Tuesday 1st September 2026
Yes; it’s another one.
There’s an increasing contrast when it comes to bus provision in certain areas of Britain. The next round of franchised bus routes is about to be rolled out from next weekend in Liverpool City Region with more to follow in the former Metropolitan conurbations in the coming months and years, while down in the Home Counties we seem to be witnessing one minor competitive skirmish after another and not even over prime bus operating territory. Perhaps those operators involved are trying to rekindle the spirit of deregulation as its 40th anniversary fast approaches. My advice – forget it.
This time it’s Harlow under the competitive spotlight. The town’s bus network has suffered considerable turmoil over the years with a myriad of operators coming and going (including some of dubious quality), but in recent years stability and a better quality of service returned not least following the sale of Central Connect to Vectare (later remained Transport Made Simple) and of course throughout the decades Arriva has plodded on notwithstanding numerous management restructurings and more recent ownership changes but the company does boast occupying one of the two surviving former London Transport Country Bus garages in the town, perhaps confirming a degree of durability whatever is thrown at it in this part of the world.
Things changed again at the end of July when a raft of service alterations were introduced partly in association with new tender awards from Essex County Council impacting Central Connect as well as Stephensons. As part of these, (and as I found over in Aylesbury with the ‘Red Group’ in June), it’s Arriva that’s the target with Central Connect introducing blatant like for like competition on part of Harlow’s town network.
In particular the Church Langley residential area is now seeing a venerable bus battle that would delight the late Nicholas Ridley MP and his colleague original architects of deregulation 40 years ago.
Church Langley is served by one of those Arriva routes (numbered 10) which has a reduced timetable during school holidays as well as on Saturdays – buses running every 30 minutes instead of a school term 20 minute frequency. So guess what? This summer holiday just ended has seen Central Connect step in with a replica service (numbered 23) running every 15 minutes during the daytime giving residents an unprecedented frequency increase to enjoy, especially now schools are returning meaning we’re up to seven buses an hour. Central Connect had been running route 23 as an evening and Sunday tendered service but now that’s been expanded on a commercial basis to an all day affair against Arriva. Additionally both Arriva’s 10 and Central Connect’s 23 include extended journeys to and from Harlow Town railway station at peak times.
Central Connect buses rake a slightly shorter route into and out of the bus station (see map below) while in Church Langley itself both routes follow a one way circuit to best serve the housing area. A bus station and back to bus station full clockwise circuit can be completed in 25 minutes.
Central Connect has therefore dedicated two buses to its 15 minute frequency while Arriva interworks the service with other local routes after each trip although it could be operated with just one bus.
I spent a bit of time travelling around the route on both Arriva and Central Connect’s buses on Monday last week and it was a classic case of whichever bus came first passengers jumped aboard with one journey from the bus station (above photo) seeing Arriva first on the stop and Central Connect going round it with no-one on and another journey (below photo) seeing Central Connect arrive first and Arriva pull up behind with no takers.
The only person I saw hold back to wait for an Arriva bus running immediately behind a Central Connect bus was coming back into town from Church Langley where I’m guessing the gentleman wanted to alight at the Water Gardens. This shopping area is served only by Arriva’s route 10 as shown on the above map.
I’m a bit surprised Central Connect hasn’t followed the same route in the town centre as an Arriva journey heading out of town picked up three passengers there giving us nine in total – the most I saw on a journey.
Indeed, numbers travelling late morning were mostly in the low single figures on both operators’ buses. Not enough for viability in my judgement.
I was pleased to see Central Connect had a printed timetable leaflet available to pick up on one of the two buses on the route when I travelled, although they were spewed all over the luggage rack over the nearside front wheel as there was no leaflet holder. But I did notice a young teenager alighting pick one up and called back to her mate still on the bus to do the same when she alighted – not something you associate with the younger generation.
