Stagecoach in Eastbourne
Encyclopedia
Stagecoach in Eastbourne is the name of the bus operator of bus services in the Eastbourne
area after taking over Eastbourne Buses
and Cavendish Motor Services
.
or Stagecoach Group
. The employees' trade union, Unite
, wrote to Eastbourne
Borough Council to ask the Council to sell to the Go-Ahead Group, because of work conditions and a superior fleet.
On 25 November 2008, it was announced that Stagecoach was preferred bidder to purchase. A few days later, it was announced in local press that the takeover had cost £4 million.
It would not be the first time Stagecoach have been running services in the town. They had run services until late in 2000 before they were withdrawn. They currently still operate services to Hastings
and Bexhill
from Eastbourne.
The sale caused a lot of controversy, with MPs criticising the secrecy surrounding the sale and blaming each others' parties for the state the Eastbourne Buses got into, the Liberal Democrats claiming the Conservatives "failed to support Eastbourne Buses".
There has also been criticisms of the low price the company was sold at - revealed at £3.7 million, lower than the original report of 4 - and criticism against Stagecoach, one MP saying that the company has effectively been "given away for nothing" However, is was revealed that Go-Ahead had bid much lower at £2.85 million, so the council has to sell to Stagecoach to serve the taxpayer due to the £1.2 million difference in bids, despite the union's calls.
The bad financial condition at Eastbourne Buses which caused the sale was illustrated by the news that in April 2007 the company nearly had to close as it could not pay for fuel.
In January 2009, Cavendish Motor Services were bought by Stagecoach Group as well, making both companies one. Because of this, both companies now accept each other's tickets. Stagecoach has announced redundancies for Cavendish staff. Both companies were then merged under the Stagecoach in Eastbourne name.
On 13 May 2009, the Office of Fair Trading
announced that it was referring the purchase of Eastbourne Buses and Cavendish Motor Services by Stagecoach to the Competition Commission
. Although the provisional decision found that the acquisitions had substantially lessened competition, the Competition Commission cleared the purchase in October 2009 after deciding that Cavendish would have chosen either to reduce its services substantially or even to close its operations altogether following Stagecoach's acquisition of Eastbourne Buses.
School services
' vehicles as well as the Alexander Dennis Enviro300s brought in after Stagecoach's takeover and several more buses that have since been transferred. The Eastbourne buses' livery has been erased now with every bus in the fleet wearing Stagecoach livery as of August 2010.
Single decker
Double decker
Eastbourne
Eastbourne is a large town and borough in East Sussex, on the south coast of England between Brighton and Hastings. The town is situated at the eastern end of the chalk South Downs alongside the high cliff at Beachy Head...
area after taking over Eastbourne Buses
Eastbourne Buses
Eastbourne Buses was a bus operator running within the Borough of Eastbourne and into the surrounding area, including Pevensey, Hailsham, Tunbridge Wells, Uckfield and East Grinstead, with a fleet of around 50 vehicles...
and Cavendish Motor Services
Cavendish Motor Services
Cavendish Motor Services was a bus operator running within the Borough of Eastbourne and the surrounding area such as Polegate and Hailsham. It was the sister company of Renown Coaches of Bexhill...
.
History
In early November 2008, local press reports indicated that Eastbourne Buses was to be sold by the end of the year to either the Go-Ahead GroupGo-Ahead Group
The Go-Ahead Group plc is a rail and bus operating company that was created following the privatisation of the UK's train and bus industries. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index.-Early history:...
or Stagecoach Group
Stagecoach Group
Stagecoach Group plc is an international transport group operating buses, trains, trams, express coaches and ferries. The group was founded in 1980 by the current chairman, Sir Brian Souter, his sister, Ann Gloag, and her former husband Robin...
. The employees' trade union, Unite
Unite
- Labor unions :*Unite the Union, a British and Irish trade union, formed by the merger of Amicus and T&G*Unite Union, a trade union in New Zealand*Unite Union , a trade union in Australia...
, wrote to Eastbourne
Eastbourne
Eastbourne is a large town and borough in East Sussex, on the south coast of England between Brighton and Hastings. The town is situated at the eastern end of the chalk South Downs alongside the high cliff at Beachy Head...
Borough Council to ask the Council to sell to the Go-Ahead Group, because of work conditions and a superior fleet.
