if companies are threatening to pull marginal routes to get subsidy they don't really need, whether that route should be then advertised for tender rather than councils just propping up the existing operator with whatever subsidy they say they need. This would remove the incentive for operators to ask for subsidy that they don't really need as there would be a risk they would lose the route. It would then allow those funds to be used for services that really need the funding and if the route is really loss making, it would still get funded.
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