Sunday 28th June 2026
Well, this route 99 is a bit of a quirky one. It’s the third such numbered bus route in Essex to be featured (following the Tilbury Town service and Southend’s open-top bus route) and exists to provide a very limited link between Maldon and Chelmsford via, as I found on my journey, some delightful Essex villages.
I’m grateful to Bill Hiron of Stephenson’s who kindly gave me a brief history of the route, as on the face of it with just two journeys a day in each direction, one as early as 07:00 from Maldon and the other at 11:15 with return journeys from Chelmsford’s large out-of-town regional Broomfield Hospital at either 15:30 and 17:30 it doesn’t seem to offer much choice for aspiring passengers.
Bill explained “the 99 was built up by Arrow Taxis in Maldon who sadly went bust a couple of years ago. We ran it for a while until it went under tender” which was won by Konectbus, now part of the expanding Central Connect empire. However, Bill continued, “we take it back from Central Connect in the latest Essex County Council (ECC) tender round from the end of July, albeit on a much reduced timetable – an am peak journey into Broomfield Hospital and a pm peak return”.
Bill added the 84 minute route “didn’t meet their (ECC’s) usage criteria of £5 max subsidy per passenger journey” so hence the reduction and withdrawal of the off-peak return journeys, albeit this reduction leaves around 80% of the cost in situ with the peak journeys still running!
It turns out the recent journey I made to sample the route was timed fortuitously as I was easily able to get to Maldon to catch the 11:15 departure – it wouldn’t have been so easy to get there for the 07:00 journey once the 11:15 disappears next month.
As you can see from the timetable, the bus departs from Maldon’s ‘Tesco Store’. It’s one of those huge Tesco Extra affairs with much more retail space than supermarkets really need these days, and it was good to see buses get fairly close to the action with a dedicated bus stop along the side of the building necessitating only a walk along the whole length of it to the entrance at the other end.
There’s an electronic departure board…
… as well as printed departure lists, and although there’s no bus shelter there is a covered walkway where Tesco has helpfully provided one seat for waiting passengers, although it’s difficult to see all the buses coming and going from where it’s positioned.
Having arrived at Tesco in good time at 10:45 I kept an eye on the Heddingham branded Enviro200 which had been standing doing nothing for all the time I was waiting thinking that might well be the bus for the 11:15 derparture now Hedingham, Konectbus, Chambers etc are all part of Central Connect.
But as the time reached 11:15 and the driver who’d been sitting inside made no attempt to set the destination screen I began to doubt my original thought. Then after a First Bus arrived I noticed what looked like a Konectbuses branded minibus pull in right behind it so rushed over to see if that was it.
And it was.
The driver wouldn’t open the doors until the First Bus had departed and she then pulled forward to the bus stop flag and let me on. Although it was now past 11:15 we didn’t set off immedately but despite waiting a few more minutes no-one else joined so eventually off we set.
And the first section of route was a double run north from Tesco up towards the Heybridge part of Maldon…
… then back past Tesco and into Maldon’s commercial retail centre where I noticed we were not due to leave until 11:27 whereas it had only taken less than five minutes to do the double run so I realised why the driver didn’t rush to leave Tesco as we sat it out in the town centre for more minutes.
It wasn’t long before we were in the lovely Essex countryside…
… and made the first of many stops to wait time. Yes. it’s another route with a generous time allowance. We were due at Brook Farm about three quarters of a mile away from Maldon’s High Street at 11:31 so waited there for a minute then on to Woodham Walter where we paused again and this time I took the opportunity to have a chat with the driver and take a few photographs of the lovely village setting.
The driver wasn’t as pessimistic as I about whether we’d see passengers join us further along the route, and sure enough, her optimism was well placed as further along in Woodham Walter a passenger was indeed waiting for us.
She uses the bus to do shopping in Chelmsford and although she would prefer to go to Maldon she accepted the restricted offering even though it meant a wait in the town centre until 15:45 for the journey home. She did mention she heard changes were on the way but didn’t know the details and I’m sure she’ll be devastated to hear her journeys are the two being axed. Without a car she relies on this bus to get the things she needs in Chelmsford.
