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ALL CHANGE! Competition between two bus companies serving UEA could spell good news for student passengers. On Monday, Holt-based Sanders Coaches (pictured above, left) launched their new 53-seater route 104 between Sprowston and UEA via the City and Unthank Road at prices that are just the ticket. A single fare to the City costs at least 15p less than existing Eastern Counties Buses services (pictured above, right) and a further discount of lOp is available on the production of student identification. '
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The first coach on route 104 leaves UEA at 9.10 am and runs until 4.20 pm, although its operators hope to extend the service soon. Said Sanders Coaches Ma,nager, John Wyatt, "We were thinking about launching the route for a good while and it takes six weeks to register. "It's not the only one we've got planned; we're looking ahead at different areas and maybe further expansion to UEA services. We've had a heck of a lot of support and we've done it because of people complaining they haven't got the buses they want", he added. And in a further development last
week, the Union announced that ECB will soon start running late night services from UEA until 3am on Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. The late bus will follow a route through the Golden Triangle and back, including popular student areas around Earlham and Unthank roads. "Our service will be up and running after Easter and I'm confident it will succeed", said Philip Eden, ECB Director. But local taxi firms have expressed their doubts over the late bus services. "I will be surprised if it comes off. If students share a taxi, it works out cheaper than a bus fare home, so I can't see it
really affecting our trade", said a spokesman for Beeline, the Union's recommended cab firm. Philip Eden was unshaken by such comments, however. "You have to ring for a taxi and it can work out to be more expensive," he said. Sanders Coaches also expressed their reservations over running late night services. "It's up to ECB what they do. If our new route is a success then we might run it early or later. But I don't know if it's viable to run till that time in the morning", said Mr Wyatt. He also stated that if ECB were to cut
their prices as a result of the competition between the two firms, Sanders Coaches would rise to the challenge. "Eastern Counties have taken over and got the idea that they've got no competition and could do what they like with the services. Our operating costs are not as much as theirs but 75p into the City seems more reasonable than their 95p." My Wyatt did not rule out the idea of a fully-fledged ' bus war' ensuing as the rival operators light for student business. "If Eastern Counties want to turn it into a war, then it is up to them. We were asked for the service and we ' ve provided it", he said.