IPSWICH BUSES FURTHER CHANGES FOR JULY

243 YN04 LWJ Optare Solo on the soon to be abandoned 16 to Belstead Road and Halifax

The following are additional changes to Ipswich Buses network as of 21st July, the 3 to Ransomes Europark loses it first two journeys of the day at 0600/0640, whilst the 2 to Priory Heath loses it last journey of the day. The 6 to Ipswich Hospital will now be rerouted round the town centre and will now operate via Lindeburgh Road and Cobham Road instead of Sainsburys. The 7 and 15 to Stoke Park/Chantry will also lose its first journeys of the day at 0545/0555, whilst the 9 to Whitton loses 3 journeys from town at 0610/0650 and 1810, the 12 to Chantry(Cambridge Drive) will also lose it's first 2 journeys Monday to Friday and the first on Saturdays. Service 19 to Castle Hill has it's frequency cut in half to every hour. One piece of fleet news is First Ipswich's 30887 Volvo B7TL/Alexander 400 is currently off the road, seen on thursday dumped at the rear of the depot with a VOR sticker.

TRAVEL IPSWICH FIRST STAGE COMPLETE

A recent transfer in is 66987 KX05 MHV from First Midlands a Volvo B7RLE/Wrightbus Eclipse

This week finally saw Princes Street fully open with traffic lights now fully operational, with just a few sections of pavement to be finished outside the Willis Faber building to complete. Meanwhile Museum Street closed last week for 20 weeks for sewage repairs, with IB and First town routes diverting via St Matthews Street,Civic Drive and Princes Street then back to the normal route at Falcon Street. In fleet news First Ipswich Scania 65542 P542 RNG has transferred to Clacton, leaving only 65547/50 left, while IB's Mercedes Benz Citaro Bendy Bus demonstrator has returned to Go Ahead, and the Volvo B7RLE/MCV demonstrator has now migrated to the 8 Whitehouse and 13 Pinebrook Tesco route cycle.

Simmonds Plaxton Primo YN57 BXM seen at it's temporary terminus in Upper Brook Street whilst waiting to depart on the 113 to Diss via Mendlesham.

IPSWICH BUSES VOLVO B7RLE DEMONSTRATOR

Ipswich Buses Volvo B7RLE/MCV BF62 UYM demonstrator today on the 17.

Ipswich Buses currently have a Volvo B7RLE/MCV demonstrator on loan numbered 501 a sequence used previously used on other demonstrators which i spotted this afternoon on the 17 to Ipswich Hospital. Thanks to one of the town councillors who pointed out that the Belstead area are trying to save route 16 from being cut, have raised a petition to save the route, in this day and age that's a tough ask with most bus companies feeling the squeeze with fuel increases and a poor return from local government on concessionary fares. First have announced further changes to routes 64/65, here goes,

the 64 will now serve Fentons Way in Kesgrave in lieu of the axed 165, the 64B will now become the 65B and be extended to Rendlesham in the evening with help from Suffolk County Council, the 1747 from Aldeburgh will now become a 64A to Saxmundham rather than a 65.

LATE NEWS EDITION FRIDAY 14/7

Further news has come to light it today's Star newspaper that Suffolk County Council have stepped in with a new service 39 which will merge the 22 and 31 into one route, while Ipswich Borough Council have said they may try to save the 16 to Belstead and the 14 Gippeswyk service out of a new £140,000 transport budget.

Reserve Scania 65542 one of only 3 left now on the forecourt of First's Garage this afternoon.

IPSWICH BUSES/CARTERS SERVICE WITHDRAWLS

IB Dart 90 X901 LBJ unusually on the 11 to Heath Road Hospital, normally a Double Decker route

According to the VOSA Notice and Proceedings, Ipswich Buses have deregistered the following routes the 14 Gippeswyk Park Circular frequency every hour, 16 Belstead Road and Halifax frequency every 40 mins and the 22 Brunswick Road frequency every hour, these are long standing routes that hark back to deregulation in 1986 when IB started running minibuses into parts of Ipswich that had never had buses. Also deregistered are Carters services 30/A to Woodbridge, 7 services a day in both directions, the 31 Ipswich Hospital Circular and 1 journey a day on the 72 to Woodbridge in the afternoon all are tendered services with Ipswich/Suffolk County councils and may be picked up by other operators.

66987 KX05 MHV arrives from Worcester

Another Volvo B7RLE has arrived from Worcester, First Midlands, while Scania 65542 P542 RNG has survived it's withdrawal and has been reinstated to reserve, to cover for ongoing repairs on other buses.

Scania L94UB/Wright Solar ex Basildon 65676 SN51 UYK waiting to depart on the 70 to Sainsbury's Warren Heath.

FRAMLINGHAM RESIDENTS START A PETITION OVER BUS SERVICES

PETITION OVER FRAMLINGHAM BUS SERVICES

Scania Omni City YT11 LVE of Anglian on the soon to be axed 164 to Saxmundham which has been severely criticised.

Residents in Framlingham have started a petition over the recent changes to services after First withdrew the 63 from Ipswich leaving just one school day service from Framlingham, the replacement 62 service from PF cars will see just 2 direct journeys from Ipswich every day, whilst complaints over the new 64/A from Ipswich to Saxmundham/ Aldeburgh operated by First also continue, with residents in Leiston not being happy about the changeover in Saxmundham.

IPSWICH NEWS

Another repaint for Ipswich Buses is Scania Omnicity 75 YN56 NVG

Ipswich Buses have announced that service 6A to Gainsborough which was in competition with First services 60/61 will end this weekend, this being the first bus service to be withdrawn in the so called 'bus wars'. Todays Paul Geater column in the Ipswich Star mentions that he loves the trial of the bendy bus and sees it as an terrific bus for the park and rides, perhaps he wasn't behind it when it broke down in the Old Cattle Market on Tuesday causing a back log of traffic behind it. One other thing to mention before i go, is another scania withdrawn in the form of 65549 P549 RNG in the First Ipswich fleet.   

BENDY BUS ENTERS SERVICE

You Either Love Them Or Loathe Them !

Mercedes Benz Citaro BX54 UDJ ex Go Ahead London Central on trial with Ipswich Buses in Falcon Street today.

Well i just about managed to catch it with the camera today whilst it did a few circuits on the 38 town shuttle, although by lunchtime it had disappeared, quite honestly do we need them here, thats a entirely different debate i wonder how they will cope with Ipswich's narrow town street particularly Museum Street, well most enthusiasts will either love them or loathe them. If you want further pictures try Simon B's Flickr page http://www.flickr.com/photos/26565770@N02/8800317030/in/photostream/.

IPSWICH BUSES TO TRIAL A BENDYBUS AND BORISMASTER!

IPSWICH BUSES TO TRIAL MERCEDES BENZ CITARO BENDYBUS AND BORISMASTER

MAL 98 BD57 WDC ex Go Ahead London Mercedes Benz Citaro, a type to be tried in Ipswich for possible Park and Ride duties and on the SCC Ipswich Town shuttle. Copyright Alan Lee

Ipswich Buses are to trial today an ex London Mercedes Benz Citaro Bendy Bus on the current Park and Ride service from Copdock to the town centre in the hope that they will win the Park and Ride contract which is currently up for tender with Suffolk County Council, at the moment the service is operated by First with Volvo B7RLE'S it will also be trialled tomorrow on  the 38 Ipswich Town Shuttle. Also due shortly is a London ''Borismaster also to be trialled on the town shuttle service.