East Anglia Bus Scene

[Wawanesa]

The BBC has a video of the crash occurring. I can only think that the driver had a medical episode.

 

[stuart81]

Oddly seems most of First's Vulcan Road services aren't tracking on bustimes since the service change yesterday although the 20 / 21 isn't either which I assume is still at Roundtree Way.

 

[borage]

Oddly seems most of First's Vulcan Road services aren't tracking on bustimes since the service change yesterday although the 20 / 21 isn't either which I assume is still at Roundtree Way.

Alas not that odd – a few different services around the country that changed yesterday have the same problem. I think they needed to remember to tick something in Ticketer portal to include the new routes in the SIRI-VM (Service Interface for Real Time Information – Vehicle Monitoring) feed.

 

[gingerheid]

There's a consultation regarding the Tiger routes around Cambridge (spoiler: the orbital services will still be doomed and flawed)

https://cpca-yourvoice.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Cambridge-City-Proposal.pdf

The revised proposals are in and they're quite reasonable compared to the original set: CPCA proposed bus service revisions

 

[Wawanesa]

Thanks for highlighting that report, it contains a lot of interesting statistics that you don't often get to see.

 

[gingerheid]

Thanks for highlighting that report, it contains a lot of interesting statistics that you don't often get to see.

Yes - some of the numbers are really interesting!

I was particularly interest to learn (via the T1, T2 & T3) the price range of keeping a double decker bus on the road for a certain number of hours a day.

It made me feel hopeful for franchising. It's clear that Stagecoach are very expensive, but that understandably other operators are nervous about not wanting to take the risk of overexpanding while trying to compete with them.

It's also interesting to see how franchising could interact with sort of almost profitable services. Tendering encourages the provision of a minimum level of service with the minimum outlay, but buses become more attractive the more of them there are. Legally the T1 probably shouldn't exist; it really is very close to a competitor to the B. Bus companies have gone to court for less. However it's really doing quite well if you consider that the infrequent timetable and lack of multi-operator season tickets makes it quite flawed. If it was a proper part of a busway network then I feel that, at worst, it wouldn't lose any more money if it ran every 20 mins (especially after Stagecoach cuts its slower services). Better still, I think that it running every 20 mins would also help make the A & B more attractive!

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Yes - some of the numbers are really interesting!

I was particularly interest to learn (via the T1, T2 & T3) the price range of keeping a double decker bus on the road for a certain number of hours a day.

It made me feel hopeful for franchising. It's clear that Stagecoach are very expensive, but that understandably other operators are nervous about not wanting to take the risk of overexpanding while trying to compete with them.

It's also interesting to see how franchising could interact with sort of almost profitable services. Tendering encourages the provision of a minimum level of service with the minimum outlay, but buses become more attractive the more of them there are. Legally the T1 probably shouldn't exist; it really is very close to a competitor to the B. Bus companies have gone to court for less. However it's really doing quite well if you consider that the infrequent timetable and lack of multi-operator season tickets makes it quite flawed. If it was a proper part of a busway network then I feel that, at worst, it wouldn't lose any more money if it ran every 20 mins (especially after Stagecoach cuts its slower services). Better still, I think that it running every 20 mins would also help make the A & B more attractive!

That's an interesting take on things.

You're not bothered that it was the same people who will be responsible for franchising that have put forward moneypits like the T2 or the T12?

And if you think that it's expensive having deckers on certain routes, the T12 is over £200k for running a minibus on a restricted schedule.

 

[Kartenga]

FlixBus will be operating a new route from 15th September 2026
Ipswich - London

Does anyone know which company is running it on their behalf?

 

[gingerheid]

That's an interesting take on things.

You're not bothered that it was the same people who will be responsible for franchising that have put forward moneypits like the T2 or the T12?

The T2 is indefensible.

I feel that places like Earith and Sutton are places that fit better into a franchised network than a fragmented one where competition isn't supposed to be happening.

And if you think that it's expensive having deckers on certain routes, the T12 is over £200k for running a minibus on a restricted schedule.

I meant that Stagecoach's deckers are expensive compared to Whippet's.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 14 Sep 2026 ==

FlixBus will be operating a new route from 15th September 2026
Ipswich - London

Does anyone know which company is running it on their behalf?

