Bus 370 & 373

I provide the response below in answer to an issue raised at last week's online forum:

The background is that the 370 and the 373 evening service was provided under contract to Tfl, which Thurrock contributed to, because the level of income on these services was insufficient to cover the costs of providing them and the overall performance of the two routes was not strong enough to maintain them on a commercial basis.

The 370 and 373 formed part of the London Bus Network between Corbets Tey and Romford.Tfl were unhappy with the reliability of the service and unfortunately, the extra level of resource needed to increase recovery and running times could not be justified commercially. Following discussions with Tfl they decided to take responsibility for the 370 in its entirety between Lakeside and Romford but expressed no interest in the 373. When they assumed the 370 they stopped funding the 373 evenings and Sundays and Arriva therefore withdrew the service.

Subsequently, Thurrock put the service out to tender with Ensign winning the tender. Now Ensign operates the evening 373 which is now called 73 under contract to Thurrock Council.

Ensign does not include the Shannon Way, Usk Road loop in its route as drivers who had worked for Arriva and now working for Ensign have expressed their concern about the safety of the drivers, passengers and damage to vehicles if they where to do so. The loop is omitted and the route continues from Mill Road on to Romford Road to its destination at Upminster.

The last bus that Arriva operates from Grays to Usk Road is 18.45. Ensign operates the evening 73 from 1918, Grays to Upminster, the last bus being 2310 from Grays.