Stagecoach East (Bedford, Cambridge, Huntingdon and Peterborough)

[IanMac]

Other developments on the way:

The X5 will acquire several short early and late runs between Bedford and MK which look like positioning journeys for the MK1.

In the longer term Stagecoach East is aiming to have discussions with the new Mayor about the 31 and 33 which it wants to "partially amalgamate", to provide a 60-minute service between Peterborough and Whittlesey, with some journeys extended to serve Peterborough Hospital, but no buses to March. This calls into question the current partial interworking with the 46 - which has never been satisfactory because the 46 runs on a 90-minute headway and the 33 on 120 minutes. The 46 would be isolated from the rest of the East network, and I wonder if it might move to East Midlands where it could be rationalised with the parallel 56 which EM already runs from its Spalding base.

 

[overthewater]

I take it with the tories winning the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Mayor election, its unlikely the big plans for better buses will happen now?

 

[jfowkes]

I take it with the tories winning the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Mayor election, its unlikely the big plans for better buses will happen now?

Lib Dems won the council majority, I don't know what powers the mayor and council actually have...

 

[mbonwick]

In an unsual move for Stagecoach, 8.9m E200s YX17NJO, SN16OGP, YY67USP (all latterly with Aintree Coachline), YY66PDX/PEO/PFA/PFO, YX65RHF, YY15XMJ, YY66PFU (all latterly with Warrington) have been aquired from Ensign. Fleet numbers 37280-9.

 

[aswilliamsuk]

In an unsual move for Stagecoach, 8.9m E200s YX17NJO, SN16OGP, YY67USP (all latterly with Aintree Coachline), YY66PDX/PEO/PFA/PFO, YX65RHF, YY15XMJ, YY66PFU (all latterly with Warrington) have been aquired from Ensign. Fleet numbers 37280-9.

Presumably to fulfill contracts, and there was nothing available to cascade.

 

[higthomas]

Lib Dems won the council majority, I don't know what powers the mayor and council actually have...

I think the franchising powers are all with the mayor.

He is somewhat wishy washy on franchising in his manifesto; he points out minor issues with it and says he'll do a review. So not an "I'll scrap it" but probably an "I'll kick it down the road until it never happens".

 

[Cesarcollie]

I think the franchising powers are all with the mayor.

He is somewhat wishy washy on franchising in his manifesto; he points out minor issues with it and says he'll do a review. So not an "I'll scrap it" but probably an "I'll kick it down the road until it never happens".

He also says he’ll end the ‘war on the motorist’, freeze the Mayoral Precept (Which was scheduled to increase to fund franchising) and scrap the proposals for the Camborne busway…… So not great news for buses, irrespective of your views on franchising as a regulatory model.

 

[al_557]

In an unsual move for Stagecoach, 8.9m E200s YX17NJO, SN16OGP, YY67USP (all latterly with Aintree Coachline), YY66PDX/PEO/PFA/PFO, YX65RHF, YY15XMJ, YY66PFU (all latterly with Warrington) have been aquired from Ensign. Fleet numbers 37280-9.

Most of these are to replace elderly ex London E200s at Bedford depot on routes which require small buses such as town service 8. Although the smaller buses are ideal for North Beds contract services, 22, 22A, 25, 27, 28 and 28A, a standard size E200 will fit around the routes although some reversing is required on the 25.

Bedford depot would only require 6 of these 10 new arrivals. The other 4 are rumoured to be for Peterborough

 

[mbonwick]

It surprised me when Bedford got the ex-London mini-E200s; why not just get Solos like the rest of the group? I'm assuming there must be some specific conditions to justify both that and an almost unheard of (in recent times) secondhand purchase.

The last not-new vehicles I can recall being purchased (that wren't part of a larger deal) were 53723/4 for Rennies in Scotland...sure I'm very wrong on that!

 

[al_557]

tIt surprised me when Bedford got the ex-London mini-E200s; why not just get Solos like the rest of the group? I'm assuming there must be some specific conditions to justify both that and an almost unheard of (in recent times) secondhand purchase.

