Outcome of Bus Network Consultation

Essex County Council carried out a consultation on its support for 162 local bus services during 13 July and 5 October 2023. The majority of local bus contracts are now set to continue to at least 2026 or 2028. The result of the consultation is as follows:

• Three services will be replaced. They are: DaRT4 and DaRT5 – both to be replaced with a new Service 45; and F315 which will now be incorporated into DaRT3.

• Four additional services will be replaced with DigiGo; which offers greater flexibility and longer operational hours and days compared to the services being replaced. They are: 9/9A, 21 (both Hedingham and Stephensons services), 345 and SB21. Details on how to book DigiGo here. Please note:

  • The 21 Sunday service replacement by DigiGo will commence on 24 March 2024

  • The remainder of the services will commence with DigiGo from 28 July 2024

• Eight services will be withdrawn due to low number of passengers. These are services: 6, 84B, 94, 99, 256, 552, 804 and C56. See further information below on possible alternative transport options.

• A procurement process is now underway for the remaining services. We would expect to make an announcement on the outcome during Spring 2024. This allows us to use the most up to date passenger data available in any final decisions.

  Service number	Origin	Destination	Days of operation	Current operator	Possible alternative transport options **
  6	Harlow	Harlow	Monday to Saturday Evenings	Arriva Kent Thameside	Replaced by an alternative service -  to be confirmed
  94	South Woodham	South Woodham Ferrers	Sunday & Public Holidays	First Essex Buses Ltd	Service 336
  84B	Colchester	Great Horkesley	Thursday	Hedingham & Chambers	Services 784, 84, 754 and 756
  99	Clacton	Walton on the Naze	Monday to Saturday Evenings	Hedingham & Chambers	Train line
  256	Basildon	Ramsden Heath	Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday	First Essex Buses Ltd	Services 3, 10, 725, 2, 13A and 14
  552	Ramsden Heath	Billericay Station	Monday to Friday	First Essex Buses Ltd	Services 3, 10, 725, 2, 13A and 14
  804	Debden	Chigwell	Schooldays	NIBS Buses	Services 542A, 397, 275 and 67
  C56	Chelmsford	Galleywood	Sunday & Public Holidays	First Essex Buses Ltd	Services C1 and C7

  * Please note all service information is correct at the time of writing (January 2024).

  Below is a link to the TravelEssex site with further explanation of the consultation outcome, which includes a link to the detailed decision taken regarding all the local bus services subsidised by Essex County Council:

  https://www.travelessex.co.uk/about-bus-services/consultations-supported-services