EBS to buy Frontrunner
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I Ensign Bus Services of irfleet is buying Frontnumer outh East), the London arm Stagecoach-owned East Midad Motor Services, in a cornex deal involving up to 40 !hides.
Ensign has taken over Lonna Regional Transportintracted routes 248 and 252, school operation and Fronunner's Rainham depot and omford offices.
Previous uncertainties about e contract led LRT to award seven-month contract to Engn to continue operations afr Frontrunner ceased operams on 30 June. Ensign was en able to buy Frontrunner id continue the contract withit incurring a penalty for pre mature short-notice termination.
Some of Frontnmner's AN68 Atlanteans are being operated by Ensign. These will be exchanged over the next few weeks for AN68s, Bristol VRTs and REs from other Stagecoach companies including Ribble and United Counties, which will go into stock with the dealership Ensign Bus and Coach. EBS managing director Leon Daniels says that new vehicles will replace the AN68s on contracted services. EBS already operates 41 buses daily on LRT contracts and up to 18 more on sightseeing tours.
East Midland managing director George Watson says results of the London operation were slightly disappointing and there were problems of communication with the distant subsidiary. Vehicles were regularly driven to Mansfield and back for heavy maintenance. Operations at Wyatts Green and Debden passed to County Bus in the same deal.