Meanwhile our careful driver was taking us along the narrow roads through this part of Essex…
… as we headed up to Little Baddow served by another double run, before heading south towards the village of Danbury where another passenger joined us to go home in Sandon, 10 minutes further along, with some shopping so I’m not sure how he’d made the outbound journey as the only options were the two that ran the previous afternoon.
Another passenger joined in Sandon and as we got closer to Chelmsford, where local bus routes also provide a service, two passengers were picked up in Great Baddow with all three and the passenger from Woodham Water alighting in Chelmsford town centre leaving just myself on board for the 10 minute journey to Broomfield Hospital which is also served by First Bus local routes. However, one passenger did join us at the bus station for that final section of route making for six in all.
Broomfield Hospital is a huge complex with a large bus station area at the front right by the main entrance. It was originally the site of a sanatorium but in 2010 had £148 million spent through a private finance initiative and although is not ideally located, being on the edge of town, I was impressed with the level of bus service provided including long distance routes diverting in to serve it too.
But as for the 99, it’s presence there is a bit anomalous as is the new timetable from the end of next month where the marginally costed off-peak journeys are being ditched. What a shame.
Roger French
Did you catch the previous nine blogs in this series? 1 Eastbourne-Hastings, 2 Petworth-Chichester, 3 Woolwich-Bexleyheath, 4 Tilbury Town-Tilbury Ferry Terminal, 5 Chippenham-Swindon, 6 Ubley-Chew Valley, 7 Exmouth-Brixington-Exmouth, 8 Taunton-Chard, 9 Pontypridd town circular, 10 Cheltenham-Gloucester, 11 Leigh-on-Sea-Shoeburyness East Beach.
Summer blogging timetable: TThSSu
BusAndTrainUser 
If memory serves me right, this is not the first Route 99 to serve this part of Maldon. When Beeching axed the Maldon East to Witham line in 1964 there was a short-lived replacement bus numbered 99 which stopped only at the former railway stations and lasted only about a year.
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Older people are quite capable of getting up and out early, but will definitely not want to wait all day to make the return journey.
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I had a delightful Essex excursion in 2019:
Train between Hersham and Chelmsford then four buses to execute a JDW trail.
Chelmsford to Maldon.
Then to Colchester.
Then to Witham.
Then back to Chelmsford.
The main landmark I passed was indeed the chimney at Tiptree, that of jam manufacturer “Wilkin” who at the time was probably supplying JDW with marmalade and jam for the breakfast menu! The JDWs at Colchester and Witham are a joy but at Maldon quite unremarkable.
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Does this mean Roger that the villages now have no bus services and do you think with some creativity and use of good minds and a little research or using data to hand, a new route and maybe more helpful times covering them and other currently unserved locations & villages, one could work profitably? One would have thought by 2026 folk have ideas, data and software, … about needs and desires … to plan more profitable routes notably more easily?? Thanks, and every best !
Folk of course often we don’t mind going about the mulberry bush rather on such services , than doubling up parts of other services which means no more passengers are picked up and they become unprofitably poorly used.
What bus depot does this bus and driver start from that they need start the route IN Maldon, rather than potentially bring some folk into Maldon on the first (early morning) leg, e. g.
Thanks, David M.
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The village Woodham Water is actually Woodham Walter. You have produced the ‘evidence’ in your photo of the village sign!
Alan N
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Thanks Alan; now corrected.
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The Woodham Walter – Maldon section of the route was acquired by Eastern National in 1953 from T.W. Rolfe of Woodham Water. This was joined to the Chelmsford – Little Baddow service acquired from H.L. Stracey of Little Baddow in 1952 to create a through but very infrequent Chelmsford – Maldon service although probably only enthusiasts would have taken the full journey.
However there were also separate spurs off the main Chelmsford – Maldon route to give a limited service to Woodham Walter and quite a good one to Little Baddow. Even in 1973, the latter village had five trips on Sundays, the timing point being Spring Close as it was for Roger’s journey over fifty later.
I assume that Konect / Central Connect work the route from the former Hedingham depot at Kelvedon or else the adjacent Flagfinders one.
Nigel Turner
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Interesting history of other services operated in the area that Roger travelled through. Did Moores of Kelvedon by chance, ever operate buses to Maldon back in the day?
