London Forest
Encyclopedia
London Forest was a subsidiary of London Buses
active between 1988 and 1991. Formed as one of the eleven operating divisions of London Buses in readiness for privatisation
, the company initially operated from garages at Ash Grove, Walthamstow and Leyton on a network of routes in North-East London. A fourth garage at Clapton was later added.
Forest was wound up in 1991 when the tenders to operate eleven routes in the Walthamstow area were won on the basis of reduced costs. A proposed wage cut and closure of Leyton garage led to srike action which saw the routes lost. Walthamstow garage was closed, and the remaining garages and operations taken over by other London Buses subsidiaries.
, Walthamstow
and Leyton
. Its manager was Tom Young, who had previously worked for Midland Red North before moving to London Transport. The company employed around 1,300 staff and owned 370 buses. A fourth garage at Clapton
was later added; this had been closed in 1987, but was reopened as an outstation of Leyton and later regained full depot status. The company's logo was a stylised image of an oak tree
.
, the Member of Parliament
for Leyton and Wanstead
, to issue an Early day motion
in the House of Commons. The company was forced to abandon the routes, with work taken on by Ensignbus
, Thamesway and County Bus & Coach. Ensign, whose bus operations had recently been acquired by Hong Kong
operator Citybus
, used the opportunity to launch a new brand, Capital Citybus
on the routes it had won. Following the loss of these routes it was announced that Walthamstow garage, operational since 1905, would close; Leyton was retained in its place, initially temporarily.
Tom Young resigned as Managing Director of Forest on August 20, 1991. Despite the fact that the company still had three garages and 250 buses, London Transport decided in October 1991 that Forest should be shut down. Ash Grove garage was also closed and its routes split between other London Transport subsidiaries in the area, while Leyton was transferred to the East London
division and Clapton to Leaside Buses
.
. East Thames later moved to another site, but CT Plus decided to use the garage to operate its contracted routes. Arriva London
operated former Forest route 38
from the garage between 2005 and 2009. Walthamstow garage never reopened as is now occupied by houses, although the office building remains. Tom Young went on to start West Midlands independent Choice Travel
.
London Buses
London Buses is the subsidiary of Transport for London that manages bus services within Greater London, UK. Buses are required to carry similar red colour schemes and conform to the same fare scheme...
active between 1988 and 1991. Formed as one of the eleven operating divisions of London Buses in readiness for privatisation
Privatisation of London bus services
The privatisation of London bus services was the progressive process of the transfer of operation of London Buses from public bodies to private companies....
, the company initially operated from garages at Ash Grove, Walthamstow and Leyton on a network of routes in North-East London. A fourth garage at Clapton was later added.
Forest was wound up in 1991 when the tenders to operate eleven routes in the Walthamstow area were won on the basis of reduced costs. A proposed wage cut and closure of Leyton garage led to srike action which saw the routes lost. Walthamstow garage was closed, and the remaining garages and operations taken over by other London Buses subsidiaries.
Creation and operations
The company was formed in 1988 as one of 11 operating divisions of London Buses, and became fully operational in early 1989. It had garages at Ash GroveAsh Grove Bus Garage
Ash Grove Bus Garage is a bus garage in Hackney, east London. It is located on the A107 Mare Street, where it crosses the Regent's Canal. The depot is occupied by two companies, CT Plus and Arriva London, and holds around 30 buses. Opened in 1981 by London Buses, it was closed in 1991 following the...
, Walthamstow
Walthamstow
Walthamstow is a district of northeast London, England, located in the London Borough of Waltham Forest. It is situated north-east of Charing Cross...
and Leyton
Leyton
Leyton is an area of north-east London and part of the London Borough of Waltham Forest, located north east of Charing Cross. It borders Walthamstow and Leytonstone; Stratford in Newham; and Homerton and Lower Clapton in the London Borough of Hackney....
. Its manager was Tom Young, who had previously worked for Midland Red North before moving to London Transport. The company employed around 1,300 staff and owned 370 buses. A fourth garage at Clapton
Lower Clapton
Lower Clapton is a district within the London Borough of Hackney.It is immediately adjacent to central Hackney - bounded, roughly, by the western side of Hackney Downs , the Lea Valley , Clifden Road and the Lea Bridge Road...
was later added; this had been closed in 1987, but was reopened as an outstation of Leyton and later regained full depot status. The company's logo was a stylised image of an oak tree
Oak Tree
Oak Tree may refer to:*Oak, the tree*Oak Tree, County Durham, a village in County Durham, England*The Oaktree Foundation, a youth-run aid and development agency*Oak Tree National, golf club in Edmond, Oklahoma...