On 25 November 2008, it was announced that Stagecoach was preferred bidder to purchase. A few days later, it was announced in local press that the takeover had cost £4 million.
It would not be the first time Stagecoach have been running services in the town. They had run services until late in 2000 before they were withdrawn. They currently still operate services to Hastings
Hastings
Hastings is a town and borough in the county of East Sussex on the south coast of England. The town is located east of the county town of Lewes and south east of London, and has an estimated population of 86,900....
and Bexhill
Bexhill-on-Sea
Bexhill-on-Sea is a town and seaside resort in the county of East Sussex, in the south of England, within the District of Rother. It has a population of approximately 40,000...
from Eastbourne.
The sale caused a lot of controversy, with MPs criticising the secrecy surrounding the sale and blaming each others' parties for the state the Eastbourne Buses got into, the Liberal Democrats claiming the Conservatives "failed to support Eastbourne Buses".
There has also been criticisms of the low price the company was sold at - revealed at £3.7 million, lower than the original report of 4 - and criticism against Stagecoach, one MP saying that the company has effectively been "given away for nothing" However, is was revealed that Go-Ahead had bid much lower at £2.85 million, so the council has to sell to Stagecoach to serve the taxpayer due to the £1.2 million difference in bids, despite the union's calls.
The bad financial condition at Eastbourne Buses which caused the sale was illustrated by the news that in April 2007 the company nearly had to close as it could not pay for fuel.
In January 2009, Cavendish Motor Services were bought by Stagecoach Group as well, making both companies one. Because of this, both companies now accept each other's tickets. Stagecoach has announced redundancies for Cavendish staff. Both companies were then merged under the Stagecoach in Eastbourne name.
On 13 May 2009, the Office of Fair Trading
Office of Fair Trading
The Office of Fair Trading is a not-for-profit and non-ministerial government department of the United Kingdom, established by the Fair Trading Act 1973, which enforces both consumer protection and competition law, acting as the UK's economic regulator...
announced that it was referring the purchase of Eastbourne Buses and Cavendish Motor Services by Stagecoach to the Competition Commission
Competition Commission
The Competition Commission is a non-departmental public body responsible for investigating mergers, markets and other enquiries related to regulated industries under competition law in the United Kingdom...
. Although the provisional decision found that the acquisitions had substantially lessened competition, the Competition Commission cleared the purchase in October 2009 after deciding that Cavendish would have chosen either to reduce its services substantially or even to close its operations altogether following Stagecoach's acquisition of Eastbourne Buses.
Routes
From 1st August 2011.| Route | Between | And | Route details |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Loop | Town Centre | Town Centre | Via Kings Drive, District Hospital, Willingdon Trees, Hampden Park, Winkney Farm, Langney, Priory Road, ASDA, Beatty Road & Seaside |
| 1 | Shinewater | Hamlands | Via Langney, Seaside, Town Centre, Old Town & Willingdon Roundabout |
| 1A | Shinewater | Willingdon Trees/Hamlands | Via Langney, Seaside, Town Centre, Old Town & District Hospital |
| 1A | Hailsham | Eastbourne (Town Centre) | Via Stone Cross, Shinewater, Milfoil Drive & Seaside |
| 3 | Meads (Foot of Beachy Head) | Town Centre | Via Meads Village, University & Theatres |
| 51 | Town Centre | North Harbour | Via Bridgemere, Seaside & ASDA |
| 51 | Town Centre | South Harbour | Via Bridgemere, Seaside & Beatty Road |
| 51 | Heathfield | Eastbourne (Town Centre) | Via Horam, Hellingly, Anglesey Avenue, Hailsham Town, Polegate, Farmlands Way, District Hospital & Upperton Road |
| 54 | Uckfield (Nevill Rd) | Eastbourne (Town Centre) | Via Halland, East Hoathly, Golden Cross, Horsebridge, Battle Rd, Hailsham, Dittons Wood, Polegate, Willingdon, District Hospital & Upperton Road |
| 55 | Beachlands | Sainsbury's | Via Pevensey Bay, Westham, Stone Cross, Friday Street, Langney, Winkney Farm, The Hydneye, Birch Road, Seaside, Town Centre, Old Town, Cherry Garden Rd, Hill Road & District Hospital |
| 56 | District Hospital | Eastbourne (Town Centre) | Via Sainsbury's, Langney, Westham, Stone Cross, Polegate, Farmlands Way, Hamlands, Kings Drive & Carew Road |
| 251 | Tunbridge Wells | Heathfield | Via Frant, Mark Cross, Mayfield, Five Ashes & Cross in Hand |
| 252 | Tunbridge Wells | Heathfield | Via Frant, Mark Cross, Rotherfield, Mayfield, Five Ashes & Cross in Hand |
School services
| Route | Between | And | Route details |
|---|---|---|---|
| 57 | Sovereign Centre | Willingdon School | Via ASDA, Pevensey Bay, Beachlands, Westham, Stone Cross & Polegate |
| 58 | Langney Shopping Centre | Willingdon School | Via Friday Street, Stone Cross & Polegate |
| 501 | Shinewater | Ratton School | Via Langney, Beatty Road, Seaside, Town Centre & District Hospital |
Fleet
The Stagecoach in Eastbourne fleet consists of former Eastbourne BusesEastbourne Buses
Eastbourne Buses was a bus operator running within the Borough of Eastbourne and into the surrounding area, including Pevensey, Hailsham, Tunbridge Wells, Uckfield and East Grinstead, with a fleet of around 50 vehicles...
