21 Apr Shuttles launch First Essex into brave new world
First Essex is celebrating the launch of a new network of Shuttles in Basildon, Chelmsford and Colchester by creating an intergalactic quest for young Space Rangers.
The countdown to blast off ends on Saturday, 23rd April, when the Shuttles will be on their mission to zoom in and out of these Essex town centres. Space heroes Jeff Blastoff and Sally Shuttleride will be helping gallant adventurers search for clues in the town centres of Chelmsford, Basildon and Colchester as they search for ways to save the planet. Successful space travellers will be able to follow the trail, test their Space Ranger skills and receive a prize for completing the challenge to help save the world.
Space Rangers can join the take-off celebrations on 23rd April and meet space heroes Jeff Blastoff and Sally Shuttleride from 10.30am to 12.30pm at The Eastgate shopping centre in Basildon, from 1pm to 2.30pm on Chelmsford High Street (opposite Barclays) and from 3pm to 5pm at Colchester’s Lion Walk.
The Shuttles are designed to provide more buses in the busiest parts of the town and in many cases offer services earlier in the morning and later into the night. The Shuttles will be clearly defined with a striking Red livery, making it easier than ever to identify the right bus for you, with the full fleet of Shuttles taking on their stylish new over the summer.
At the same time, First Essex will be creating new timetables on many of the routes which connect these three key Essex towns to other parts of the county and each other, making the schedule of buses simpler to understand.
Buses in Basildon will also benefit from the new Tap&Cap system, following the successful implementation of the system in Chelmsford and Colchester earlier this year. Tap&Cap offers passengers great flexibility and guarantees they never pay more than the daily or weekly ticket price, something that has already been enjoyed by passengers on more than 230,000 trips so far.
Single fares will reduce to £2.50 for travel entirely within the Basildon shuttles zone, with a second journey at £1.50, the third and fourth journeys in one day at £1 each and all subsequent journeys being free that day.
Daily travel in the Shuttles zone is capped at £6 for the first day, £5 the day over the next three days and then £1 a day for days five to seven (following a seven-day period starting Mondays). This means passengers, will never pay more than the daily price of £6 or weekly price of £24 a week.
Return tickets are no longer available and only single and daily tickets are available from the driver with weekly and 4-weekly tickets only available via the Essex Bus app.
Garry Nicholass, Commercial Director at First Essex Buses Ltd, commented: “This is a really exciting new development for bus travel in Essex. The new Shuttles will make it easier, simpler and often more cost effective to get to where customers want to go. We can’t wait for our young Space Rangers to join in this celebration.”