I also had a look at the residential area of Little Parndon which is even closer to the town centre and involves another clockwise route arrangement that’s also being contested like for like (of sorts).
But here Arriva is definitely the minor operator running just five circuits during the off-peak as an hourly route 6 which takes 17 minutes to do a full circuit…
… with Central Connect’s equivalent route 26 also running hourly but over a longer period of the day with eight journeys as well as an evening journey. During the off-peak journeys are spaced 16 minutes apart between the two routes with buses on the 6 leaving the bus station at 09 minutes past the hour followed by the 26 at 25 minutes past the hour.
The town’s Princess Alexandra Hospital is on the circuit close to the town centre which is also served by Stephenson’s recently won tender (from Central Connect) hourly route 407/417 which runs across to Old Harlow…
… and a rather odd route operated by Central Connect – route 27 – which performs quite a complex circuit of the town on a 90 minute frequency.
I travelled on both the 6, 26 and part of the 27 to see how many passengers were benefitting from these initiatives and sadly it was the same old story with two passengers on the 26, five on the 6 and none on the 27.
Another thing I noticed was the coincidental similarity of the moquette used by Arriva on its E200 buses…
… and that used by Central Connect on its E200 buses. I forgot at one point which operator I was travelling with! I suspect many passengers “not in the know” might also mistake the similar coloured liveries and maybe don’t even realise there are two competing companies.
One often hears how the withdrawal of bus routes leaves passengers stranded. Here it’s the opposite problem. A lack of passengers leaving buses underwhelmed.
Roger French
My thanks to blog reader Michael for passing on the background information about this situation in Harlow.
Blogging timetable: 06:00 TThS
BusAndTrainUser 
And these are not the best routes in Harlow, all secondary routes. There is also the Arriva/Central Connect skirmish in Waltham Cross/Abbey. With a new CEO I don’t see Arriva walking away from areas as they have done in the past . Central Connect are racking up a lot of unremunerative mileage, and the pointless continuation of the Park and Ride service in Chelmsford continues I understand.
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Oh dear, Arriva has another battle on in Harlow area with this time a good operator. Central Connect. I’m sure the Arriva senior manages for the area will sigh. Watch this space will Central Connect spread it’s wings to serve Stansted Aiport. Only time will tell!!??
The Wandering Busman, retired.
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There is a third ex London Transport bus Garage still in use … Swanley Junction, now used by GoBus. This predates LT, as it was built by East Surrey in (I think) 1922 to replace various outstations locally.
It’s going to be interesting to see how many of these competitive “spats” survive … that in Maidenhead seems to have settled down with both operators sticking to their own territories; as has the 477 in Dartford; although the 458 in Slough seems to roll on.
Those in Waltham Abbey and (now) Harlow are probably too new to tell.
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Swanley opened in 1925 although, unlike Northfleet and Harlow, it hasn’t been continuously operational.
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At least in Little Parndon Central Connect has attempted to run close to 30 mins before/after Arriva allowing some kind of balanced potential journeys
I assume the 27 is a contract (does it pass the Hospital?)
For Church Langley sorry Arriva have only themselves to look at for not showing it some love, not running evenings has allowed a tender from a local authority to be in place and Central Connect might just have noticed that loadings were enough to consider the full day as commercial , as to if increasing service in school holidays (and ohh look kids go free and the govt pays a bit for that whats not to like) may mean its drivers dont get a summer break well never mind they can have a holiday another time. I wonder if the really hot summer though put off some of the expected travelling numbers I didnt see a big drop in London but personally avoided tube for thameslink a bit cooler where possible and buses were empty enough daytimes not to get too sticky in and the evening theatre clearing buses seemed as full as normal.
Harlow was perhaps the most wrongly built of the first generation new towns , in part as the coordination of plans on local and national scale were not worked together. The residential , travel conection , and work places all really being arranged too difficult to get to efficiently and we can see in Church Langley really a residential area just a little too few in residences to get buses a decent load for the service provided.
