First to pull out in Clacton area

[Cesarcollie]

Noticed the 62 group frequency increase - is that a measure against Hedingham?

There appears to be some suggestion that the Hedingham equivalent (87) will be withdrawn from September. Nothing in N & P yet though. In which case it's hard to envisage the 62 group remaining at 15 mins all the way through to Brightlingsea - that would be over bussing on a grand scale!!

 

[TubeMapCentral]

New arrangements for Clacton-Frinton-Walton look horrible, that will get rid if the rest of the passengers. Can't imagine anyone travelling by choice from Walton to Colchester by a bus that goes via Clacton. The local rail service is slow, but it's not that slow!

 

[Cesarcollie]

New arrangements for Clacton-Frinton-Walton look horrible, that will get rid if the rest of the passengers. Can't imagine anyone travelling by choice from Walton to Colchester by a bus that goes via Clacton. The local rail service is slow, but it's not that slow!

In fairness the current First services are Walton - Clacton and Clacton - Colchester. So they don't run direct at the moment. The only downside is the knock on effects of congestion to the Clacton - Walton section. There is a direct Walton - Colchester service but that is an ECC tender run by Stephensons (105/107).

 

[AaronR]

Looks way more confusing on the Jaywick routes to be honest, cant really work out how it all interworks. It seems you can go from Burrs Rd and the Factory outlet direct to Jaywick via the town centre, but you can go from Jaywick back the other direction?? Why do they need to still have the X76 to Jaywick, and what is the point of competing with themselves on some of the routes!! First's current network seems more simple in my opinion. I still think the Clacton - Walton route deserves some kind of route branding etc to raise its profile, some journeys could probably warrant a double decker from what I've seen!

 

[overthewater]

Im sure the X76 give Jaywick a direct bus to Colchester.

 

[backontrack]

We already know the points: First scotland east? I'm sure that now sorted, Parts of Manchester, Stoke on trent, Berkshire and Devon and Cornwall. I would be surprised if anywhere else is in trouble.

It'll probably be all over for First in a year there. Lothian Country Buses are making their move.

 

[overthewater]

It'll probably be all over for First in a year there. Lothian Country Buses are making their move.

Don't Count your chicken just yet, LCB with those new ideas are crap . FYI I started that thread

 

[TubeMapCentral]

Looks way more confusing on the Jaywick routes to be honest, cant really work out how it all interworks. It seems you can go from Burrs Rd and the Factory outlet direct to Jaywick via the town centre, but you can go from Jaywick back the other direction?? Why do they need to still have the X76 to Jaywick, and what is the point of competing with themselves on some of the routes!! First's current network seems more simple in my opinion. I still think the Clacton - Walton route deserves some kind of route branding etc to raise its profile, some journeys could probably warrant a double decker from what I've seen!

Having been caught out by the two hour gap from Clacton to Walton between 18:30 and 20:30, and the person I was with declaring she would never travel by bus in the area ever again as a result, I would suggest that First need more than rebranding to counter the general public's natural hatred of travelling by bus

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Having been caught out by the two hour gap from Clacton to Walton between 18:30 and 20:30, and the person I was with declaring she would never travel by bus in the area ever again as a result, I would suggest that First need more than rebranding to counter the general public's natural hatred of travelling by bus

Tbf, if you’ve been “caught out”, is that because you’ve misread the timetable? Or that the timetable has a gap because Essex CC haven’t tendered one as part of the evening service that they support?

 

[TubeMapCentral]

tbf, I don't care how tbf you are being. The general public, as opposed to crazy enthusiasts, have clear ideas about the necessary parameters for a bus service in order to be prepared to use it, and it it fails these, as virtually all First Essex services do, then they will use their cars, no matter how long the traffic jams get. And, as someone who has no driving licence, and has relied on buses and trains for mobility much of his life, I say good luck to them, they have a point. Provincial buses are for captive audiences only.

 

[TubeMapCentral]

Tbf, if you’ve been “caught out”, is that because you’ve misread the timetable? Or that the timetable has a gap because Essex CC haven’t tendered one as part of the evening service that they support?

Or put it another way, have you ever turned up at a Tesco on Tuesday at 19:00 and seen a sign outside saying "sorry, it's a bit quiet at this time of day, come back at 20:30 and we will offer you a service". Don't even think about starting a lecture on bus economics, by failing that basic test of availability, buses are ruled out as an option by most provincial car drivers, and quite right too!

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

tbf, I don't care how tbf you are being. The general public, as opposed to crazy enthusiasts, have clear ideas about the necessary parameters for a bus service in order to be prepared to use it, and it it fails these, as virtually all First Essex services do, then they will use their cars, no matter how long the traffic jams get. And, as someone who has no driving licence, and has relied on buses and trains for mobility much of his life, I say good luck to them, they have a point. Provincial buses are for captive audiences only.

So your solution is what?

 

[overthewater]

So your solution is what?

Spend the money on filling the gap?

 

[TubeMapCentral]

As a non car driver/owner/user living in Walton-on-the-Naze, I would say, forget it, rail services provide all the necessary links in the area and providing buses is just flogging a dead horse. Put them out of their misery, if they all vanished tomorrow I would make do. Most people don't even know they are there.