.
Closure
In 1991 all 11 London Forest routes in the Walthamstow area came up for retendering. Forest won the contracts to operate all of the routes, but found that it had bid too low for the work and was forced to cut wages. Reports differ as to the cut proposed, with 9.5%, 18% 21% and no pay cut if a 20% increase in the working week was accepted all suggested. London Forest's management also announced that they intended to close Leyton garage. In July 1991 all of the company's 1,300 staff at its four garages struck against these changes, leading to the suspension of services for two weeks. This was the first official strike by London bus drivers since 1958, and prompted Harry CohenHarry Cohen
Harry Michael Cohen is a British Labour Party politician, who was the Member of Parliament for Leyton and Wanstead from 1983 to 2010.-Early life:...
, the Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Leyton and Wanstead
Leyton and Wanstead
Leyton and Wanstead is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.- Boundaries :...
, to issue an Early day motion
Early day motion
An Early Day Motion , in the Westminster system, is a motion, expressed as a single sentence, tabled by Members of Parliament for debate "on an early day" . Controversial EDMs are not signed by Government Ministers, PPS or the Speaker of the House of Commons and very few are debated on the floor...
in the House of Commons. The company was forced to abandon the routes, with work taken on by Ensignbus
Ensignbus
Ensignbus is a Purfleet-based bus and coach dealer, open top bus tour operator and bus service operator. Ensignbus has amassed 20 ex-London vehicles of various ages and conditions in a ....
, Thamesway and County Bus & Coach. Ensign, whose bus operations had recently been acquired by Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
operator Citybus
Citybus (Hong Kong)
Citybus Limited is one of the three major bus operators in Hong Kong. It provides both franchised and non-franchised bus service. The franchised route network serves mainly Hong Kong Island, cross-harbour routes , Ocean Park, North Lantau and Hong Kong International Airport...
, used the opportunity to launch a new brand, Capital Citybus
Capital Citybus
Capital Citybus was a major bus operator for London Buses in North and East London. The company was eventually sold to First in 1998. Capital Citybus is not to be confused with the other former London bus and coach operator Capital Logistics, for whom in 1999 it provided amongst others relief buses...
on the routes it had won. Following the loss of these routes it was announced that Walthamstow garage, operational since 1905, would close; Leyton was retained in its place, initially temporarily.
Tom Young resigned as Managing Director of Forest on August 20, 1991. Despite the fact that the company still had three garages and 250 buses, London Transport decided in October 1991 that Forest should be shut down. Ash Grove garage was also closed and its routes split between other London Transport subsidiaries in the area, while Leyton was transferred to the East London
East London (bus company)
East London is one of many operators of bus services contracted to Transport for London, mainly in the east of the city. Its legal name is East London Bus & Coach Company Ltd, and it is currently owned largely by Stagecoach Group, as part of Stagecoach London.-History:East London was established in...
division and Clapton to Leaside Buses
Arriva London
Arriva London is a division of Arriva which operates bus services in London, UK. It is made up of many previous bus operators including previously independent Grey Green...
.
Legacy
Following the closure of London Forest no large packages of tenders were offered at once by London Buses. Ash Grove garage reopened in 1994 for temporary use by Kentish Bus, and reopened fully in 2000 with the formation of East Thames BusesEast Thames Buses
East Thames Buses was the only government owned bus operator of London Buses. It was sold to London General in 2009.-History:East Thames Buses was formed in 1999 to take over the services operated by the failed Harris Bus Company...
. East Thames later moved to another site, but CT Plus decided to use the garage to operate its contracted routes. Arriva London
Arriva London
Arriva London is a division of Arriva which operates bus services in London, UK. It is made up of many previous bus operators including previously independent Grey Green...
operated former Forest route 38
London Buses route 38
London Buses route 38 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to Arriva London....
from the garage between 2005 and 2009. Walthamstow garage never reopened as is now occupied by houses, although the office building remains. Tom Young went on to start West Midlands independent Choice Travel
Choice Travel
Midland, previously known as Choice Travel is a limited bus company operating mostly in the Wolverhampton area of the West Midlands. Some services also operate in the Staffordshire area.-History:...
.