Service type Bus services Chief executive George Mutch Parent organization Go-Ahead Group Fleet 86 (March 2012) | Routes 58 Website www.hedingham.co.uk Founded 1921 | |
 | ||
Service area North Essex and Suffolk Profiles | ||
Hedingham omnibuses 72 r629mnu volvo olympian nc palatine route 91
Hedingham Omnibuses is a bus company in Essex. It is a subsidiary of the Go-Ahead Group.
Contents
History
In 1921 Aubrey Letch shortly after serving in World War I, with his parents' help, trading under his own name commenced operating a coach hire company, gradually expanding to run bus services to Braintree and Sudbury on their market days of Wednesday and Thursday respectively. In March 1935 Letch purchased the competing business of PW Finch of Castle Hedingham. This allowed Letch to take over the Monday to Saturday workers' service to Braintree. In the late 1950s, he further expanded the business with routes to Gestingthorpe, Pebmarsh and Halstead.
In early 1960, Letch retired due to ill health and sold the company to Donald MacGregor, which was renamed Hedingham & District Omnibuses. Since then the company has grown by acquiring other companies, including:
In March 2012 the company was sold to the Go-Ahead Group.
Depots
Three depots are located in:
Hedingham Omnibuses used to have a depot in Tollesbury however it closed in 2016 due to cuts.
Livery
Hedingham Omnibuses' livery is cream with red relief, until the 1970s being blue and cream. The livery varies between single deckers/ coaches and double deck buses, with red being the main colours on double deckers with cream relief. Recent arrivals from Brighton & Hove retained their former livery with Hedingham fleetnames.
Disability incidents
Hedingham Omnibuses has been criticised three times for incidents involving disabled people. In 2007 and February 2008, its drivers were criticised by Tendring Community Transport for leaving their vehicles unattended in special bus stops in Station Road and Pier Avenue in Clacton meant for services for disabled and vulnerable people, blocking designated services from using the stop. In September 2008, a disabled man was unable to board a bus as the wheelchair area was full with buggies. The mothers refused to fold their buggies to let the man on board the bus, despite the Disability Discrimination Act 2005 giving priority to wheelchair users. The bus driver refused to get involved and enforce the Act, so the disabled man had to wait half an hour for the next bus. The company responded by saying that they would put up posters from Essex County Council telling passengers to give up the wheelchair space to disabled people.
Doctor Who
Two former Hedingham Omnibuses (Bristol VRTs RUA 461W, HJB 455W) masqueraded as London Buses in the 2009 Doctor Who Easter special, Planet of the Dead. The original livery can be seen in the accompanying behind-the-scenes special Doctor Who Confidential: Desert Storm.