The last not-new vehicles I can recall being purchased (that wren't part of a larger deal) were 53723/4 for Rennies in Scotland...sure I'm very wrong on that!

Bedford had former Kings Lynn 15 and 66 plate Solo SR's after that depot closed and they were deemed unsuitable for route 8 which serves tight roads around Queens Park. At the time, they already had 2 56 plate ex London Mini E200's which were originally transferred in as extras due to the bridges over the Midland Mainline being replaced for the electrification of the line north of Bedford station which caused the need for extra buses to cover diversionary routes needed. They were deemed better suited for the route so the Solo SR's were transferred out and replaced by more ex London mini E200's

 

[mbonwick]

Not surprised they were deemed better than the Solo SRs - from memory all the Kings Lynn ones were 9.9m or longer!
Comparison to a standard 9m Solo would have been fairer, but using the ex-London mini-E200s was a very sensible move at the time.

 

[Simon75]

Do Stagecoach East still have any outstations ?

 

[al_557]

Do Stagecoach East still have any outstations ?

Holbeach drove is used as an outstation of Peterborough depot. Ely is used to store withdrawn and reserve buses.

 

[Simon75]

Holbeach drove is used as an outstation of Peterborough depot. Ely is used to store withdrawn and reserve buses.

Is March still used ?

 

[IanMac]

I'm surprised to hear that Holbeach Drove is still in use as an outstation, as all Peterborough duties now appear to finish at the depot.

 

[RELL6L]

Do Stagecoach East still have any outstations ?

Also an outstation at Haverhill, runs the whole of the 13,13A and X13.

 

[Teds]

Holbeach drove is used as an outstation of Peterborough depot. Ely is used to store withdrawn and reserve buses.

Isn't Holbeach Drove an outstation/depot of East Midlands? It seemed at the time the change was made that this was to line up with the regional boundary. Holbeach is in Lincolnshire and East Midlands (Government) region. The vehicles have to return to Skegness for maintenance!
Ely is just used as a store at the moment.

 

[IanMac]

Isn't Holbeach Drove an outstation/depot of East Midlands? It seemed at the time the change was made that this was to line up with the regional boundary. Holbeach is in Lincolnshire and East Midlands (Government) region. The vehicles have to return to Skegness for maintenance!
Ely is just used as a store at the moment.

Holbeach Drove (aka Fowlers) was always in the Stagecoach East area, and indeed was always an outstation of Peterborough. Latterly it was used overnight by buses from Peterborough routes 4 (one bus extended from the then terminus at Parnwell), 31 (one bus light from Ramsey) and 37 (several buses light from Crowland); the 33 used March as did some Cambridge buses from the 35. When East withdrew from Kings Lynn, the 50, 56, 66 and 505 were transferred to East Midlands to run them from Long Sutton which was opened as an outstation of Skegness, with frequent changes of allocation. Some vehicles from the 56 (Wisbech and March to Benwick/Manea) used March overnight, but not Holbeach Drove. The transfer of the Kings Lynn (and Wisbech) routes from East to East Midlands was a Stagecoach managerial decision and not directly related to local government or other non-Stagecoach boundaries.

For a year or so, Skegness route 57/X57 to Boston was extended to Spalding, where vehicles were often transferred to/from the 505 as a means of changing over the Long Sutton allocation. However that route extension ceased in 2024.

More recently Long Sutton has been replaced by a depot in Spalding which has a more settled allocation than Long Sutton, and has taken on the Spalding town routes formerly run by Black Cat (and previously Brylaine). However Peterborough's vehicles on the 37 do not use it, and the short journeys to Crowland have all been extended back to Peterborough; similarly the 4, 31 and 33 (and indeed the 46 Wisbech to March buses) all now return overnight to Peterborough.

 

[Intercity_225]

March outstation is for sale at the moment I believe.

