A Volvo B7TL/Alexander ALX400, on the Kesgrave guided busway on route 66 |
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| Parent | First Group |
| Founded | 1931, formerly Eastern Counties Omnibus Services |
| Headquarters | Rouen House, Rouen Road, Norwich, NR1 1RB |
| Locale | Norfolk and Suffolk |
| Service area | Norwich, Ipswich, Bury St Edmunds, Great Yarmouth, Kings Lynn, Lowestoft |
| Service type | Bus |
| Routes | 43 |
| Web site | First in Suffolk & Norfolk website |
First in Suffolk & Norfolk (previously First Eastern Counties) is a major bus operator in Norfolk and Suffolk in eastern England and is part of FirstGroup. First in Suffolk & Norfolk is the marketing name of First Eastern Counties Buses Ltd, formerly Eastern Counties Omnibus Company Ltd.
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The company was formed in 1931 by the combination of four existing bus companies in East Anglia, the earliest of which started operations in 1902. Eastern Counties operated throughout Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, Suffolk and the Soke of Peterborough in Northamptonshire. The company was a subsidiary of Tilling and British Automobile Traction Limited (TBAT).[1]
In 1933 services in the city of Norwich were taken over with the acquisition of the local tram company, the trams being withdrawn in 1935 in favour of buses. One of the predecessor bus companies, United Automobile Services, had a bus body works, which Eastern Counties inherited. In 1937, this operation was transferred to a separate company, Eastern Coach Works in Lowestoft.[1]
In 1942 the TBAT group was broken up and Eastern Counties passed to the Tilling Group. In 1948 Tilling's bus interests were sold to the government, and Eastern Counties was nationalised as a company under the control of the British Transport Commission (BTC).[1]
In 1962 with the splitting of the BTC into separate railway and other transport operations, the BTC bus companies passed to the Transport Holding Company (THC). While still state-owned, THC companies were required to act as commercial concerns. In 1969 Eastern Counties became part of the National Bus Company.[1]
The bus operations of Waveney District Council were taken over in 1977 after a recast of services left municipal operation unviable.
In preparation for bus deregulation and privatisation the company's operations in Cambridgeshire were broken off into a separate company, Cambus Limited, on September 9, 1984. The company's coaching operations were also split and became Ambassador Travel, based at Great Yarmouth.[2]
The company was bought out by the management on February 26, 1987. In 1994 it became only the second company in the United Kingdom to use guided buses when Superoute 66 was launched in Ipswich. The guided busway, known as Ipswich Rapid Transit, is still served by the company. In July 1994 they were sold to GRT Group, and by June 1995 GRT merged with Badgerline to form FirstBus. In 1996 the municipal buses of Great Yarmouth Transport were acquired.[3]
The company operates the following bus types:[4]
Excel is the long-distance service offered by First Eastern Counties. Until 2008 it was mainly run using air-conditioned Volvo B10M/Volvo B12M coaches. In October 2008 17 new double decker Volvo B9TL buses were introduced to route X1 to replace the ageing coaches. It has recently been reduced from five services serving most of East Anglia to two.
| Route | Origin | Via | Destination |
|---|---|---|---|
| X1 | Lowestoft | Great Yarmouth, Norwich, Kings Lynn & Wisbech | Peterborough |
| X2 | Lowestoft | Beccles | Norwich |
The Great Yarmouth fleet consists of Dennis Dart SLF Plaxton Pointers and Volvo B10BLE Wright Renowns Single Deckers. Volvo B7TL Plaxton Presidents , Volvo Olympian Alexander Royales and a Leyland Olympian Northern Counties Palatine Double Deckers. The garage is situated on Caister Road and is the former garage of Great Yarmouth Transport (Blue Bus) and was acquired in 1996.
