Christmas shopping on 2nd December with Ensign

Ensign have registered a new route, the X81H, which will run on Saturday 2nd December only, giving Shenfield and Brentwood a more frequent than usual direct bus to Lakeside and Grays. Timetable here.

Also on 2nd December, running that day only, is Ensign route X21 between Ongar and Upminster via Brentwood. It'll be every half hour on that day. Timetable here.

Both routes will run half-hourly throughout the day.

Blackmore to be cut off again

Ensign 61 picked up the slack in connecting Brentwood with Blackmore after Amber 261 was withdrawn at the end of last year.

Ensign stepped in from 3rd January, but have announced that the 61 is to be withdrawn from 21st July.

We'll let you know if any replacement is announced.

With a general election next week, don't forget that more cuts are guaranteed if you vote for the current shower.

261 to go: Blackmore cut off

Amber 261 is being withdrawn from 16th December, which will cut Doddinghurst and Blackmore off from Brentwood.

If there's no replacement, then Doddinghurst will have just a couple of buses a day on route 898. Blackmore fares a little better in that it has a direct link to Chelmsford with Stephenson's 32.

We'll let you if there is to be any replacement for the 261.

10th April changes

Many of our local bus routes change from Sunday 10th April. Here's a quick rundown:


Ensign 21 Brentwood-Ongar
Additional weekday early evening journey added.

Stephensons 71/72 Brentwood-Stondon Massey
Timetable changes.

First 73 Warley-Bishops Hall
Renumbered 37, with a change of route and timetable.

First 251 Warley-Southend
Curtailed to only run between Warley and Wickford. Connections available in Wickford for Southend.

First 351 Brentwood-Chelmsford
New Mon-Sat timetable.

BCT 898 Blackmore-Romford
Curtailed to only run between Blackmore and Brentwood Community Hospital. New timetable.


Most of these changes are down to cuts being imposed by Essex County Council on routes which they subsidise. The bus operators have been sluggish to publicise these changes, but you can see the new timetables on Traveline and via the Interactive Essex Bus Map

County Council revives Saturday buses to Ongar

Following Townlink's demise, the 21 from Brentwood was taken over by Ensign as a weekday shuttle service to Ongar only.

Now, Essex County Council have stepped in to maintain the Ongar link on Saturdays. A timetable should be available soon for the Saturday service, which will be operated by Ensign Bus. This will be on a trial basis, so use it or lose it if you want Brentwood to have a Saturday link to Ongar.