It's a Central Connect Yutong

 

[Camb]

My takeaway from this is wondering how long this cafe will stay open...

4 months, it is due to close next week -

Café Connect Co.

We’re sad to share that we’ve made the difficult decision to close Cafe Connect Co. in Colchester. Although our time here has been short, we’re grateful to everyone who’s popped in for a coffee,...

www.facebook.com

We're sad to share that we've made the difficult decision to close Cafe Connect Co. in Colchester.

Although our time here has been short, we're grateful to everyone who's popped in for a coffee, shared a kind word or supported us along the way. Thank you for welcoming us and being part of our journey.

We will remain open until closing on Tuesday 29th September.

Our Norwich cafe at the bus station remains open as usual, and we'd love to see you there.

 

[Russel]

4 months, it is due to close next week -

Café Connect Co.

We’re sad to share that we’ve made the difficult decision to close Cafe Connect Co. in Colchester. Although our time here has been short, we’re grateful to everyone who’s popped in for a coffee,...

www.facebook.com

Predictable. Especially given the cafe was tucked away with little visible signage outside to indicate it's presence.

Set up to fail.

 

[Wawanesa]

Unfortunately the the only connection that the location had with buses was that it is where the Eastern National(later First) garage used to be. The vast majority of bus passengers don't go near Queen Street these days. As has been said, it was tucked away at the back of a shared occupation building so you really had to search it out. When I went there and placed my order, I was told that they didn't accept cash, so they lost that business.

The cafe at Norwich is a long running operation so will no doubt continue.

 

[essexjohn]

I wouldn’t read too much into that. the driver trainer probably just fancied going somewhere different. I can remember back in 1990 seeing a Southend Transport driver trainer bus in Melbourne Farm Estate in Chelmsford. It was their Leyland Titan PD2 or PD3

Maybe coincidence but Arriva will be running a new service 62A/B through Southchurch from 25 October.

 

[Cambus731]

Maybe coincidence but Arriva will be running a new service 62A/B through Southchurch from 25 October.

Well of course I could have been wrong. It has been known.

 

[buslad1988]

Ipswich Buses’ identity crisis continues… with the ex Falcon E200MMC’s 71/72 both pushed into regular all day service with just their front ends tidied up to match the rest of the fleet.

Ipswich Buses 72 YX17 NZB

Ipswich

www.flickr.com

I’d be interested to know exactly what it is that’s stalling management making a decision on a new brand/livery and launching it. Having buses in all over dealer white is one thing but it does come across rather amateurish pushing buses into service like this. It’s the kind of thing you’d see from Eastern Counties back in the mid 1990’s; IB’s standards have certainly dropped.

If rumour is true there could be even more buses arriving in allover white over the coming months.

 

[dlp_888]

Ipswich Buses’ identity crisis continues… with the ex Falcon E200MMC’s 71/72 both pushed into regular all day service with just their front ends tidied up to match the rest of the fleet.

Ipswich Buses 72 YX17 NZB

Ipswich

www.flickr.com

I’d be interested to know exactly what it is that’s stalling management making a decision on a new brand/livery and launching it. Having buses in all over dealer white is one thing but it does come across rather amateurish pushing buses into service like this. It’s the kind of thing you’d see from Eastern Counties back in the mid 1990’s; IB’s standards have certainly dropped.

If rumour is true there could be even more buses arriving in allover white over the coming months.

What a mess. The whole operation right now just screams low-budget, cheap. Look at the state of their ex-Trent Optare Tempo SR's with leftover bits of route branding (another idea that never worked), and their ex-London Scania double deckers with faded green/purple (vile) paintwork, many of which are belching out black exhaust smoke.

Not the Ipswich Buses i once knew, sadly.

There might be a day when they finally realise their dated, 1980's style bus network, needs a significant overhaul to get their customers to the destinations they actually want. In 2026, the idea that one still has to "change buses in the town centre" to get to the other side of town, is utterly absurd. Its like they've never heard of cross-town routes.

 

[Russel]

Ipswich Buses’ identity crisis continues… with the ex Falcon E200MMC’s 71/72 both pushed into regular all day service with just their front ends tidied up to match the rest of the fleet.

