Optare Tempo and heritage Leyland National
ParentGo-Ahead Group
Founded1999 (1999)
HeadquartersDereham
Service areaDereham
Norwich
Swaffham
Watton
Wymondham
Fakenham
Wroxham
Service typeBus services
AllianceHedingham & Chambers
Depots1
Fleet61 (October 2017)
OperatorGo East Anglia
Chief executiveGavin Smith
Websitewww.konectbus.co.uk

Konectbus[1] is a bus operator based in Dereham in Norfolk, England. It is a subsidiary of the Go-Ahead Group and forms part of Go East Anglia.[2]

History

Konectbus was formed in 1999 when the Saham Toney depot of Norfolk Green was purchased from with four coaches, originally trading as Konect. The company moved out of coach operations and into tendered bus services. In 2003, the company was renamed Konectbus.

In 2004, the depot was relocated to Toftwood. In March 2013, a new depot was opened in Rashes Green Industrial Estate. In 2005, Konectbus began to operate two park & ride services under contract to Norfolk County Council.

In March 2010, Konectbus was sold to the Go-Ahead Group.[3][4][5] In November 2017 Konectbus took over all seventeen routes and twenty buses of sister company Anglian Bus.[6][7][8]

Optare Solo at Showbus in September 2004
Scania OmniCity in September 2008

Acquisitions

Logo of former "anglianbus" bus operator

Anglian Bus[9] was a bus operator based in Beccles. A subsidiary of the Go-Ahead Group, it operated services in both Norfolk and Suffolk from 1981 until 2017.

Anglian Bus was formed in 1981 by David and Christine Pursey, operating charter services and school services from a depot in Loddon. In January 1999, Anglian Bus began operating its first public bus service numbered 580 between Diss and Great Yarmouth under contract to Norfolk County Council.[3][10]

In October 2000, the depot was relocated to Beccles Business Park, where a purpose built garage was constructed on 5 acres (20,000 m2) of freehold land.[3] This depot had a MOT testing facility.[11] In 2003, the company began its first commercial service from Halesworth to Norwich. In 2004, a second depot at New Rackheath, near Norwich opened. It has since closed and is now used as an outstation by sister company Konectbus.[3][10]

In April 2012, Anglian Bus was sold to the Go-Ahead Group.[12][13] On 19 November 2017, Anglian Bus ceased trading with all routes and buses transferred to Konectbus.[6][7][8]

Anglian Bus operated a number of services, both standard routes and more limited services. Both urban and rural areas were served, with many of the company's routes running into the city of Norwich serving Norwich bus station. Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft were also served by many routes.[14] At the time operations ceased in November 2017, the fleet comprised twenty vehicles.[8]

Services

Konectbus operate services in Norfolk and Suffolk.[15] On 7 September 2015, Konectbus started operating a five-year contract for all six Norwich park & ride services.[16][17][18]

Former Services

The company formerly operated route X6 from Thetford to Norwich via Attleborough. It was withdrawn in 2019.[19][20]

Fleet

As of October 2017, the fleet consisted of 61 buses.[21]

References

  1. ↑ Companies House extract company no 3149258 Konectbus Limited
  2. ↑ "Konectbus History". Retrieved 1 September 2022.
  3. 1 2 3 4 About us Anglian Bus
  4. ↑ Go-Ahead snaps up Konectbus Transport Xtra 17 March 2010
  5. ↑ Dereham bus firm sold to transport group Dereham Times 19 March 2010
  6. 1 2 News Konectbus
  7. 1 2 "Anglianbus name to be dropped" Coach & Bus Week issue 1318 21 November 2017 page 10
  8. 1 2 3 Anglianbus is no more Route One 22 November 2017
  9. ↑ Companies House extract company no 1260689 Anglian Bus Limited
  10. 1 2 The Sky's the Limit Buses issue 719 February 2015 page 25-28
  11. ↑ PCV & HGV MOT Testing Anglian Bus
  12. ↑ Go-Ahead Group acquires Anglian Buses Archived 6 October 2012 at the Wayback Machine Go-Ahead Group 23 April 2012
  13. ↑ Go-Ahead expands with Anglian purchase Archived 23 April 2014 at the Wayback Machine Bus & Coach Professional 25 April 2012
  14. ↑ Times & Fares Anglianbus
  15. ↑ Timetables & Fares Konectbus
  16. ↑ Pand ride plus – new Konectbus contract includes Norwich bus station Norwich City Council 2 April 2015
  17. ↑ Konectbus finalises Norwich P&R win Bus & Coach Buyer 30 April 2015
  18. ↑ "New Norfolk P&R to launch next week" Coach & Bus Week issue 1204 1 September 2015 page 10
  19. ↑ Wales, Bethany (29 October 2019). "Villagers fear being 'cut off' as only bus service axed". Eastern Daily Press. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  20. ↑ "Public Transport Services in Norfolk –Timetable changes for December 2019 – January 2020" (PDF).
  21. ↑ Fleet List Konectbus
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