Ipswich Buses

Ipswich Buses Ltd is a bus company that operates in Ipswich, Suffolk, UK and has been doing so for over 100 years. Its depot is situated in Constantine Road, near Ipswich Town's football ground. First Eastern Counties also operate bus services in the town on complementary routes.

It became an "arm's length" limited company following the deregulation of bus services under the 1985 Transport Act with a board of directors responsible for managing and directing its affairs. It is one of 11 remaining municipal bus companies in the UK and is owned by Ipswich Borough Council.

In the May 2011 elections the Ipswich Labour Party won control of Ipswich Borough Council. In the manifesto that the Labour party released prior to the election, the party said it would not privatise the company, after the previous administration (a Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition) said it was still interested in trying to sell the company or part of the company. The new Labour-controlled council said it would 'invest' in the company, to improve existing services, for new vehicles and to ensure the company provided a service the Ipswich people wanted.

School Services
Some of Ipswich Buses' town services will continue through (interwork) as another service on returning to Tower Ramparts Bus Station. For instance, route 7 continues as a 15 through to Maidenhall, Route 16 & 19 interwork and route 5 interworks with the 11's.

During the evenings and on Sundays interworking is more complex, the current cycle being as follows: 8 Whitehouse & Asda > 12 Chantry (Cambridge Drive) > 9/10 Castle Hill & Whitton > 5/11 Heath Road Hospital > 7/15 Thorington Park, then returning back to route 8.

Route 13 is the only Evening/Sunday route that doesn't interwork.

Park and Ride
Ipswich Buses operated the Ipswich park and ride system under contract to Suffolk County Council from 1997. The service is Charter Marked.

Latterly it operated the service in an allover purple livery with unnamed single and double-deck buses, branded Ipswich Park & Ride with a bird logo, and the strapline Fly into town.

On 1 November 2008 the operations passed to First Eastern Counties, after Ipswich Buses lost the contract, at a cost of £300,000 to their bottom line.

'Ipswich - Transport Fit for the 21st Century'
In February 2011, it was announced that the original £25 million 'Ipswich Transport Fit for the 21st Century' scheme would go ahead and funding would be available for the local councils to claim, despite government cutbacks. This scheme has since seen savings and is now expected to cost £21.5 million and is likely to have impacts on Ipswich Buses -


 * Tower Ramparts Bus Station will be revamped and contain 3 more bays than at present.
 * Many bus stops will be improved in the town centre - 'Real Time Information' will be added for the passengers benefit.
 * An additional shuttle service will be set up linking the Old Cattle Market Bus Station, Education Quarter, Waterfront and Railway Station together (although not Tower Ramparts). Currently there is no information to suggest who this contract will be awarded to, although it is anticipated a hybrid electric vehicle will be used.
 * Upper Brook Street will be pedestrianised, and this will see the extension of the one-way bus loop around the town centre to Upper Orwell Street.

More details of the scheme can be found on the  webpage.