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Yes Moores ran a more northerly route from Chelmsford to Maldon via Hatfield Peverel, now First Essex 73/B. Going up Market Hill Maldon in a Gardner 5LW powered double decker is an experience especially if you are at the wheel!
Nigel Turner
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Indeed the “off peak” service marginal cost for what , 10 passengers , probably does exceed £50 of wages and fuel but with a notional income of £30 thats only £30 of subsidy or £3 per passenger.
One assumes Essex know what they are doing on the having actual numbers.
Maybe Bill can work some magic of working to see if there is a commercial operation buried under the timetable as clearly even on present timetable a bus has to get from somewhere to Maldon to start the service , and then do something in Chelmsford before getting back to Maldon (indeed two journeys from Maldon before anything returns back as a 99 suggests something somewhere is operationally interlinked , quite where that could fit in as a publicised service in the network as a whole I would like to know )
JBC Prestatyn
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The ever helpful Bustimes.org tells us that the 99 is a standalone working.
That could have provided the basis for some competitive work in between journeys, but looking at the Essex bus map, there are unlikely to be any new profitable links to be created.
Two tiny settlements will join the list of places with next to no public transport, with the elderly and non car drivers hit most. Of course, if we chose not to subsidise fares, there would be a lot more money to run actual services. The consequences of the action of a political party trying to win an election in 2009 run deep (and if that’s too obscure for some, it was the introduction of the national ENCTS pass by the Brown government, without of course funding to sustain it).
For everyone telling us how this wouldn’t happen in [insert Continental country of choice here] bear in mind that next to none offer free travel to the elderly or disabled.
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It is naive in the extreme to suggest that, as a country, not paying for concessionary fares, would enable us to provide more bus routes simply because there are 1001 ways other ways this money could be spent away from the bus industry or its passengers.
I would argue that free travel has created demand that would not otherwise exist. I know operators complain, with some justification, about reimbursement rates, but I think they know in their hearts many journeys would not be made without free travel. Then there are the positive unintended consequences of seniors not having to deal with cash and subsequent delays this entails. Yes, I know many elderly have contactless cards but I would venture many don’t or are distrustful of anything linked to a bank account.
The truth is that many routes, such as this 99, would have probably withered on the vine by now without free travel simply because there are insufficient full-fare paying passengers to cover costs.
Finally, had there been no free travel concessionary fares scheme, I doubt Roger would be able to blog so intensively and cover as much ground as he does. So, for this alone we should be grateful!
Dan Tancock
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The Government’s own bus statistics show that the bounce from ENCTS peaked in 2012 and has been declining since. (Unfortunately they do not go back far enough to cover the pre-universal free travel era).
From 2013 to 2020, ENCTS cost more across England than net support for public transport (Table Bus 05bii), and I certainly know of examples where subsidised services [i.e. non-statutory] were cut to fund the statutory duty of ENCTS payment.
Ultimately free travel has been an own goal in trying to maintain a comprehensive bus network.
KCC
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How much of the decline in ENCTS trip numbers is caused by the rise in the qualifying age (in line with the female retirement age)?
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Wikipedia/AI suggest that a fair number of European countries offer free bus travel for the elderly.
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I think I could create aslightly attractive 99 operation based around the AM peak Times. ignoring Springfield/Beauliu Park for now
Run as shewn to Chelmsford Hospital. Wait 30mins , return Via Sandon and Woodham Walter and to Heybridge Wharf (1045) .1130 departure back to Chelmsford Hospital which given the timings Roger found (are the published one to take account of dustcarts blocking roads once a week ?) should be doable arr Broomfield Hospital 1245.
