Residents to benefit from a larger service area for new on-demand electric minibus service, DigiGo.

Following feedback from passengers and local residents, DigiGo has expanded its service area.
The changes came into effect Thursday, the 22nd of September 2022.

The new form of shared public transport has been operating in two distinct zones; South Braintree and Central Essex since April 2022. Those zones have been merged and now expanded, meaning passengers will be able to use the service in Great Dunmow, Stebbing, Great Sailing, Great Canfield and the surrounding areas.

The expansion and merger of the two zones means residents living in the area can travel to a range of locations. This includes the business parks (Horizon, Skyline and Springwood) in Braintree, Broomfield Hospital, Braintree town centre and GP practices in Great Dunmow.

The fully electric, on-demand minibus service is run by Essex County Council (ECC). It offers on-demand and pre-bookable travel with no fixed route or timetable. This puts residents in control of their journey – all tracked in real-time through an app.

DigiGo can be booked through the TravelEssex journey planning app; with more information available by visiting www.digigo.uk.

Passengers can select a variety of ticket types - adult, young person, and concessionary - and have the option to book for a group of up to 6, giving flexibility to people wanting to travel together.   

Cllr Lee Scott, ECC’s Cabinet Member for Highways Maintenance and Sustainable Transport, said: “DigiGo is one of the first of its kind in the country and enhances our current public transport offer.

“Not only does it offer convenient and flexible travel by putting residents in control of their journeys, but it is also a sustainable alternative to other modes of transport.

“This expansion means passengers can travel flexibly within this new, larger and combined travel zone, making it easier to access social, employment, health, or education opportunities. We thank our passengers for their feedback and hope this expansion will prove a great success.”

Maureen is a regular passenger on DigiGo and says it’s given her freedom to get out and about. She said: “I use DigiGo because I don’t have access to other transport. Otherwise, I’d be at home because where I live is quite rural. I've used the service to go out for meals with friends, to my art class, to my choir meeting in the evenings. Anytime I want to go out, I use it. I like to go to the racecourse because they have lots of interesting events. The normal bus service can’t get me there but this one can. The pickup point is close to where I live and because I am disabled, that really helps. The drivers are all super friendly too.”

Jacqueline said: “I like using DigiGo because it means I don’t need to drive everywhere and the hassle of parking - it's heaven and so relaxing. I don’t like waiting around for long at a bus stop so DigiGo is nice and convenient, and you can pick it up near your home.”

Patrick uses DigiGo to travel home from work at the Skyline Business Park. He said: “It’s convenient for me to use because I can’t get a bus to work. The price is really good too. I book via the app which is nice and easy. I said to my friends to use DigiGo. The drivers are really friendly, and it means I don’t have to rely on lifts.”

To find out more about DigiGo and the expansion of the service, visit www.digigo.uk or follow on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @DigiGoUK.