Essex County Council have announced replacement bus services to take over a number of routes, after Arrow Taxis and Essex and Suffolk DaRT announced it had ceased trading on Friday (July 26).

A spokesperson for Essex County Council said: "Following the announcement that Arrow Taxis and Essex and Suffolk DaRT have ceased trading, Essex County Council has worked with other bus operators in the county to ensure the services affected are back up and running quickly. 

"Travel will be free of charge on these services until they are registered, and we will update further when that is the case."

The following services will start to run as follows:

• Service 12 Wickford to Billericay – with Vectare commencing on 31 July 2024 and a reduced timetable until 5 August 2024. Journeys 10:50 from Wickford, 11:20 from Billericay, 15:30 from Wickford and 16:00 from Billericay will not be operating until 5 August 2024
• Service 45 Bradwell-on-Sea to South Woodham Ferrers – with NIBs Buses. NIBs had capacity to run this service from 29 July 2024, so this is already running
• Service 10 Temple Grove to Pleshey – with Vectare commencing on 5 August 2024 –this service will now have a new service number of 48
• DaRT 3 North Braintree – with Flagfinders (CTB) commencing on 31 July 2024
• The Service 322/323/324 Bishop's Stortford to Lindsell / Stebbing – with First Essex Buses will commence on 31 July 2024, and run initially for three months. 

An update on service 99A Chelmsford to Maldon will be provided "as soon as possible" while work continues to find a suitable solution. 

Maldon MP, Sir John Whittingdale, said: "I am very much aware of the anxiety caused to many of my constituents by the closure of Arrow Taxis and the loss of the Essex DaRT services, particularly for those living in the Dengie Peninsula who rely on these to reach Maldon, Chelmsford and Broomfield Hospital. 

"I am grateful to Essex County Council for their swift action to find alternative operators for these services."

He added the council are "doing everything" to find a suitable solution for the 99A Chelmsford to Maldon route. 

The new services come after the shock closure of local bus service provider, Essex and Suffolk DaRT and the associated Arrow Taxis.

The service was well-loved in East Essex, offering regular services as well as dial and ride services for a number of years.

The business posted to Facebook on Friday, July 26, outlining how "spiralling costs" and depleting passenger numbers caused the service to cease trading.