Contract awardedFind a TenderPark and ride

Chelmsford Park and Ride

Essex County Council
East of England
Open procedure
6 March 2026 to 5 March 2030

Operation of two park and ride bus services from Sandon and Chelmer Valley sites into Chelmsford city centre. The contract involves managing daily service schedules, including options for late evening and Saturday coverage, with the potential to upgrade fleet capacity by adding double-decker buses. Services are delivered as gross cost contracts to ensure consistent transport links for commuters.

Open the official notice

Awarded value: £16m; As published
Published: 2 May 2025; Find a Tender
Awarded: 12 February 2026; First Bus
Contract length: 48 months; Ends 5 March 2030

What the buyer is asking for

Provision of scheduled park and ride bus services, including fleet management and operational support for local authority transport networks.

Lifecycle

Publishedon Find a Tender
2 May 2025
Contract awardedto First Bus
12 February 2026
Contract starts
6 March 2026
Contract ends
5 March 2030

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See the park and ride market: prices, buyers and who wins →

The buyer

Type: Council
Park and ride contracts, 24 months: 1
Open park and ride tenders: 0
Typical park and ride contract: £16m

See everything Essex County Council buys →

How it compares

31× the typical park and ride contract (£508k).

Cite this contract

Link: https://bidskim.com/tender/321224/chelmsford-park-and-ride
Buyer reference: PL0097
Open contracting ID: ocds-h6vhtk-050cb5
Source: Find a Tender
Last checked: 12 October 2026

Essex County Council. Chelmsford Park and Ride. Contract award, 2 May 2025. BidSkim, https://bidskim.com/tender/321224/chelmsford-park-and-ride (accessed 12 October 2026).