 

[daodao]

Or put it another way, have you ever turned up at a Tesco on Tuesday at 19:00 and seen a sign outside saying "sorry, it's a bit quiet at this time of day, come back at 20:30 and we will offer you a service". Don't even think about starting a lecture on bus economics, by failing that basic test of availability, buses are ruled out as an option by most provincial car drivers, and quite right too!

In many parts of England and Wales, such as Shropshire and East Cheshire, evening bus services are virtually non-existent, so turning up at 19:00 is generally too late for any sort of service. Greater M/c do support some evening services, but they are simply pouring taxpayers' money down the drain - buses on subsidised evening services, such as the 280-288 in the Altrincham area, are virtually empty when I see them.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Spend the money on filling the gap?

What money is that?

Anyway, seems that the issue was a non issue as the OP says trains are sufficiently plentiful

 

[InspectorBloke]

As a non car driver/owner/user living in Walton-on-the-Naze, I would say, forget it, rail services provide all the necessary links in the area and providing buses is just flogging a dead horse. Put them out of their misery, if they all vanished tomorrow I would make do. Most people don't even know they are there.

That may be the case in Walton for you, but there must be a demand for a service along the Colchester-Clacton-Walton corridor, otherwise First would have pulled out of Clacton completely.

I agree that the rail service provides a better option than bus for journeys between Colchester and Clacton/Walton, but I doubt First are trying to compete in that respect. Journeys from village to town or between Clacton and Walton I expect make up the bulk of journeys, which are not adequately served by the existing rail service.

 

[Bletchleyite]

That may be the case in Walton for you, but there must be a demand for a service along the Colchester-Clacton-Walton corridor, otherwise First would have pulled out of Clacton completely.

I agree that the rail service provides a better option than bus for journeys between Colchester and Clacton/Walton, but I doubt First are trying to compete in that respect. Journeys from village to town or between Clacton and Walton I expect make up the bulk of journeys, which are not adequately served by the existing rail service.

The most irritating thing about the rail service (and I've looked at this because I'm going to want to take a small group of Scouts from Thorrington to Clacton and back this weekend) is that the Clacton service doesn't stop at most of the local stations despite this most likely being the most popular destination. At least it does stop at Thorpe-le-Soken for a not terribly-timed connection. The station at Thorrington itself having succumbed to Beeching is also an irritant. I expect we'll still get the train, though, it's easier to plan than the bus and probably cheaper using a combination of Network Railcard and the "kids CDR for 2 quid" offer.

 

[Man of Kent]

The most irritating thing about the rail service (and I've looked at this because I'm going to want to take a small group of Scouts from Thorrington to Clacton and back this weekend) is that the Clacton service doesn't stop at most of the local stations despite this most likely being the most popular destination. At least it does stop at Thorpe-le-Soken for a not terribly-timed connection. The station at Thorrington itself having succumbed to Beeching is also an irritant. I expect we'll still get the train, though, it's easier to plan than the bus and probably cheaper using a combination of Network Railcard and the "kids CDR for 2 quid" offer.

To be strictly accurate, Thorington station (as the railway mainly spelt it) closed in November 1957, six years before Beeching.

 

[InspectorBloke]

So we are now in the final week of Clacton depot. I do feel for all of the staff affected there. Clacton always seemed to be a popular depot to work at, with Colchester always holding a rather long list of drivers who wanted to work there.

It seems that the fleet of buses will be transferred within Essex, the Alexander Dennis Pointers passing to Chelmsford and the Scanias passing to Colchester. I'm not sure how many buses will be released by this, but I expect it will reduce the age profile a little.

 

[Bletchleyite]

We did use the bus and it was decent enough. Will some routes (eg the 74 we used) move to other depots?

 

[InspectorBloke]

We did use the bus and it was decent enough. Will some routes (eg the 74 we used) move to other depots?

The Clacton urbans will be operated by Hedingham and the Colchester-Clacton-Walton inter urbans will be operated by Colchester depot.

 

[90sWereBetter]

So we are now in the final week of Clacton depot. I do feel for all of the staff affected there. Clacton always seemed to be a popular depot to work at, with Colchester always holding a rather long list of drivers who wanted to work there.

It seems that the fleet of buses will be transferred within Essex, the Alexander Dennis Pointers passing to Chelmsford and the Scanias passing to Colchester. I'm not sure how many buses will be released by this, but I expect it will reduce the age profile a little.

The 03 and 06 plate Scanias at Clacton should help Colchester get rid of the 51 plate Scanias, and maybe the 52 plates as well. That should then mean the oldest vehicles left with First Essex are 51-plate Tridents, which I imagine will stay in service for a while yet (certainly Hadleigh's allocation seem set for another couple of years given their excellent condition inside and out).

 

[InspectorBloke]

The 03 and 06 plate Scanias at Clacton should help Colchester get rid of the 51 plate Scanias, and maybe the 52 plates as well. That should then mean the oldest vehicles left with First Essex are 51-plate Tridents, which I imagine will stay in service for a while yet (certainly Hadleigh's allocation seem set for another couple of years given their excellent condition inside and out).

The Tridents/Presidents received a fairly comprehensive refurbishment before moving to Essex back in 2012/13 so I don't think they will be replaced any time soon.

The Pointers heading to Chelmsford should displace the oldest ('03 plated) Caetano bodied Darts there.