Depart Broomfield Hospital 1300 arr Heybridge Wharf 1415
(Gives Sandon Woodham Walter shopping in Malden for hour or hospital visit in Malden) Depart Heybridge Wharf 1530 Arr Broomfield Hospital 1700 Then 1730 departure per timetable
It then becomes nearly impossible otherwise if a Hospital return at 1730 is imperitive for a one bus operation , thus despite what bustimes might indicate vehicles and staff must operate other routes even on the public timetable as is. the new contract indeed having a problem of one bus split shift and a lot of stand time at Broomfield Hospital. The 1530 leave Hospital I assumed would carry leaving visitors and morning outpatient appointments back and thus could not be adjusted earlier or later
Actually it is possible with a dead run from Malden at 1648 via the more direct road into the south of Chelmsford and risk 1700 peak congestion to get to hospital for the 1730 run if so we can complete the contract with one bus , but our “extra” Woodham Walter Malden Service leaves people stranded in Malden , so do we create a two bus service ?
In fact what we see is overall the pre eastern national takeover having two operators mid point on the route line gives better opportunities since moving the 1530 Broomfield departure to earlier to provide villages service loses that afternoon Hospital departure , but that is going away anyway so this might be better and give a commercial return.
An alternative would be for the evening peak Broomfield departure subcontract to another or use a vehicle and driver off a schools service completion – but they are likely to be vehicles too large for the roads served ?
The arguments about subsidised passengers are well rehearsed since the days of the Confederation of Passenger Transport reports of the 1970s and we have to consider the needs of where medical facilities are more concentrated and built in further away places from traditional town centres that bus services are often promised as facilities withdrawn from elsewhere.
JBC Prestatyn
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@Anon 28/6 10:49 – England was not the first country to introduce a nationwide free bus travel scheme for pensioners. Wales introduced theirs in 2002, followed by Scotland in 2006.
Am I right in thinking that in Wales and Scotland, the free bus travel scheme is available to anyone aged 60 or over, whereas for England, it is only available once you reach state pension age?
Malc M
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Yes, correct, and Scotland has since gone further with free travel for 5-21 year olds.
Wales’ bus network has shrunk even more than England’s, from the government’s own figures
https://www.gov.wales/public-service-vehicles-buses-and-taxis-april-2022-march-2023-html#143415
KCC
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Was this once part of the Dengie Bus network? These were routes serving the peninsular beyond Maldon towards Southminster.
Danbury is on a regular route so those passengers have alternatives. I am surprised to see this bus routed via the centre of Chelmsford where it might abstract from commercial routes. Perhaps a rerouting via Beaulieu Park and Springfield might provide new connections?
Actually this is an area that would perhaps, dare I say it, be suitable for a demand responsive service!
Richard Warwick
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There’s an interesting development in Essex from the 26th July when First Essex are extending Basildon local route B1 from Laindon all the way along the A127 and into tfl territory to terminate at Harold Wood station. Running times look pretty quick and this will offer leisure travellers and maybe commuters a cheaper way into London with the £3 fare cap and tfl zonal fares on the Elizabeth line.
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Presumably First Essex negotiated with TfL to enable it to run this new service in accordance with the Greater London Authority Act 1999?
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If a service is registered outside London, and a stand has been determined inside London, then no negotiations are necessary.
It’s rather like a London Local Service Licence was … it can only be refused on traffic grounds.
Regarding Route 99 … it looks very much like a Staff Bus for the hospital, with timings especially for shift times. Presumably the mid-day times carried no staff? Perhaps the Hospital provide some financial support?
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Eastern National had a long tradition (including the acquired City Coach services from Wood Green , later Kings Cross or Walthamstow (for Victoria Line) of running bus services in the Red Bus area of London Transport – Romford being a main termination point for the Market. It would have probably run more from the Grays area in the past but for the agreement with the LGOC that be one of the areas that would be London General but run by Eastern National on LGOC behalf as London General Country Services being the reason that became London Country’s rather thin east of London slice of operations plus its Green Line Routes, eventually being Eastern National/First after a long privatisation history from the mid 1980s. True Local passengers I guess were few , indeed did such Romford routes offer much for people wanting to leave london for the delights of Basildon and similar places as morning commute locations ?
Apparently the lines out of Liverpool Street and Fenchurch Street are both shown on a east area map of Great British Railways at Cambridge South Railway Station as of yesterday
JBC Prestatyn
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For those that have access to Linked In, there is an interesting article from a New Zealand perspective of the tensions between spending on services and spending on fare subsidies.
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/capping-fares-easy-part-harder-question-what-were-andrew-collings-p6y4e/
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