| Route | Origin | Destination | Via | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 & 1A | Martham | Lowestoft | Hemsby Village, Market Gates (Bus Station), Gorleston, Hospital & Corton | |
| 2 | Hospital | Barrack Estate | Shrublands, Gorleston, Market Gates (Bus Station) & Pleasure Beach | |
| 3 | Great Yarmouth Market Gates | Hemsby Beach | Market Gates (Bus Station) & Caister & Scratby/California | Summer Service Only |
| 4 | Pleasure Beach | Caister (Post Office) | Barrack Estate, Market Gates (Bus Station), Newton & St. Hilda Road | |
| 5 | Market Gates (Bus Station) | Market Gates (Bus Station) | Bradwell, Cherry Tree Holiday Park, Burgh Castle & Bradwell | |
| 6 | Market Gates (Bus Station) | Market Gates (Bus Station) | Bradwell (Mallard Way > Laurel Drive > Post Office) | |
| 7 & 7A | Market Gates (Bus Station) | Market Gates (Bus Station) | Bradwell (Beccles Road), Belton (Bracon Road > Waveney Drive) & Bradwell (Becles Road) | |
| 8 | Hospital | Caister (Marram Drive) | Marine Parade, Gorleston, Market Gates (Bus Station) & Newton |
Ipswich depot is at Star Lane. Ipswich bus station is at Dogs Head Street. The Ipswich town services (61 & 62) use Tower Ramparts bus station, and out of town services use Old Cattle Market Bus Station.
Bury St Edmunds "depot" is at Cotton Lane. (It is now regarded as an outstation of Ipswich depot). Bury St Edmunds bus station is at St Andrews Street North.
First Eastern Counties run the Ipswich park and ride service and a some services run on a contract from Suffolk County Council (SCC).
| Route | Origin | Destination | Via | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4/4a | Ipswich Rail Station | Broke Hall (4) Rivers Estate (4a) | The Havens | Sun & BH |
| 61/61a | Ipswich | Greenwich (61a Circular. Evenings only) | Nacton Road, Gainsborough, Landseer Road | |
| 62 | Ipswich | Bixley | Felixstowe Road, St Augustines, Broke Hall | |
| 63 | Ipswich | Framlingham | Kesgrave, Martlesham, Woodbridge & Wickham Market | |
| 64 | Ipswich | Aldeburgh | Kesgrave, Martlesham, Woodbridge, Wickham Market & Saxmundham | |
| 65 | Ipswich | Rendlesham | Kesgrave, Martlesham & Woodbridge | |
| 66 | Ipswich, Rail Station | Martlesham Heath | Rail Station, Ipswich Town Centre, Kesgrave (Grange Farm) | |
| 67 | Ipswich | Martlesham Heath | Foxhall Road | |
| 75 | Ipswich | Felixstowe (Grange Farm) | Hospital, Trimley & Felixstowe Town Centre | |
| 76 | Ipswich | Old Felixstowe | Trimley & Felixstowe Town Centre | |
| 77 | Ipswich | Felixstowe Docks | Trimley & Felixstowe Town Centre | |
| 87 | Ipswich | Stowupland | Claydon, Needham Market & Stowmarket | |
| 88/88a | Ipswich | Stowmarket | Claydon & Needham Market. 88a via A14 | |
| 116 | Ipswich | Otley College | Shared SCC Contract | |
| 800 | Ipswich Park & Ride | Martlesham / London road | Rail Station, Town Centre & Hospital | 5yr SCC contract |
| 978 | Ipswich Schools | Grange Farm | SCC School contract |
There are two depots; the garage at Vancouver Avenue, and a yard at Rowan Road.
The bus station is at The Vancouver Centre.
In April 2011, First Group announced it would be selling off it's Kings Lynn routes. They were all sold to Norfolk Green who took over the routes in June 2011. First Eastern Counties continues to run the successful X1 Route, and will continue to have a depot in Kings Lynn for this service.
| Route | Origin | Destination | Via | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| X1 | Peterborough | Lowestoft | Wisbech, King's Lynn, Norwich, Great Yarmouth |
Buses are Dennis Darts, Volvo B7TL and Volvo Olympians. The garage is on Gas Works Road and still retains its post-1986 Eastern Counties signs. The bus station is on Gordon Road.
| Route | Origin | Destination | Via |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 & 1A | Martham | Lowestoft (Bus Station) | Hemsby Village, Market Gates, Gorleston, Hospital & Corton |
| 99B | Lowestoft (Bus Station) | Halesworth | Kirkley (Cliffe Road) & Elm Tree roundabout |
| 101 | Gunton (Weston Road) | Hollow Grove | Lowestoft (Bus Station) & Whitton |
| 102 | Lowestoft (Bus station) | Oulton | |
| 103 | Lowestoft (Bus station) | Carlton Colville | Kirkley & Pakefield |
There are two First depots in Norwich. Roundtree Way mainly has the out-of-town routes, and thus most of the remaining step-entrance buses. Vulcan Road operates the city routes, thus most buses are low-floor at this depot. The depot at Vulcan Road came into use in 2008 despite not having planning permission. Permission was gained in early 2010, but it has since been rumoured that the company will leave the site.[5]
Norwich bus station is at Surrey Street. A brand new facility opened here in 2005. It is used mainly for country services. The old bus station here also incorporated a large bus garage. City Services pick at stops along St Stephens Street and Castle Meadow.
