Stansted Transit

Stansted Transit Buses Ltd was a bus operating company based in Braintree, with an outstation at Saffron Walden, United Kingdom.

History
It was established in October 2000, initially with the name London Transit. Other names used included Stevenage Link (see below) and Transit Group.

Its original depot was at Hare Street, near Buntingford, Hertfordshire. In 2004, another base was established at Stansted Business Park, and Hare Street closed in 2006. The Braintree depot was opened in December 2007, and the Stansted site was vacated during 2008. There were two sites used at Stansted; initially an enclosed yard on Second Avenue, but after Braintree opened, an open parking area on First Avenue was used instead. The outstation at Saffron Walden, (Viceroy Coaches, Bridge Street) ultimately replaced Stansted.

Although mainly associated with contracted bus routes in north west Essex/east Herts, Stansted Transit also briefly ran commercial routes in Milton Keynes (2001–02), and Stevenage (2003–06).

A coach division, called Stansted International Travel, was started in 2006.

On 4 June 2009 Stansted Transit entered administration. By 5 June Essex County Council had taken control of all of their services which continue to operate as normal until a formal tender process takes place later in the summer.

Stansted Transit operated 22 bus routes, in Essex and on the Hertfordshire, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire borders, as well as many school bus contracts tendered by Essex County Council.

By September 2009 the 22 bus routes have been reallocated to other bus companies, most to Hedingham Omnibuses.

Fleet
Stansted Transit used mainly Dennis Darts and Alexander Dennis Enviro200 Darts for service work. There were also some Leyland Olympians for its school contracts, and rail work. Bus types operated in the past included step entrance Dennis Darts, MCW Metrobuses (MKI and MK IIs), MCW Metroriders, Leyland Nationals (MKI and MK IIs). Stansted Transit also used a former Heathrow Pink Elephant transfer bus, an Optare Solo.

Stansted International Travel used Plaxton bodied Dennis Javelin and Volvo B10M coaches.

There were also a few other various types of bus which were in preserved state by the owner, including Routemaster RML2616.

Links With Essex County Buses
This company competed with First Group on the number 42 bus route (Galleywood to Broomfield Hospital), the number 70 bus route between Colchester and Braintree and routes 81, 82 and B3 around Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk.

Essex County Buses' fleet included former airport buses that had formerly been used by Stansted Transit. Essex County Buses was also wound up for similar reasons to Stansted Transit: failure to file accounts and non-payment to HM Revenue and Customs.

Area of operation

 * Essex
 * Hertfordshire
 * Suffolk