Lodekka marks last day for independent Carters

摘要

Council-owned Ipswich Buses took over Suffolk independent Carters Coaches at the late May bank holiday weekend. Proprietor Viv Carter, a former Eastern Counties driver who founded the business in 1985, drove an ex-Crosville Bristol Lodekka from his heritage fleet on route 93 (Colchester-East Bergholt-Ipswich) on 28 May, the final day of family-owned operation. He is keeping the heritage business for weddings and other special events hires. Initially, Ipswich Buses is keeping the Carters business as a separate unit, which will relocate from Capel St Mary to its Constantine Road depot, but in the longer term may integrate the country routes into its town network. Managing director Jeremy Cooper says the acquisition will allow it to spread its overheads across a larger operation and also enable it to improve public transport access to Ipswich from surrounding towns and villages. Besides the hourly Colchester route, Carters also operates to Brantham, Manningtree and Hadleigh.