Ipswich Buses 72 YX17 NZB

Ipswich

www.flickr.com

I’d be interested to know exactly what it is that’s stalling management making a decision on a new brand/livery and launching it. Having buses in all over dealer white is one thing but it does come across rather amateurish pushing buses into service like this. It’s the kind of thing you’d see from Eastern Counties back in the mid 1990’s; IB’s standards have certainly dropped.

If rumour is true there could be even more buses arriving in allover white over the coming months.

Is that the same company that was green and purple a couple of years ago?

 

[TAS]

Essex County Council are running a consultation on a proposed new bus station for Colchester. The suggested location (dubbed Painters Yard) is part of the old bus station/Eastern National depot site, adjacent to the Firstsite and Minories art galleries and the Curzon cinema, which is already proposed to be connected by a walking route to Colchester Town station. Ironically it's literally next door to the cafe that Central Connect have just closed!

Flicking through the details, there doesn't seem to be any funding allocated for delivery yet and an estimated price tag of £20-25m, with a suggestion that the whole process from this point on could take three to five years, dependent on funding. Modelling suggests that the new interchange would need up to 25 stops and five layover bays to meet demand by 2041, while the current bus station has nine stops and two layover bays and is already operating at over 200% of its capacity. There are a couple of different layouts being consulted on, both with drive on-reverse out stands and access from Queen Street (which would also host three bus stops).

Press release here, quoted below:

A new chapter for Painters Yard: Consultation launched as first images revealed for Colchester Bus Station Interchange​

Residents, businesses and visitors are being invited to help shape plans for a new Bus Station Interchange in Colchester, with a major public consultation

Buses are set to return to Painters Yard as plans are unveiled for a new transport interchange on part of the old bus station site.

Residents, businesses and visitors are being invited to help shape plans for a new Bus Station Interchange in Colchester, with a major public consultation launching today, 28 September.

For the first time, residents can view artist impressions showing how a future transport interchange at Painters Yard could look.

Developed by Team Colchester, the partnership between Essex County Council and Colchester City Council, the proposals aim to improve public transport provision in the city centre, support future growth and continue the regeneration of east Colchester.

The emerging plans would transform the vacant Painters Yard site, alongside Curzon Cinema and behind Firstsite, into a modern transport hub that reconnects the area with the wider city centre.

When the former bus station and depot closed, the creation of Firstsite helped transform part of the site. Wider aspirations existed for the remaining land, and although those plans did not come forward, the city has continued to grow and demand for bus services has increased significantly.

The consultation provides an opportunity to consider how Painters Yard can once again play a central role in Colchester's transport network.

Presenting two early layout concepts, both options provide significantly more transport capacity and a step change in passenger facilities, while creating opportunities for public spaces, landscaping and connections to Colchester's cultural and heritage attractions.

Cllr Jeff Bray, Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Planning and Heritage at Essex County Council said: "This is an exciting opportunity for Colchester and a chance to bring back to life a space that is underused. The next steps will see the proposals refined and a business case developed for funding, and it is important that local people help shape that process. Whether you use local bus services regularly, travel through the city centre or simply care about Colchester's future, we encourage everyone to take a look at the proposals and share their views.

“The feedback we receive will help to refine the proposals in more detail and help us on the journey to delivering a new facility that Colchester can be proud of.”

Cllr David King, Deputy Leader of Colchester City Council and Chair of Team Colchester, said: "This is about supporting bus travel and passengers. More than that, it’s an opportunity to transform a long-vacant brownfield site into a welcoming gateway that reflects the confidence and ambition we have for Colchester, linking public transport with our heritage, culture and city centre."

Residents will be able to take part online, view artist impressions and future visualisations, and attend a number of engagement events across the city during the consultation period.

Painters Yard was identified as the preferred location following a detailed assessment of a number of potential city centre sites. It offers the space required to accommodate future demand, works best operationally for buses and provides the most cost-effective solution.

Cllr Paul Dundas, Leader of Colchester City Council, added: “When we started Team Colchester in 2022 one of the main motivations for doing so was to deliver a new bus station. These things take time, but I am delighted that today we reach a major milestone in delivering the bus station the city needs and deserves.

"Many people will remember the former bus station and depot on the site and will have experienced the challenges we face with Osborne Street, so it is critical that we get this right.

“This consultation marks the start of what I see as the next phase of Colchester's regeneration, connecting transport improvements with heritage, culture and economic growth. Before we move forward, we want local people to help shape that vision.

