From 4 September, Lincolnshire's largest privately-owned transport operator, TransLinc, is curtailing their Boston - Peterborough - London daily express service. During September the route will operate between Boston - Peterborough only and from the start of October the service will be no more.
The service started with the privatisation of the coach industry in 1985 when local operator Elseys of Gosberton ran a new Boston - London service. At the same time so too did fellow local operator, Hogg of Bennington, also between Boston - London. Both services operated in competition in the true spirit of privatisation. In the late 80s Hogg extended their service to start/end in Skegness and at the same time Elseys, rather than run dead from their depot in Gosberton, ran it in service between there and Boston.
Brylaine of Boston took over the Hogg operation in the mid-90s and continued to operate the London service (ex Skegness); though withdrew the service around 2001 when TransLinc took over Elseys following a mutual agreement whereby Brylaine would operate local bus services exclusively between Boston - Spalding, something Elseys had hitherto done.
And so a coach service, born as a direct result of the privatisation of the coach industry, has come to an end. The reason? TransLinc claim profitability as a key factor, though this in itself is specifically as a result of their recent buy-out they bought-in, as featured in the latest LEYTR, which has seen the founders of the firm sell their shares to private equity firm, RJD Partners.
Meanwhile, National Express continue to operate a daily service between Mablethorpe - Skegness - Boston - Spalding - Peterborough - London.
Photo: Chris Maxfield
