EFS to exit passenger services operations

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Essential Fleet Services (EFS) is to exit the passenger services market, through a managed process, and is to focus on its core business activities which centre on the provision of specialist fleet.

Ray O’Toole, Chief Executive of EFS, said: “We’re working with Lincolnshire County Council to manage the hand-over of passenger services to new operators over the next few months. These services are delivered through 51 contracts in all and include home-to-school transport, CallConnect services, special educational needs and older persons transport. We’ll continue to run all routes and deliver a high level of service for our customers and passengers until there can be a smooth transition to other operators, ensuring there is no disruption.

Our priority will be to seek secure employment for our passenger services employees through TUPE arrangements and transfer to other providers and we’ll work closely with Lincolnshire County Council to support this.

Although Essential will no longer operate passenger services, we’ll continue to provide and maintain passenger service vehicles for other operators.

“In Lincolnshire, we currently provide essential fleet, including gritters and refuse collection vehicles as well as passenger transport, to support the delivery of frontline services by the County Council.”