Residents can find out more, view the proposals and take part in the consultation at: www.essexhighways.org/colchester-bus-interchange

 

[Russel]

Essex County Council are running a consultation on a proposed new bus station for Colchester. The suggested location (dubbed Painters Yard) is part of the old bus station/Eastern National depot site, adjacent to the Firstsite and Minories art galleries and the Curzon cinema, which is already proposed to be connected by a walking route to Colchester Town station. Ironically it's literally next door to the cafe that Central Connect have just closed!

Flicking through the details, there doesn't seem to be any funding allocated for delivery yet and an estimated price tag of £20-25m, with a suggestion that the whole process from this point on could take three to five years, dependent on funding. Modelling suggests that the new interchange would need up to 25 stops and five layover bays to meet demand by 2041, while the current bus station has nine stops and two layover bays and is already operating at over 200% of its capacity. There are a couple of different layouts being consulted on, both with drive on-reverse out stands and access from Queen Street (which would also host three bus stops).

Press release here, quoted below:

Interesting proposal, it's fairly obvious the current bus station on Osbourne Street is operating over it's designed capacity, at times it looks like an accident waiting to happen.

 

[TAS]

Interesting proposal, it's fairly obvious the current bus station on Osbourne Street is operating over it's designed capacity, at times it looks like an accident waiting to happen.

Not just waiting to happen! A little while ago I walked past and saw what appeared to be the aftermath of someone being hit by a bus (blood, ambulances, police etc.)...

And more prosaically I generally aim, even when the bus station would be most convenient, to catch buses at the next/previous stop as I've had too many issues involving buses leaving from the wrong stand and this not being at all obvious from the correct one.

I think it's a generally positive proposal compared to what we have now. However, I'd like more detailed plans of how everything will fit as the land available feels quite tight for what is proposed. However I'm struggling to visualise it as, while some of the proposed site was occupied by the temporary bus station pre-2013, much of it was either part of the depot, (empty) retail space or the old waiting room; now it's basically all derelict land, so maybe it's a bigger space that it feels to me. Incidentally, much of the site of that last, temporary iteration of the old bus station won't be being used for the proposed new one as it's now laid to grass and used for events.

There's also the issue of road access - I seem to remember only having access to/from Queen Street caused some issues once Firstsite blocked the route into the old bus station from East Hill and the AI mock ups for the two options in the consultation don't really show plausible layouts in this respect.

EDIT: To help visualise things more clearly, I've plotted the proposed site over aerial photos of the original bus station site, the temporary bus station site and the site as it was in the most recent aerial photo available (before the digital hub on the old depot site was finished). I think there's maybe more space than I thought, albeit it's a bit of a weird shape.

 

[Wawanesa]

There's also the issue of road access - I seem to remember only having access to/from Queen Street caused some issues once Firstsite blocked the route into the old bus station from East Hill and the AI mock ups for the two options in the consultation don't really show plausible layouts in this respect.

Yes, I think that the access from Queen Street could be an issue but we do need to see detailed plans. However I doubt that there is anything that could be worse that Osborne Street.

 

[buslad1988]

Is that the same company that was green and purple a couple of years ago?

Yes, they’ve used green/purple for the past 13 years now. Horrible choice of colours and badly executed.

What a mess. The whole operation right now just screams low-budget, cheap. Look at the state of their ex-Trent Optare Tempo SR's with leftover bits of route branding (another idea that never worked), and their ex-London Scania double deckers with faded green/purple (vile) paintwork, many of which are belching out black exhaust smoke.

Not the Ipswich Buses i once knew, sadly.

There might be a day when they finally realise their dated, 1980's style bus network, needs a significant overhaul to get their customers to the destinations they actually want. In 2026, the idea that one still has to "change buses in the town centre" to get to the other side of town, is utterly absurd. Its like they've never heard of cross-town routes.

It’s certainly not the operation it once was, which is a huge shame as the area has so much potential. It’s become the poorest of the remaining municipal companies for sure!

I’m not sure if/when it’ll ever be turned around and returned to its once former glory? It may be just about turning a profit and affording small pockets of newer stock, but there’s a ton of elderly fleet to replace and it now lacks any identity. No local pride - all the buses with seatbelts too makes it smack of an independent country operator rather than a major player. Especially when you have the likes of Lynx in Norfolk to compare to.