First Norfolk & Suffolk route X1

X1
Overview
Operator	First Norfolk & Suffolk
Vehicle	Alexander Dennis Enviro 400 Volvo B9TL
Route
Start	Lowestoft bus station
Via	Great Yarmouth Norwich Dereham Swaffham Kings Lynn Wisbech
End	Peterborough bus station
Length	107 miles (172 km)
Route map Legend Lowestoft Bus Station Gunton Tesco Hopton Lowestoft Road James Paget Hospital Gorleston High Street Great Yarmouth Market Gates Acle King's Head Norwich Bus Station Easton Des Amis Hockering Victoria Dereham Market Place Toftwood Millwrights Arms Necton A47 Layby Swaffham Market Place Narborough Cross Road East Winch Church King's Lynn Bus Station Wisbech Bus Station Guyhirn Little Chef Thorney Fish & Chip Shop Peterborough Bus Station Peterborough Railway Station ← {{{previous_line}}} {{{next_line}}} →

First Norfolk & Suffolk route X1 is an express bus route run by First Norfolk & Suffolk. It runs from Lowestoft bus station in Suffolk to Peterborough railway station in Cambridgeshire.

In the year up to April 2009, the route saw a 15% increase in passenger numbers compared to the previous year.^[1]

Route and Frequency

The whole route is about 107 miles in length, mostly following the A47 road and only stopping at major interchange points in urban areas. In total, from Lowestoft to Peterborough the journey time is around 4 hours and 45 minutes.

Since July 2014, the route has been made up of two sections. Whereas before, buses would run the entirety of the route, services now operate between Peterborough & Norwich and Norwich & Lowestoft separately, with all services in both directions terminating at Norwich Bus Station. Passengers travelling further have to change. At that time, the 'splitting' of the route was temporary, and was introduced in order to ease delays while major long term roadworks are carried out on the A47 at Postwick, east of Norwich.^[2]

There is a different frequency on each section of the route. While there is in general a 20-minute frequency Monday to Saturday on the Norwich to Lowestoft section of the route, there is generally a half hour frequency, Monday to Saturday, on the Norwich to Peterborough section.^[3]

Vehicles

The route is now mostly operated by long-distance double-decker Alexander Dennis Enviro400 buses, which were introduced in October 2013 featuring Air Conditioning, Free WIFI & Leather seats.

The older Wright Eclipse Gemini 'Gemini' vehicles which previously dominated the route still often work the route between Norwich and Lowestoft.

Media

First manage an official Twitter page for the X1 route, @First_X1, which is used to provide passengers with the latest information, news and service updates.

An unofficial blog, The X1 Blog, regularly reports on the latest workings of the service.

Fatal Accident

In May 2009, an X1 vehicle travelling towards Peterborough was involved in a fatal accident in Thorney. The driver took avoiding action after a car drove into its path, causing the bus to veer off the road.^[4]

References

1. East Anglian service sees rising patronage | TXNews Archived 1 January 2011 at WebCite
2. "First Norfolk and Suffolk news and initiatives x1 changes". firstgroup.com. First Nofolk and Suffolk. Retrieved 31 July 2014.
3. "First Norfolk and Suffolk current timetables x1". firstgroup.com. First Norfolk and Suffolk. Retrieved 31 July 2014.
4. BBC News | England | Cambridgeshire | One dead and 13 injured in crash Archived 1 January 2011 at WebCite