 

[Teds]

Holbeach Drove (aka Fowlers) was always in the Stagecoach East area, and indeed was always an outstation of Peterborough. Latterly it was used overnight by buses from Peterborough routes 4 (one bus extended from the then terminus at Parnwell), 31 (one bus light from Ramsey) and 37 (several buses light from Crowland); the 33 used March as did some Cambridge buses from the 35. When East withdrew from Kings Lynn, the 50, 56, 66 and 505 were transferred to East Midlands to run them from Long Sutton which was opened as an outstation of Skegness, with frequent changes of allocation. Some vehicles from the 56 (Wisbech and March to Benwick/Manea) used March overnight, but not Holbeach Drove. The transfer of the Kings Lynn (and Wisbech) routes from East to East Midlands was a Stagecoach managerial decision and not directly related to local government or other non-Stagecoach boundaries.

For a year or so, Skegness route 57/X57 to Boston was extended to Spalding, where vehicles were often transferred to/from the 505 as a means of changing over the Long Sutton allocation. However that route extension ceased in 2024.

More recently Long Sutton has been replaced by a depot in Spalding which has a more settled allocation than Long Sutton, and has taken on the Spalding town routes formerly run by Black Cat (and previously Brylaine). However Peterborough's vehicles on the 37 do not use it, and the short journeys to Crowland have all been extended back to Peterborough; similarly the 4, 31 and 33 (and indeed the 46 Wisbech to March buses) all now return overnight to Peterborough.

Thank you for the correction. I have mixed up the Holbeach Drove outstation with Long Sutton. Lincolnshire Road Car operated the 505 from a garage in Holbeach - long gone.
Thank you for the update on Long Sutton. That seems to make operating the new Tiger T7 route from Wisbech to Chatteris even more illogical. Incidentally, the timetable for that route is now on BusTimes starting on 27 May.

 

[MikeWM]

Maybe we will get a better tendered service. Stagecoach with some help from long running roadworks managed to kill route 9.

Only just noticed this notification from Stagecoach that they're giving up on the 9, though hardly surprising.

Indeed, it is hard to see how anyone could make a worse job of it - continually cut back and reduced, from a half-hourly service in 2009 (I have a timetable from then right here) with services well into the evening and a late last journey - to the pathetic and basically pointless service they run nowadays.

And yes, a good deal of demand between Cambridge and Ely is fulfilled by the train - though there are points inbetween which are not - but even given the woeful state of the A10, the railway stations in both Cambridge and Ely are poorly-situated for a good proportion of both cities, and I see no reason why a regular city centre to city centre service isn't feasible. For example, from my house to my workplace involves a 2+ km walk at one end to get to the railway station and a 1+ km walk at the other - if there was a decent, reliable bus service that significantly reduced that, I'd certainly consider using it instead, at least some of the time.

 

[camflyer]

Looks like Service 11 is dead too.

T4 and T5 Bus Route Information

This page provides you with all the information you need to use the new T4 and T5 bus routes which will replace the current No11 bus service from the 27th May 2025. As new information is available,…

atob1102.org

 

[Teds]

The two services replace the 11 fairly effectively so should not be too much of a problem.
The linked webpage does not exactly compliment the CAPCA team with significant routing errors.

 

[Magdalia]

March outstation is for sale at the moment I believe.

Stagecoach are proposing to curtail route 33 to only go between Peterborough and Whittlesey.

The mayor is on the case see here:

Mayor fights to keep March to Peterborough bus route

A passenger who relies on the route tells the BBC its axing will "have a huge impact".

www.bbc.co.uk

A newly elected mayor said he would fight to save the only direct bus service between a Cambridgeshire market town and a major city.

Stagecoach said the 33 route between March and Peterborough was due to be shortened on 31 August, external due to "extremely low passenger numbers", and would start and finish in Whittlesey instead.

Paul Bristow, the Conservative mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough's Combined Authority, external, said talks on the changes were "ongoing", with "potential options available" to keep March connected.

 

[camflyer]

The two services replace the 11 fairly effectively so should not be too much of a problem.
The linked webpage does not exactly compliment the CAPCA team with significant routing errors.

