This page
Brief history
Current fleet list
Route List
Brief History
Vectare describe themselves as a "dynamic transport solutions consultancy" but they also operate. Their website offers corporate and schools services, they have been active on some local services in the East Midlands and have in recent times gained services in Essex, nearby at Brentwood and between Waltham Cross and Epping (see route details below or on their website). They arrived in Harlow on 26th July 2021 with the assumption of long-standing ECC service 381, taking over from the local authority owned Ugobus. The service has since been renumbered 31. Vectare operate in Essex from locations at Rettendon Common and Wickford, the former used for the routes close to Brentwood, Harlow and Waltham Cross.
Vectare took over Gardner Travel of Chelmsford, who seem still to trade under that name.
As of March 2022, Vectare took over the Chemlsford Park and Ride services. After using 7 hired Enviro200MMCs in white, a dedicated fleet of brand new replacements in black have become the permanent replacements.
Vectare were awarded some HCC contracts in Ware and Hertford but elected not to take them up. The same thing then happened again with ECC awards for the 418 and 505 (Saturdays) from August 2022. This time they took up a belated start effective 21 November 2022. A feature of Vectare operations is that some trimmings tend to appear to fully utilise the vehicle and driver, which in this case includes an extention of the 418 to North Weald and fill-in Saturday journeys on route 20 (Harlow to Passmores Academy). Another is th UK's shortest route, the 30, which is a means for the 31 driver to park up at St Margarets Hospital 2 minutes after arrival at Coopersale
Of the fleet shown below, many may not appear on the 31 or in Essex at all, but they are included for completeness.
Vectare did initially create a good impression but late running, vehicle failures and canecelletions due to staff shortages and sickness are now regular occurances, sadly often on routes without alternative options.
As of 24th August 2023 Vectare purchased Galleon Travel 2009 Limited, including both the bus operation under the Central Connect name and the coach services which use Galleon Travel. The announcement advises that Vectare's own operations at Rettendon Common may migrate to the Central Connect depots in time.
WEBSITE: vectare.co.uk (Note, parts of the local Essex site have out of date information).
Twitter: @VectareEssex
Current fleet list
| Alexander-Dennis
Enviro200MMC The fleet was started with two examples (316/7 - YX16OBO/S) which originated with Abellio in London. After being sighted in service in Brentwood, early October saw both operate on the 381 (on different days, naturally). They are 24-seat variants and were single door from new. Both have since been moved to the Central Connect fleet. A third example originated with Weavaway in Newbury, as is evident from the cherished registration number. As of March 2022, Vectare took up the Chelmsford Park and Ride services and initiated them with no less than 7 further examples of the type (YX22OGJ to YX22OGP) from white dealer stock, which have now been replaced with 7 later examples in black (fleet number 307 onwards), which are branded for each of the separate services. 306 in company colours arrived at the same time. June 2022 saw the arrival of 314 (YX22OHA) in company colours, and a second example, 315 (YX22OHB) followed in July. 314 was then noted in July 2022 repainted black, bringing the dedicated Park and Ride fleet to 8. November 2022 saw the entry into service of former CT Plus examples SN16OVM and SN16OVO, subsequently joined by OVP and OVR. In May 2023 320 suffered a serious RTA whilst on route 505. It reappeared in September 2023. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
The Weavaway colours carried by 305 (YX69NWB) could very easily could have lent themselves to being an equivalent to the Vectare minibus livery with no repaint needed at all, but instead this vehicle has now been repainted to Arriva Max in reverse. (R. Hudson) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