Maybe Central Connect needs a Harlow network map in its route leaflets too.
JBC Prestatyn
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Harlow Town route map in a leaflet is with the printers and arriving imminently!
The 27 was ECC designed and originally ran every 60 minutes but was just too under-timed. It now runs every 70 not every 90 as listed to try and make it reliable but ideally needs a route redesign to better serve gaps in the market. An approach has been made to the funding body but no progress as of yet.
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I like the Stephensons livery with the main white carrying the operator logo name and lower skirts with the wheels in the complimentary green of a shade that feels like a mix of friendly lime and mint. When they went to an employee share ownership business I felt that there would soon be a sell out to a larger group and a tax free (or lower) cash in but instead they have grown through some careful pricing of tender contracts , some commercial and some where needed withdrawal of services to keep the business aspects sustainable.
Only problem we are left with in Essex is a patchwork of operators and maybe not quite a integrated network as a whole between or within the towns of the county.
One wonders what changes the rest of the year will bring , and what planning is needed for a Burnham £2 adult fare for 2027
JBC Prestatyn
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Central Connect originally won a lot of the evening Harlow tendered work from Arriva. They won the evening / Sundays 8 but numbered it 23. Seemingly their ticketing software does not allow for duplicate route numbers in their operating areas!
I also believe First Essex have also sublet their Harlow tender win on the 4 to Central Connect to operate on behalf of First.
Unrelated to Harlow but Central Connect have also now got a fairly public spat with ECC regarding the 907 school bus in Colchester. This may need a Roger verifies!
https://www.gazette-news.co.uk/news/26504528.central-connect-buses-boss-slams-essex-county-council/
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Thers may be a typo with regard to the Stephenson’s route. The text says 417, but the blind says 407!
MotCO
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The 407 and 417 are part of the same contract, the 417 is a variation used at certain times of day so you can treat them as one in the same.
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Thanks – clarified to include both numbers now.
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How do we persuade more folk to use the buses and the same also even then enjoy walking plus buses or trains, to get about on ?!?
The empty seats photos again.!
A ‘try it and see’, for xx months special offers approach ?
I have no car and nothing but feet buses, trains, metros etc, to get around on and at 64 it helps keep me fit too.
And I am very! content so. Though I don’t have needs some might.
But as ever the media rule us too much and give a negative view and so much so that the mass of my circle known folk, truly have such an untrue negative view . They do.
My brother has had to stop driving for a while and I moved him to buy an over 60s Railcard.
He has taken up rail travel keenly now and as others are, surprised by, when they try it, -& even now when it’s got it’s challenges indeed and late trains and cancellations are rather more -, just how good and often very enjoyable it is. He is won over for the trains at least straight off. Bringing all the benefits it does over the all sorts of having to drive a car A to B , and environmental ones also at all.
Thanks! Roger for the Blog.
The argument for competition comes in when a service provider is running often late, poor, rude drivers say , and threadbare timetable..but !??? .
Is local Govt intervention the ‘answer’ or not . ? Do we know the answer from worldwide examples now, and is the answer that sometimes yes but sometimes competition works and the passengers don’t mind as long as the route is served. ?
Or do we really ‘all’ like , want in our public transport realm of life, a calm orderly, public service, way to it. And this alone should be what we get.
Are we now at a stage in the years that both in this country with overseas too we can see what works and what should be, and so then now it can be happening wider and certain ways given national guidance or overrule.
“Look come on , there is multiple experiences, of and mass data that shows that ….” as you have said Roger on the On Demand and yet another Mayor, ignoramus way, whose scene is not public transport one thinks, seeks to use the way still.
And also what are the multiple factors which keep usage down of the buses.
I could suggest these :
No options for lower fares in terms of short journeys for a £1 say. We had this in Bristol for a while and they called it the 3 stop hop. I thought it was very good. But folk were abusing it and buying a £1 ticket and then staying on, I think.