BBC News - Newmarket residents 'excluded' from new bus route - councillor - BBC News

Two new bus routes have left a community in a town "excluded", a councillor has said.

Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority replaced the number 11 bus service from Newmarket, Suffolk, to Cambridge with two new routes on Tuesday.

Newmarket residents 'excluded' from new bus route - councillor

The combined authority says the routes will offer "faster journey times, more frequent services".

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Magdalia]

BBC News - Newmarket residents 'excluded' from new bus route - councillor - BBC News

You have beaten me to it!

Residents of Newmarket and Exning are now discovering the advantages of being in Suffolk not Cambridgeshire.

 

[greenline712]

You have beaten me to it!

Residents of Newmarket and Exning are now discovering the advantages of being in Suffolk not Cambridgeshire.

I'm sure that, if Suffolk CC were willing to contribute a few pennies, then the new T4 could be diverted via Studlands Park. There seems to be sufficient time within the timetable to allow for such a deviation en route. Even if only a couple of trips, with enough time for shopping at Tesco . . . anything is possible with funding.

Was there really no dialogue between the two councils prior to the change? If Suffolk weren't aware of the details . . . shame on them; that's part of the job.

Stagecoach are proposing to curtail route 33 to only go between Peterborough and Whittlesey.

The mayor is on the case see here:

Mayor fights to keep March to Peterborough bus route

A passenger who relies on the route tells the BBC its axing will "have a huge impact".

www.bbc.co.uk

I've travelled on Route 33 between March and Peterborough a couple of times, granted not recently, but in 2023 the loadings between March and Whittlesey (1448 M > P) were under a handful as far as Whittlesey, and then well loaded with scholars on to Peterborough. I'd say that asking for a financial contribution is a good call!! There are, quite literally, no chimneys along the A605!

Historically . . . March - Whittlesey was Weds / Sats only in the 1970s/80s, and only a couple of journeys on those days. Was a regular daily service a child of deregulation? if so, then it's done well to last this long. My memory is unclear, but wasn't there an independent operator on the Whittlesey - Peterborougn route? Alec Head?

 

[camflyer]

You have beaten me to it!

Residents of Newmarket and Exning are now discovering the advantages of being in Suffolk not Cambridgeshire.

Indeed - I've been saying for years that Newmarket should move to Cambridgeshire. The town is certainly part of the Cambridge "travel to work zone" but has terrible public transport links. Newmarket may as well be on a different planet to its actual county town of Ipswich.

 

[Stan Drews]

I'm sure that, if Suffolk CC were willing to contribute a few pennies, then the new T4 could be diverted via Studlands Park. There seems to be sufficient time within the timetable to allow for such a deviation en route. Even if only a couple of trips, with enough time for shopping at Tesco . . . anything is possible with funding.

Was there really no dialogue between the two councils prior to the change? If Suffolk weren't aware of the details . . . shame on them; that's part of the job.



I've travelled on Route 33 between March and Peterborough a couple of times, granted not recently, but in 2023 the loadings between March and Whittlesey (1448 M > P) were under a handful as far as Whittlesey, and then well loaded with scholars on to Peterborough. I'd say that asking for a financial contribution is a good call!! There are, quite literally, no chimneys along the A605!

Historically . . . March - Whittlesey was Weds / Sats only in the 1970s/80s, and only a couple of journeys on those days. Was a regular daily service a child of deregulation? if so, then it's done well to last this long. My memory is unclear, but wasn't there an independent operator on the Whittlesey - Peterborougn route? Alec Head?

Morleys was the operator of the Whittlesey - Peterborough services, which also extended at times as far as Coates and Turves.

I joined Stagecoach Viscount as a driver at the March outstation when they started the Fenland Express routes X55/X56 which ran hourly Cambridge - March with the X55 running to Peterborough via Whittlesey every 2 hours and the X56 running to Kings Lynn via Wisbech every 2 hours. I really enjoyed that period and we carried reasonable numbers throughout the routes. Happy days, long since gone!