Battle of the Buses

Essex Cricket Stars Take on First Bus’s ‘Battle of the Buses’ Challenge

First Bus East of England was thrilled to host the electrifying Battle of the Buses event, welcoming star players from Essex Cricket and key figures from the Department for Transport, who stepped into the driver’s seat to experience the precision and expertise required to operate a bus.

Watch the full video below!

The event saw Eva Gray, Cordelia Griffith and Kelly Castle from Essex Cricket’s Women’s team, as well as Matt Critchley and Paul Walter from Essex Cricket’s Men’s team, take on the challenge.

All players showed impressive skill, but it was Eva Gray and Paul Walter who emerged victorious, both displaying remarkable natural ability behind the wheel.

Ministers from the Department for Transport, Lord Peter Hendy and Simon Lightwood MP, also participated in the challenge, gaining a unique, first-hand perspective on the skills and concentration required by First Bus drivers to maintain safety and service reliability.

The Battle of the Buses course, designed by First Bus’s expert training team, put participants to the test with a series of demanding challenges. Some of these included, a tight chicane for mastering control, a controlled roundabout manoeuvre to test awareness, and the ultimate reverse parking challenge to measure precision.

Each participant was scored on safety, accuracy, and control, mirroring the high standards upheld by First Bus drivers daily.

Eva Gray, Essex Women’s Vice-Captain and all-rounder, said: “It was so much fun. Starting with a challenging theory test to jumping in the driver’s seat for the practical test was great.

“I was rooting for Kelly and Cordelia when it was their turn but secretly, I think we all wanted to beat each other to be crowned the best bus driver on the leaderboard.

“I never thought I’d have the opportunity to drive a bus so I’m really thankful to First Bus, I’ll be keeping an eye out around Chelmsford for our Essex Cricket bus.”

Paul Walter, Essex County Cricket Club all-rounder, said: “The Battle of the Buses challenge was a lot of fun. I didn’t realise how tough driving a bus would be, it felt like something out of Top Gear, with the leaderboard, obstacles and the First Bus Stig.

“We’re all naturally competitive and it’s always good to get one over a teammate. I also really enjoyed going head-to-head with Critch [Matt Critchley], and I’m looking forward to seeing how Kelly, Cordelia and Eva got on.

“Thank you to First Bus for having us down for the day.”

Piers Marlow, Managing Director of First Bus East of England, said: “We were thrilled to welcome players from Essex Cricket and Ministers from the Department for Transport to our Battle of the Buses events. This challenge is a great way to showcase the skill required to drive a bus while also engaging with the wider community. Congratulations to Eva Gray and Paul Walter for their victories, and a big thank you to all participants for taking part.”

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