First Bus: a celebration of chaos

The Colchester Times are thoroughly disappointed by the announcement from First Bus that they are discontinuing the use of their regional accounts on X/Twitter.

This move marks yet another instance in which First Bus executives have chosen withdrawal over responsibility, silence over dialogue, and evasion over explanation.

For many passengers, X served as the last remaining line of communication with the company that has, for too long, shown little regard for reliability, transparency, or even basic punctuality.

By abandoning the platform, First Bus further distances themselves from the daily realities of the people who rely on their services - though given the frequency of delays and cancellations, perhaps 'rely' is an increasingly optimistic term.

The decision, we presume, is due to operational issues, the mysterious, catch-all excuse that has been one of their favourite catchphrases since day one. While their timetables have remained aspirational at best, their commitment to vague excuses has been impressively consistent.

Passengers who once had a place to voice their concerns and ask questions about services now face the prospect of shouting into the void - a situation that feels eerily like waiting for a First bus.

We would also like to acknowledge the individuals behind these regional accounts, who were often the only visible point of contact for frustrated passengers. If their roles have been impacted by this decision, we wish them the very best and thank them for their efforts in difficult circumstances.

We remain committed to speaking up for passengers in Essex and beyond, even if the buses - and now the tweets - never arrive. We sincerely hope First Bus will reconsider this decision and return to the platform.