[– What research has been done to see why folk don’t use the buses and are these real ones or ones that if they gave it a trial period they would realise are false ! . Check out Google Scholar we can do to try and see and get leads into what has been done and is being .]
As a train and bus traveller I question when folk say train travel is expensive as to just how expensive bus travel is per mile travelled !? .
And as for saving money in a city like Newcastle here it is so confusing to know what to go for of a day , and they don’t ever give good savings on season tickets on buses it seems either . A week or 4 days or 2 weeks or a month with real savings. Unlike say the Railway Rover tickets for an area for £xx when on holiday. But as for routine journeys , spending so much at outset to save £xx is never appealing to me.
Roger you ought to have a day in Newcastle and see if you can work out which tickets to go for with the 3 main competing bus companies all with different fare structures. One with return tickets one with tap on tap off and etc etc..Then one has the Metro which for such a most well used service the fares seem oddly high. Is the Mayor pocketing money from it to help other causes needs ?!? Or do they price it higher to dissuade and from them getting too packed !?? I don’t know. And then one has good reliable on time, widely so one finds, and well used local Northern trains. – An all services or modes , day ticket for £7.50 is an option too.
Anyway so fares How many folk think buses are too expensive and so don’t use them ? And if they are, ???, then what for the way ahead . Or do folk need to be helped to see the value of the fare s ? I think they are expensive for the market they are trying to serve.
Price cheaper but then one needs to get the uptake AND advertise and intro offers enough to work such .
no. 2 drivers driving too fast especially on country roads in icy or wet conditions repeatedly so in the winter timed, — and then there are also very few buses still with seat belts. Odd!, as it is since in coaches it became mandatory decades back.
The Express double deckers, X24 to Sunderland was it I saw yesterday, roar along this dual carriageway here at Wardley, in the outside lane etc, and sadly one thinks young drivers like the power they have in their hands now, and rather too much so at times. As is the way with us in our youth years. This can be quite off putting for the older and weaker . How much one wonders Research needed? We maybe all should get into the habit of reporting to the bus company if we believe any driver has been driving just too fast out in the country …or in town as here with the powerful new smooth Voltra buses give a lovely smooth ride but the driver has the power to put his foot down and zip on and up too close behind cars, as we all know is not the safe proper way to drive .
It’s always great to be on a bus and there is a lifelong older bus driver as known in Bristol, or wherever, but he steady way, pulls away and all calm orderly, and one knows he has been doing this a lifetime and yet he keeps on driving in the same calm no fuss way. He’s seen it all before . And when he gets out into an open stretch of dual carriageway it’s again nothing speedy and taking no silly pressure to catch up with having got late , for unavoidable reasons or whatever . Again just steady steady.
No. 3 Waiting at bus stops with lacking bus shelters and seats, the crazy nonsense indeed as to how many all around the country by now have been put up with the protection not towards the prevailing wind rain side.
No. 3a Lacking timetables too at them. How much do all these factors reduce the general sum use of buses .
Maybe time for some new national and local research on the: Why?s
No. 4 Then there is the timetable itself and e.g. how often places don’t these days have services into the evenings so going out of a day and not having option to get back after 5pm or so.
Why so widely no services on a Sunday for countless routes too? How much do people find this off putting and it reduces wider uptake?
No. 5 Lack of connectivity with train service arrivals . Or for departures too to a degree. GWR have been seeking to address this in quite a developing way, it seems. Working with bus companies to make this matter better.
Anyway…thoughts and how can we change the too many empty seats, bus photos of yours taken Roger, etc …, in the times ahead .!..?? Thanks, David .
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pre Covid, the Arriva 10 continued to and from Hertford to give journeys additional to the 724. Maybe central connect might want to look at that for their 10 as, despite much timetable amending, timekeeping on the 724 remains uncertain and there are 70 or even 80 min gaps in the timetable.
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