2005 - 2009

This page will be updated as information becomes available

2005     2006     2007     2008     2009

2005

2006

Town & Country buses go bust in September 2006

2007

Arriva’s route 370 became a Transport for London contract route from 3rd November 2007,
with Arriva being awarded the contract & using red buses as per Transport for London
contract requirements.

Eurostar services ran in passenger carrying service through the Thurrock area for the first
time on 14th November 2007.

March 2008 saw Arriva withdraw routes 373 and 383 - only route 383 was partially replaced,
by extending route 5 from Basildon to Lakeside via Chadwell St Mary.

Stephensons X1 route was withdrawn on 11th July 2008.

From 31st August, First introduce a Sunday service on their route 100 between Basildon and
Lakeside. Click Here to see the special leaflet.

20th September saw Ensign bus make some changes to their network:
22 - peak journeys withdrawn between Aveley and Upminster; extended to Aveley on Sundays
44 - re-routed via Chadwell Road instead of Southend Road
55 - new peak route Belhus to Upminster via Aveley, replacing withdrawn section of route 22
66 - revised timetable
73 - re-routed via Southend Road instead of Chadwell Road; improved Saturday service
73C - new evening & Sunday route covering parts of routes 73 and 83
80 - withdrawn, partially replaced by route 73C
83 - improved Saturday service
X80 - revised timetable on Sundays

From 29th September 2008, Ensign Bus introduce brand new Optare Olympus double deckers
on routes 73, 83 and X80.

Ensign Bus fleet details as at September 2008 can be found by clicking here.

3rd November saw the introduction of new route 575, operated by Blue Triangle, and running on Monday to Fridays only between Epping and Lakeside via Debden and Romford.

24th November saw the introduction of new route 265, operated by First London, and running on Monday to Fridays only between Brentwood and Lakeside.

Ensign Bus fleet details as at November 2008 can be found by clicking here.

On 6th & 13th December, Ensign Bus ran special vintage services on routes X55 and X80 - click on the image below to see the leaflet produced for the event:

Also from 6th December, Blue Triangle’s TfL route 372 has a temporary timetable introduced
which sees weekend frequencies improved with buses running every 15 minutes on
Saturdays (usually 20 minutes) and every 20 minutes on Sundays (usually 30 minutes).

Ensign Bus ends operation on route 55 on 24th December 2008.

Another change noted during December was the passing of Thurrock Council route 11 from
Blue Triangle to Clintona.

Ensign Bus produced a leaflet for their Christmas and New Year services - interestingly I think
this is the first time bus services have run on both Boxing day and New Years day in Thurrock!
To see the special leaflet, click here.

For more information on what services were provided over the Christmas & New Year period,
click here.

Ensign Bus made changes to their services from 3rd January:
22 - New timetable to improve reliability
44 - Earlier Journeys on Saturday mornings
66 - Withdrawn between Lakeside and Ockendon & new timetable
73 - New timetable
83 - New timetable
X80 - Early morning Journeys on Saturdays withdrawn

Full details of the changes can be found in their leaflet by clicking here.

Ensign Bus have made further changes to their services from 27th February, with the
withdrawal of route 88 (click here for the leaflet), and from 28th March, minor changes to
early morning services on routes 22, 73 and 83 (click here for the leaflet).

Also announced with the 28th March changes is the pending introduction of low floor
double deckers to route 22, indicating the success Ensign Bus is having.

Another change from the 28th March saw East London take over the TfL contract to
operate route 372 from Blue Triangle.

From 1st May 2009, Excel coaches starts a new daily 24 hour service between Grays and
Stansted Airport via Basildon & Brentwood. The service is numbered X3 and is run under
the “Airport by coach” banner.

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On 5th September Ensign’s open topper DMS333 (EGP33J) was used for a sponsored
bus pull around Grays in aid of Orsett Hospital.

Ensign Bus withdrew it’s X80 service on Sundays from 6th September (no change on
Mondays to Saturdays though - and they still operate the X80 on public holidays!!).

Route 33 is diverted to serve the Sainsbury’s store at Chafford Hundred from 7th Sept.

The long awaited full introduction of low floor double deckers onto route 22 finally occurred
in November, with the acquisition of six Dennis Trident’s bodied by Alexander coming from
East London. Operation of double deckers on route 22 had been sporadic since the March
announcement, presumably only appearing when a spare vehicle was available.

Details of all the Christmas 2009 and New Year 2009/2010 services which operated in
Thurrock can be found by clicking here - and for the second year running bus services ran
on both Boxing day and New Years day in Thurrock; even First Essex managed to run a
service on route 100 on Boxing day this time around!

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