Some First routes in Norwich face competition from Anglian Bus.[6]
| Route(s) | Origin | Destination | Via | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | Lakenham (Coleburn Road) | Old Catton (Ives Road) | Norwich, Mile Cross | |
| 9A | Norwich, Catton Grove, Airport Industrial Estate | Mon-Fri | ||
| 10 10A | Spixworth (Ivy Road) | Mulbarton (Cuckoofield Lane) | North Walsham Road (10A), Norwich, Swardeston | |
| 10B | Norwich | Lakenham, Tuckswood | Evenings | |
| 11 | Norwich | Sprowston (Tesco) | Wroxham Road | |
| 12 12A | Norfolk & Norwich Hospital | Stalham (High Street) | Cringleford, Norwich, Dussindale, Salhouse, Wroxham, Hoveton (12) | |
| 12B | Wroxham (Norwich Road) | Cringleford, Norwich, Dussindale, Salhouse | Evenings | |
| 13 13B | Norwich | Attleborough (Church Square) | Hethersett, Wymondham | |
| 14 | Norwich | Harts Farm (Blackthorn Road) | Hethersett, Wymondham, Silfield | |
| 14B | Wymondham (Cross) | Hethersett | Eves | |
| 15 | Norwich | Wymondham (Barnham Broom Road) | Newmarket Road, Hethersett | |
| 16 | Costessey (Queen's Hills) | Old Catton (White Woman Lane) | Norwich, Fiddlewood | |
| 16A | Norwich | Old Catton (Parkland Road) | Fiddlewood | Eves & Suns |
| 17 | Tuckswood (Hall Road) | Blofield Heath (Haker Way) | Norwich, Thorpe Road, Brundall | |
| 17A | Lingwood (Rail Station) | |||
| 18 | Norwich | Long Stratton (Manor Road) | Ipswich Road, Swainsthorpe | |
| 19 20 | Heartsease (Sale Road) | Costessey (Lord Nelson Drive) | Plumstead Road, Norwich, Dereham Road | |
| 19A | Costessey (Queen's Hills) | Eves & Suns | ||
| 21 22 | Norwich | University of East Anglia | West Earlham, Bowthorpe, Norfolk & Norwich Hospital | |
| 24 24A | Norfolk & Norwich Hospital | Thorpe St Andrew (Sainsbury's) | Cringleford (24A), Newmarket Road, Norwich, Plumstead Road, Booty Road (24A) | |
| 25 | Norwich Railway Station | University of East Anglia | Norwich, South Park Avenue | Term Time only |
| 26 | Norwich | Horsford (Barrett Lennard Road) | Aylsham Road, Reepham Road | |
| 27 | Hellesdon (Woodland Road) | |||
| 27A | Hellesdon (City View Road) | |||
| 28 | Norwich | Thorpe Marriott (Long Dale) | Aylsham Road, Drayton, Pendlesham Rise | |
| 28A | Hellesdon (Mill Corner) | Drayton Road | ||
| 29 | Norwich | Taverham (Maple Drive) | Aylsham Road, Mile Cross, Drayton | |
| 30 | Norwich Railway Station | University of East Anglia | Norwich, Newmarket Road, Eaton | Mon-Fri Limited Stop |
| 35 | Norwich Railway Station | University of East Anglia | Norwich, Earlham | Term Time only |
| X1 | Peterborough (railway Station) | Lowestoft | Wisbech, King's Lynn, Norwich, Great Yarmouth | |
| X2 | Norwich | Lowestoft | Hellington, Loddon | |
| X3 | Norwich | Shipdham (High Street) | Honingham, Dereham | Mon-Fri |
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