Parent | Arriva |
---|---|
Founded | 2004 |
Headquarters | Whitehall Industrial Estate, Colchester |
Service area | Essex |
Service type | Bus services |
Routes | 1, 2, 8, 133, P&R |
Fuel type | Diesel |
Operator | Arriva Southern Counties |
Website | Arriva Colchester |
Arriva Colchester [1] (formerly Network Colchester) is a bus company operating services around Colchester. It is a subsidiary of Arriva. The company was, until March 2015, part of the Tellings-Golden Miller company, which was owned by Arriva at the time, [2] under the name of Network Colchester.
Network Colchester's origins can be traced to 1904 with the establishment of Colchester Corporation Tramways, operating at its peak, four routes and 18 trams. Bus operation commenced in 1928 as Colchester Corporation Transport to replace the trams. To comply with the Transport Act 1985 in 1986 the assets were transferred to a new legal entity, Colchester Borough Transport. [3]
In 1993, during a bus war with Eastern National, the company was sold to British Bus for £1, but the new owners took on considerable debts. After discussions the bus war ended in 1994 with a share out of routes between the two companies. In August 1996 British Bus was purchased by the Cowie Group, which in November 1997 was renamed Arriva, with Colchester Borough Transport being rebranded as Arriva Colchester. The tuscan red and cream livery was replaced by Arriva corporate colours. Profits did not improve and in 2004 the company was sold to Tellings-Golden Miller, placed under the control of Burton's Coaches [1] and rebranded as Network Colchester. [4]
In 2008 Tellings-Golden Miller was sold to Arriva resulting in it once again owning the Colchester services. [5] It continues to trade as Network Colchester. In early 2010 the Burton's Coaches business was sold to Yellow Star Travel Services [6] in a management buy out but ownership of Network Colchester remained with Tellings-Golden Miller.
The depot was at Magdalen Street, Colchester until March 2008 when relocated to expanded premises at Heath Business Park, Grange Way in the Old Heath district of Colchester. The depot was later used by First Essex, but in November 2018 sold for redevelopment. [7] [8]
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Julian Peddle is an entrepreneur who has worked in the bus industry since the early 1980s, having owned or part-owned numerous bus companies. He spent 11 years as co-owner of Stevensons of Uttoxeter between 1983 and 1994, having previously been its traffic manager. During the late 1990s and early 2000s he ran Status Group, a group of small bus companies spread across England which included BakerBus, Choice Travel and MK Metro. He was a major shareholder in Tellings-Golden Miller and Centrebus Holdings before their sale to Arriva.
Returning to family ownership in 2016, Tellings-Golden Miller is now run by Richard Telling, who has taken inspiration from his parents to focus on a simple notion – to provide the best luxury VIP coach service available in the UK today.
Media related to Network Colchester (bus company) at Wikimedia Commons