' vehicles as well as the Alexander Dennis Enviro300s brought in after Stagecoach's takeover and several more buses that have since been transferred. The Eastbourne buses' livery has been erased now with every bus in the fleet wearing Stagecoach livery as of August 2010.
Single decker
- 5 Dennis Dart SLF/Marshall CapitalMarshall CapitalThe Marshall Capital was a single-decker bus body built by Marshall between 1997 and 2003. It was typically placed on the Dennis Dart SLF chassis, but it was also built on other chassis and used to rebody older chassis....
(ex MetrolineMetrolineMetroline, owned by ComfortDelGro Corporation of Singapore, is one of many companies operating bus services in London under the management of London Buses.-Company history:...
London) - 5 Dennis Dart SLF/Plaxton PointerPlaxton PointerThe Plaxton Pointer is a successful single-decker bus body manufactured during the 1990s by Plaxton and latterly built by Alexander Dennis.With the launch of the Dennis Dart in 1989, Plaxton's subsidiary Reeve Burgess made the Pointer body on the short 8.5 m...
- 1 Dennis Dart SLF/UVG Urbanstar
- 2 MAN 18.220LF/Alexander ALX300Alexander ALX300The Alexander ALX300 is a full size single-decker bus body built by Alexander at Falkirk, Scotland, United Kingdom, which was first built in 1997...
- 6 DAF SB120/Wright CadetWright CadetThe Wright Cadet was a midibus body built by British coachbuilder Wrightbus, solely on the DAF/VDL SB120; it was sold via VDL dealer Arriva Bus & Coach. For a time, Volvo additionally sold the chassis/body combination, however the body was marketed as the Merit.The Cadet was replaced by the Wright...
- all have branding for Eastbourne Loop - 10 MAN 14.220/MCV EvolutionMCV EvolutionThe MCV Evolution is a single-decker bus bodywork built by Manufacturing Commercial Vehicles. It was unveiled in late 2004.This body is based on the frame of the Stirling but has been drastically restyled, incorporating a new roof-dome , and other new mouldings...
- 12 Alexander Dennis Enviro300 - all have branding for routes 1/1A (Uno)
- 3 Scania K230UB Alexander Dennis Enviro300 - Introduced November 2011
- 1 AEC Regal/East Lancs
Double decker
- 5 Volvo OlympianVolvo OlympianThe Volvo Olympian was a rear-engine double decker bus built by Volvo at Irvine, North Ayrshire, Scotland. It was first built in 1992 and entered production in March 1993, replacing the Leyland Olympian....
/Alexander - 3 Volvo Olympian/NC Palatine 1
- 1 Volvo Olympian/Alexander (Belfast)
- 6 DAF DB250/Alexander ALX400Alexander ALX400The Alexander ALX400 is a 2-axle double-decker bus body built by Walter Alexander Coachbuilders...
- 5 Dennis Trident 2Dennis Trident 2Dennis Trident 2 is a 2-axle low-floor double-decker bus chassis originally built by Dennis in the United Kingdom, which was unveiled in 1997 and replaced the Dennis Arrow...
/Alexander ALX4003