A bus company in Colchester has plans to take over it's biggest rival.

Arriva have announced a deal to pack up shop and sell to their biggest competitor in Colchester, Essex. First Essex Buses plans to take over on Sunday, December 20th with Arriva finishing their last services on Saturday, December 19th.

Colchester Bus Station, soon to be even more dominated by First Bus | Colchester City Council

The deal would include it's current 4 bus services, the fleet, and the depot in Grange Way, just 10 minutes from First's current one on Haven Road. Staff based at the Arriva Colchester garage would also be retained and would keep their jobs under the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations (TUPE)

However it is not all as simple as it is laid out to be. Arriva have already accepted First Bus offer however the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) will now assess the impact this could have on the area and whether this hands First Bus a monopoly in Colchester

Arriva state that passengers should expect no meaningful changes in the short term and that First Bus will give current passengers continuity of service, offering the best long term future for bus travel in Colchester. Whilst Arriva can now focus on it's other depots in the region, including South end and Harlow

An Arriva Bus in South end where Arriva services will continue | Allie

Simon Mathieson, Regional Director of First Bus East & Midlands had the following to say:

“This is an ideal opportunity to strengthen our network in Colchester and we look forward to serving more communities in the near future. The additional routes complement our existing services and our team will be ready to welcome new customers to enjoy the high quality journey experience we deliver. Over the coming weeks we will be working closely with Arriva to ensure a seamless transfer of all operations and employees at the depot. This investment is further evidence of our ability to build a sustainable bus network in the Essex region. We will provide the CMA with any support needed to help its review to be completed quickly and now await the outcome of this process.”