Ensign Bus re-introduced the 55 route in the Aveley & Ockendon areas from Tuesday 4th May, although in a different incarnation
to the previous version which ran to Upminster. The 55 now operates between Aveley & Ockendon station during weekday peaks,
with buses running in the peak flow direction only - that’s from Aveley to Ockendon station in the morning peak and Ockendon
station to Aveley in the evening peak.

Ensign Bus take over the operation of route 81 in the Brentwood area, also from 4th May 2010. One journey each way to Lakeside,
from Hutton and numbered X81, is provided on Mondays to Fridays - presumably a positioning move as the 81 service is more
frequent in the peaks.

Details of services operated in Thurrock over the Easter period can be found by CLICKING HERE.

Friday 2nd July saw the last day of service on Ensign’s Monday to Friday peak hours only route 55 service owing to poor usage.

Ensign’s Brentwood area route 81 got a new timetable from Monday 12th July - the main feature is an additional Monday to Friday
evening journey from Shenfield station to Hutton, then back to Shenfield station.

On Saturday 28th August, Ensign Bus operated a vintage bus running day over two special routes; the X55 between Lakeside and
Upminster via Aveley, and X81 between Shenfield station and Bluewater via Lakeside.

From Monday 4th October, Ensign’s route 44 is split into two seperate routes. The section between Grays and Orsett Hospital
becomes route 20, whilst the section from Grays to Lakeside (via Purfleet) retains the 44 number. The new route 44 is also
extended from Lakeside bus station to serve the adjacent Tesco superstore and retail park on Mondays to Fridays.

Stagecoach reacquires East London on 14th October and this now means Thurrock is one a few unique places in the UK where all
5 of the major group companies have a presence - those 5 being Arriva, First, Go Ahead, National Express and Stagecoach.
Here’s how it breaks down:

Arriva: bus 5, 44, 150 & 370
First: buses 99, 100, 200 & 265
Go Ahead: buses 347 & 575
National Express: c2c
Stagecoach: bus 372

Heavy snow fell on Tuesday 30th November, topped up with more on Wednesday 1st December; the result was many delays for
public transport up until Friday 3rd December. Whilst Ensign provided almost a full service throughout the entire period (73 & 83
were operated together as 73C’s Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday), others such as First struggled and provided no service for
large parts of the 4 days.

As a result of the heavy snow, Ensign’s heritage running day on Saturday 4th December was canceled.

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2011

Arriva withdraws it’s route 5 service between Basildon and Lakeside with the last day being 5th February.

Clintona’s Thurrock Council contract route 11 between Basildon & Purfleet is withdrawn from 2nd April though is partially replaced
by new Ensign route 374, also operated under contract to Thurrock Council (see below for further information).

From Sunday 3rd April, Arriva’s Sunday only Thurrock Council contract route 150 is renumbered to 200.

Regal Busway’s route 565 is extended to Grays from 4th April - major changes also occur to Ensign services from the same date:

• Route 20 - withdrawn between Stifford Clays and Orsett Hospital (replaced by new route 373 - see below). Re-routed via
  Hathaway Road instead of Turps Corner & the Colleges. Also extended beyond Grays to Lakeside via London Road & West
  Thurrock Way. Frequency increased to 30 minute intervals.
• Route 22 - Mon to Sat evening journeys replaced by new route 22A. New Bank Holiday timetable with later journeys.
• Route 22A - New hourly Mon to Sat service operating between Stifford Clays and Aveley via routes 20 & 22. Operates via West Thurrock way between Lakeside and Grays.
• Route 33 - Revised timetable with buses now running every 20 minutes during peak periods and every 30 minutes at other
  times on Mondays to Fridays. Service remains Hourly on Saturdays.
• Route 44 - Revised timetable; withdrawn between Lakeside and Tesco.
• Route 66 - Revised timetable; all Mon to Sat evening journeys extended to Chadwell with an additional departure from
  Lakeside at 1858. Buses no longer serve Gateway Academy grounds.
• Route73C - revised timetable
• Route 373 - New Thurrock Council contract route between Grays and Stanford le Hope via old route 20 then, from Orsett
  Hospital operates via Horndon on the Hill. Buses will run hourly Mon to Fri and two hourly on Saturdays.
• Route 374 - New Thurrock Council contract route between Grays and Basildon via Socketts Heath, Cross Keys, West
  Tilbury, Coalhouse Fort, East Tilbury, Linford, Stanford, Corringham, Fobbing and Basildon Hospital. Buses will run hourly
  Mon to Fri and two hourly on Saturdays.

These changes see Ensign operating in new territory to the East of Thurrock and into Basildon, thus cementing Ensign’s position as
Thurrock’s largest bus operator. Of course Ensign buses have been seen in these areas before with rail replacement work for c2c,
but the regular service work will certainly see Blue & Silver more often now!!

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