Eastern Colleges Group - Home to College Bus Transportation

Abbeygate Sixth Form College, One Sixth Form College and West Suffolk College currently operate six closed student transport routes from various locations across Suffolk and the borders of Cambridgeshire and Essex.

One Sixth Form College is based in Ipswich, whilst West Suffolk College and Abbeygate Sixth Form College are based in Bury St Edmunds.

Service details

Service type:

Home to School Services

Number of routes

Min 6, Up to 13 in total

Type of vehicles

Buses or Coaches

Service Start Date

September 2023

Contract Duration

3. years + up to 2 additional years

Technology Required

Use of the Kura App and Devices

Service description and requirements

As a collective, the College has reviewed its student applications and route requirements, and to gain prices from the bus and coach industry for the following routes as detailed below. These will be closed services serving the colleges students only, issued with bus passes.

Permitting student travel across public bus services with the same ticket would be an advantage, but not a requirement.

We have listed the proposed routes below and have split them into lots.

Suppliers can tender on individual lots, or all of them depending on where they operate and can service.

The Colleges is considering expanding their existing service and have additional lots, that may be awarded, but the college reserve the right to not award them should the routes not be financially viable.

Kura is a technology and services company that enables transport for schools, corporates and operators to provide safer, greener, smarter travel for their pupils, employees and clients.

Kura are managing the tender exercise on behalf of the College. The contract will be direct between the successful operator(s) and the College. Tenderers are required to answer all applicable questions and include all documentation requested. The Tender must be completed in English. All information received in connection with this invitation to tender will be treated in the strictest confidence.

In the event that the Contract is split into individual Lots, these instructions will apply to each Lot individually. Each Lot will be evaluated and awarded separately unless otherwise stated.

Tender Return & Validity

Tenders must be returned via email to tenders@ridekura.com by 5th May 2023 which shall be the date fixed for submission of Tenders. Late responses will not be considered.