05 October 2006
Connex Jersey Ltd has been awarded the tender to supply the school bus service and the summer leisure service from 2007 to 2009 by the Transport and Technical Services Department. Connex included several service improvements in their tender which will enhance the service to customers.
The contracts for the two services had expired and were put out to tender in August. The tenders submitted were then evaluated by a panel of politicians and officers, who also interviewed the tenderers. The submissions from contractors were found to be very competitive and the value offered in each tender played a great part in the evaluation. The net cost to the States of Connex’s winning tender is £972,299.
Within the tender price, Connex offered an environmentally friendly fleet of 13 brand new Salvador Caetano buses which are similar to the current fleet, together with 17 second hand Mercedes Benz buses, which will mainly be used for the schools service. These Mercedes Benz buses are currently the number one choice in the UK for school transport and offer coach style seats with seat belts, enhancing both comfort and safety. Furthermore, the full fleet will allow wheelchair friendly buses on some of the summer service routes.
Connex also offered integrated ticketing and simpler timetabling on all services increasing customer choice and reducing current confusion on services in the summer season.
The Connex operation will also allow a greater degree of flexibility within the scheduled, schools and summer leisure services leading to efficiencies.
The new Connex school service will start from 4 January 2007 and run until the end of the autumn school term in December 2009. The summer leisure service will start in 2007 for the summer season and run annually until 2009.
"Connex’s substantial investment in new or nearly new buses will provide a major improvement in the quality of local public transport provision," said Deputy Guy de Faye, Minister for Transport and Technical Services. He continued, "I am sure many parents will be particularly delighted with the provision of seat belts on some school buses. The addition of this impressive new fleet underlines Connex’s commitment to the Island."
Tantivy Blue Coach is the current operator for the bulk of the school bus service and also for the ‘Easylink’ summer leisure service. Connex have run some of the schools services since 2004 and this new contract will bring all the services under a sole operator.
"I would also like to thank Tantivy Blue Coach for their years of valued service" said Deputy Guy de Faye, Minister for Transport and Technical Services.
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