A further local bus service was added in the shape of service 143 and 144 between Ripley and Crich/Belper.

Following further contract gains, Service 152/153 Alfreton Town Service was awarded to the company also using the Taxi-bus formula. In April 2000, the company began operating Service 138 between Belper and Heanor, following the withdrawal of the existing Express Motors service.

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September 2000: The introduction of Service 113 between Belper and Ashbourne, further increasing the company profile. Service 147 was also revised to a half-hourly service between Marehay and Ripley, then operating alternately to Codnor or Pentrich.

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January 2001: The company acquired its first contract outside Derbyshire with the introduction of the Eastwood Local Services, replacing the withdrawn TrentBarton operation. 2001 also saw the introduction of Mercedes midibuses, replacing the older and non-standard VW Optare CityPacers, Ford Transits and Freight Rovers previously operated.

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Early this year was period of quiet consolidation. However, October 2002 saw the introduction of our first low-floor service. Service 147 was revised to run between Street Lane and Codnor, with the Marehay to Pentrich section being renumbered 148 and extended to Alfreton. These ran using Dennis Dart MPDs.

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The company’s biggest service introduction. Following the withdrawal of the Dunn-Line Service 331, we were approached by Nottinghamshire County Council to take their timetable over. The timetable offered was below specification so we offered initially a two-hourly service between Alfreton and Nottingham. An increase to hourly took place in the Autumn of 2003, along with the introduction of Service 99 between Alfreton and Sutton, replacing another TrentBarton operation.

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The renewal of the contract for 143 and 144 also on a low-floor basis. We also gained the 140 group of services operating in the Crich area.

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Due to poor performance Service 138 was withdrawn. The October 2006 round of tenders saw the award of Services 213/214 between Matlock and Sheffield.

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Variations in Services 147 and 148. The company failed in its bid for the renewal of the award for these services. However, service 99 was increased in frequency and extended to Ripley and Codnor. The autumn of 2007 also saw the award of Service 59 between Ilkeston and Derby also utilising low-floor vehicles.

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Further inroads into the Erewash Valley with the award of Service 19 between Long Eaton and Sandiacre. In July 2008, the company exchanged the Sheffield services for Services 138 and 147 with another operator. The Autumn of 2008 saw the loss of service 99 between Alfreton and Sutton, but the regaining of Service 148.

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April 2009: we were awarded a four bus contract on services 228 and 229 by Nottinghamshire County Council which extended our penetration of Nottinghamshire as far as Beeston.

October 2009: Unsuccessful in our bid for the retention of services 140,141 and 142, we end 2009 with an amount of ‘retrenchment’ but looking forward to the opportunities that 2010 might offer.

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