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Travel Express

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Travel Express (Let's Go!)
East Lancs Esteem in 2020
ParentKishan Singh Chumber
HeadquartersBlakenhall, Wolverhampton
Service areaWolverhampton / West Midlands
Service typeBus services
Routes6
DepotsDudley Road, Wolverhampton
Fleet15

Travel Express is a bus company based in Wolverhampton, West Midlands, England.

History

Travel Express was founded in 2000 by Kishan Singh Chumber. Initially, the company ran services in Birmingham before switching operations to Wolverhampton.

Services

Travel Express operated six main services around Wolverhampton including services 1 and 11 which competed with National Express West Midlands. Travel Express also operated four Transport for West Midlands tendered services - 63, 64, 65 and 303 to Willenhall In addition positioning journeys was operated on service 3 and 529. Previously, Travel Express have operated service 2 to Bushbury Hill and 32 to Northwood Park in competition with National Express West Midlands.

Fleet

The current fleet consists of Alexander Dennis Enviro200s, they previously had a number of Dennis Darts in the fleet but these have since departed. The company operates from the one-time Midland Red garage in Dudley Road, Wolverhampton.

Criticism

The company came under fire in January 2015 following a public enquiry by Traffic Commissioner Nick Jones, with the investigation finding that buses were unsafe and dirty, basic safety principles were unmet and that the company employed no cleaner, whilst branding manager Kishan Chumber 'incompetent'. Chumber responded, stating that the results of the public enquiry were a "gross vilification of the business" and that Travel Express were being unfairly targeted. The company had its number of allowed buses reduced from 13 to 8, and its routes reduced from 4 to 2. In September 2015, the company's licence was revoked for failing to comply with requirements imposed by the Traffic Commissioner.

In 2016, Travel Express, now trading as ‘Let’s Go’ received a new licence to operate 8 vehicles, under three conditions:

  • The company employ a full-time transport manager,
  • The company employ a full time mechanic,
  • Mr Chumber has no role in vehicle maintenance.

In 2018, Travel Express' owner, Kishan Singh Chumber, applied to be re-instated as a Transport Manager for the company. At the January 2018 Traffic Commission meeting, he withdrew his application.

In May 2024, it was announced that the company would have its license revoked with effect from 16th June 2024. The TfWM contracted routes began to be operated by Diamond Bus from Monday 17th June 2024. Commercially operated journeys on services 1, 3, 11 and 529 will not be replaced.

Let’s Go continue to operate the 1 & 11 services while awaiting their appeal against the revoking of their license.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Travel Express Fleetlist".
  2. "Travel Express Limited". www.duedil.com. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
  3. ^ "Under-fire Wolverhampton bus firm boss: We've been made out as villains". Express & Star. 24 January 2015. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016.
  4. ^ Lockley, Mike (21 January 2015). "Wolverhampton bus company fined over 'amateurish' service". BirmhinghamLive. Retrieved 8 March 2018.
  5. "Stafford barred from bus". www.ourdogs.co.uk. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
  6. "Let's Go". bustimes.org.
  7. Amateurish firm ran unsafe buses in Wolverhampton Express & Star 22 January 2015
  8. ^ Jewell, Mike (23 March 2016). "Travel Express wins new licence". route-one.net. Retrieved 8 March 2018.
  9. Routeone Team (23 September 2015). "Licence lost after grace period expires". route-one.net. Retrieved 8 March 2018.
  10. Routeone Team (26 August 2015). "Travel Express loses appeal". route-one.net. Retrieved 8 March 2018.
  11. Jewell, Mike (10 January 2018). "Restoration of repute as TM withdrawn". route-one.net. Retrieved 8 March 2018.
  12. "Decision for Travel Express Ltd (PD1140735) & Transport Managers: Mr Kishan Chumber & Nirmal Johal". gov.uk. 5 June 2024. Retrieved 6 June 2024.
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