Arriva pulling out of Epping-Harlow (again!)

[N230UD]

So, Arriva Kent Thameside have registered a change from 4th March 2019 on route 9 (Harlow - Potter Street - Epping) which competes against the Trustybus routes along this corridor. It will go back to its original route between Harlow and Potter Street, and will no longer continue to Epping. 

(brief history - Arriva traditionally operated this corridor, but lost it from competition from independent SM Coaches - who themselves lost it to Trustybus). 

From what I have seen, the Trustybus journeys are busier, and the Arriva journeys less so. The 9 also seems to have a strange allocation of vehicles - one day I saw a mix of a Citaro, Volvo and a Sprinter! 

I'm not particularly surprised about this, as there are few places with this current bus industry where competition can be sustainable. And Trustybus have the advantage of also having North Weald and Ongar passengers. 

[lonmark]

But only route 418B still running by Arriva for the council on Sunday service?

[N230UD]

Jan 18, 2019 7:05:24 GMT lonmark said:

But only route 418B still running by Arriva for the council on Sunday service?

Yes, they will still be running that. 
Incidentally, I have yet to see any photo of Arriva operating the 418B (the most ridiculous route number!) 

[joefrombow]

Looks like a lot of Essex County Council routes will be having some cut backs during evenings and weekends including the 418B there is a ongoing consultation

www.essex.gov.uk/local-bus-consultation

[snoggle]

Jan 22, 2019 18:03:11 GMT joefrombow said:

Looks like a lot of Essex County Council routes will be having some cut backs during evenings and weekends including the 418B there is a ongoing consultation

www.essex.gov.uk/local-bus-consultation

The scale of the cuts is appalling. The late night journeys proposed for the axe break the ability to get a train from London and get home conveniently. The Sunday cutbacks will ruin travel across vast areas of Essex and break loads of links. Southend and Colchester are badly hit. This rubbish has to stop before we have no bus network left.

[busaholic]

Jan 22, 2019 19:32:24 GMT snoggle said:

Jan 22, 2019 18:03:11 GMT joefrombow said:

Looks like a lot of Essex County Council routes will be having some cut backs during evenings and weekends including the 418B there is a ongoing consultation

www.essex.gov.uk/local-bus-consultation

The scale of the cuts is appalling. The late night journeys proposed for the axe break the ability to get a train from London and get home conveniently. The Sunday cutbacks will ruin travel across vast areas of Essex and break loads of links. Southend and Colchester are badly hit. This rubbish has to stop before we have no bus network left.

Unfortunately, your call will be falling on deaf ears. Southend and Colchester were, of course, the two Essex towns with municipal bus fleets at one time and their continuance might just have averted the worst of this, but we shall never know. I've fond memories of Colchester buses from my childhood, in part because they seemed so alien in every way to a kid from the London suburbs!

[N230UD]

I'm not completely convinced that services would be better today if the municipals still existed in Essex - most issues with our bus industry today are caused by politicians, and national/local government - And municipals are of course more politically influenced. That said - just look at some of the excellent service offered by the municipals in forward-thinking Europe (although its not all great in Europe), and more closer to home with Reading Buses.

I'm not surprised about the 418B - the daytime equivalent 418 was made commercial with Trustybus, but they have since made cutbacks to the service, meaning the evening and Sunday service (ECC contracted) is more frequent than the busier daytime service - madness! Less people are likely to use a service in the evenings/Sundays if the daytime service is rubbish. Incidentally, when the service was the 541, completely operated by Arriva, I remember busy journeys between Debden/Abridge and Abridge/Theydon for the Tube. I've not seen that again.

I can understand that operating evening and Sunday journeys are very costly, but removing the evening and Sunday services will reduce some custom during the day too - whats the point of catching the bus into town for a meal and drinks if you can't catch the bus back after, say, 8pm??

[grubbysa]

A big problem I've found in Essex from personal experience is the reliability is dreadful. Trying to time yourself for a Trustybus is a lost cause when the drivers don't stick to schedules. I remember one 420 trip I had we left Ongar on time but arrived to Epping 15 mins early! Made for a long wait for the next 87 which wasn't very fun. With First the buses are always late or broken down somewhere and their twitter account is just useless. The only operator I have no complaints with is Ensign. With most operators in the area reliability being dreadful I don't blame people for finding alternative travel options.

[busaholic]

Jan 24, 2019 12:53:35 GMT grubbysa said:

A big problem I've found in Essex from personal experience is the reliability is dreadful. Trying to time yourself for a Trustybus is a lost cause when the drivers don't stick to schedules. I remember one 420 trip I had we left Ongar on time but arrived to Epping 15 mins early! Made for a long wait for the next 87 which wasn't very fun. With First the buses are always late or broken down somewhere and their twitter account is just useless. The only operator I have no complaints with is Ensign. With most operators in the area reliability being dreadful I don't blame people for finding alternative travel options.

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The local Traffic Commissioner's office seems to turn a blind eye to the goings-on in and around Harlow and Epping, excepting the odd occasion when almost forced to take action. I've never understood it, when in other areas perfectly competent operators get grief for matters often largely out of their control e.g. traffic comgestion.