Ensignbus in Bus & Coach Buyer

[Deleted]

Here is a recent article about Ensignbus which was published in the Bus & Coach Buyer magazine:

www.ensignbus.com/Articles/16-20Ensignbus_BusCoach.pdf

I found this a very interesting read!

P.S. Ensignbus have recently expanded into Brentwood, taking over local route 81, with an additional journey X81 continuing to Lakeside shopping centre. This is mentioned in the article

[john]

May 11, 2010 15:49:53 GMT @truffles1234 said:

Here is a recent article about Ensignbus which was published in the Bus & Coach Buyer magazine:

www.ensignbus.com/Articles/16-20Ensignbus_BusCoach.pdf

I found this a very interesting read!

P.S. Ensignbus have recently expanded into Brentwood, taking over local route 81, with an additional journey X81 continuing to Lakeside shopping centre. This is mentioned in the article

The 81 is a dodgy route, in fact i didn't even know that the 81 was an ECC route!! It operates from Brentwood via the High Street and Shenfield to Hutton in a circular fashion. In fact i know the route well as i use it to get to my dad, aunt and nan in the area ;D Will be interesting to see how Ensign do with it as First were, as far as i can tell and heard, terrible. In fact they incorporated some 551 journeys on to the 81 rota too

[Deleted]

It quite clearly says in the linked article that Ensign are running the 81 commercially, and that First said they couldn't make it pay.

That would seem to imply that route 81 isn't in fact an ECC funded route at all.....

There's another interesting point within that article though - it's claimed that buses in service are not subject to any charges for the Thurrock/Dartford river crossing; when I worked for Harris Bus (routes L1,L2, L3 & L4 as well as dead running on the 108) we always had to pay regardless (via a Dart tag). Anyone know if the rules have changed?

[john]

Jun 11, 2010 2:32:38 GMT colin said:

It quite clearly says in the linked article that Ensign are running the 81 commercially, and that First said they couldn't make it pay.

That would seem to imply that route 81 isn't in fact an ECC funded route at all.....

There's another interesting point within that article though - it's claimed that buses in service are not subject to any charges for the Thurrock/Dartford river crossing; when I worked for Harris Bus (routes L1,L2, L3 & L4 as well as dead running on the 108) we always had to pay regardless (via a Dart tag). Anyone know if the rules have changed?

In regards to the Dartford Bridge, no idea. Haven't crossed that in a while!!

As for the 81, that was something i had heard from a family member who uses the service alot, though i know First and chopped and changed the route so much in recent years. It was so bad i believe local residents petitioned against First, or at least made their anger very much known to them!