Renown Coaches (Bexhill)

[MedwayValiant]

I travelled with this operator for the first time yesterday, on the 297 service between Cranbrook and Tenterden. From a search I see that previous mentions of the company on these forums have not all been complimentary, but the bus was on time and the driver was pleasant, even if the vehicle was a bit rattly.

But it's actually the vehicle that I came here to ask about. It was in Metrobus livery, with a piece of paper in the window stating "On hire to Renown Coaches". During my journey we passed a bus operating a 297 in the opposite direction, which too was in Metrobus livery.

I can see three possible explanations. 1. Renown Coaches is more or less the same company as Metrobus. 2. Renown Coaches has subbed this tendered route out to Metrobus. 3. It's operating the service with borrowed vehicles.

Is anyone able to tell me which it is?

 

[Lynford1976]

None of the above. Renown have bought a job-lot of former Metrobus OmniDekkas which aren't (yet) repainted, virtually replacing their former fleet in the process.

I gather they've also bought a few Scania/East Lancs single-decks too.

D.

 

[Typhoon]

I travelled with this operator for the first time yesterday, on the 297 service between Cranbrook and Tenterden. From a search I see that previous mentions of the company on these forums have not all been complimentary, but the bus was on time and the driver was pleasant, even if the vehicle was a bit rattly.

But it's actually the vehicle that I came here to ask about. It was in Metrobus livery, with a piece of paper in the window stating "On hire to Renown Coaches". During my journey we passed a bus operating a 297 in the opposite direction, which too was in Metrobus livery.

I can see three possible explanations. 1. Renown Coaches is more or less the same company as Metrobus. 2. Renown Coaches has subbed this tendered route out to Metrobus. 3. It's operating the service with borrowed vehicles.

Is anyone able to tell me which it is?

I can't promise that these were the vehicles you saw but I have read that Renown purchased 3 former Metrobus Scanias in March from Ensign. I saw one in Tenterden recently fleetingly, I got the impression that, although it was in Metrobus livery, the logo was washed out.

Renown is certainly not part of Metrobus, I cannot guarantee that Metrobus is operating the route but it would make no sense geographically - although Renown's Bexhill HQ is also some way off route - nor have I ever heard of them operating in this way. I'm no expert in these things but could it still have Metrobus lettering; or maybe it is being leased from someone like Ensign. There is a comprehensive record of Metrobus vehicles and routes at https://assets.goaheadbus.com/media/cms_page_media/3171/fleet-history1808.pdf if you have more details of the vehicles.

 

[JamesRowden]

Eastbourne Coachways Bus Services July 2019

The Traffic Commissioner has made the decision to revoke Eastbourne Coachways’ PSV operator’s licence from Thursday 25 July 2019. This means the operator, who currently run bus services in Bexhill and the wider Rother area, will not be able to run any services after Wednesday 24 July.

The Traffic Commissioner’s actions were prompted by links between Eastbourne Coachways and Renown Transport Services, with Renown having given insufficient notice to withdraw from bus operations in October 2018. Services previously operated by Renown have since been contracted by East Sussex County Council to Eastbourne Coachways. This followed competitive tendering. The County Council had already highlighted that it would be necessary to review these services again in 2019, as the cost of funding services in the Bexhill area has increased considerably in recent years.

East Sussex County Council has taken action to secure replacement services, having received competitive bids from alternative bus operators. The County Council had anticipated that the cost of the new services would increase further, which has proven to be the case. Therefore the new services, which are being contracted to Stagecoach, will not to be as comprehensive as the current Eastbourne Coachways ones.

The new services will follow the principles of the County Council’s needs based public transport commissioning strategy by providing journeys that are used for work and education, as well as allowing residents access to key centres during the day. The strategy recognises that cuts in the core grant from central government to East Sussex do not allow us to meet all demands for bus services. Each service has recently been surveyed to confirm the use being made of them. These surveys have also been used to inform the planning of the revised services.

It should be noted that Bexhill Community Bus are currently considering potential changes to their long￾standing local bus services in the town to see whether their coverage can be expanded.

Interesting development.

 

[Typhoon]

I'd forgotten about this thread.

297 now operated by Hams Travel who mainly operate (smartly turned out) school buses.

The section quoted in thread #4 goes on to describe reduced replacement services, mainly operated by Stagecoach (https://www.eastsussex.gov.uk/media/13409/eastbourne-coachways-replacement-bus-services.pdf )