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Journalists race by bus to highlight travel times

BBC Adam Bennett, Robyn Wallis and Ben Fryer standing at a bus stop. Bennett is wearing a black coat and glasses. He has brown hair. Wallis is wearing a black and white furry coat. She is wearing glasses and has plaited blonde hair. Fryer is wearing a navy gilet over a black hoodie. He has grey hair.BBC
Mid-morning radio presenter Ben Fryer (right) took part in the challenge alongside his producers Robyn Wallis and Adam Bennett

A team of radio journalists have raced each other by bus to highlight the lengthy commutes their listeners are facing.

It took BBC Essex mid-morning presenter Ben Fryer almost three hours to travel from his home in Great Bentley near Colchester, to the station's base in Chelmsford.

He was competing against his producers Adam Bennett, who lives in Halstead, and Robyn Wallis of Canvey Island.

Essex County Council has said it is hoping to invest £23m to improve bus services in the area.

The race was inspired by callers to the show who believed it took too long to reach Essex's county town by bus.

Fryer boarded the number 77 Hedingham & Chambers bus from Great Bentley to Colchester at 07:29 GMT - his first local service of the day - before boarding another bus to Chelmsford at 08:30.

He arrived in Chelmsford shortly after 10:00 and subsequently walked to the BBC Essex building in New London Road - meaning he was 25 minutes late for his show.

Breakfast presenter Sonia Watson had to hold the fort for an extra half an hour.

"The lowest point for me was when I saw loads of people leaving on the train to Chelmsford at my local railway station," said Fryer.

Lewis Adams/BBC The BBC Essex base, which is a two-storey, white building with the lettering "BBC Essex". It has windows and to the left is a tree.Lewis Adams/BBC
BBC Essex broadcasts from New London Road in Chelmsford - roughly a 25-minute walk from the railway station

Wallis boarded a bus from Canvey at 07:12 and arrived about two hours later.

She usually completes the journey by car in under an hour and said: "I'm not sure I'll be doing it again in a hurry."

It was an earlier start for Bennett, who boarded the number 38 bus from Halstead at 06:52 - operated by Stephensons - before jumping on a connecting bus at Braintree.

He won the three-way race, having walked into the office at about 09:00.

Bennett described the journey as "very cost effective" but added: "I don't think I would use the buses during rush hour again."

Some £23m will be shared between three Essex councils to improve local bus services

Single bus fares across England are capped at £2, although the cost is due to rise to £3 from January.

A report by the County Councils Network, published last year, said the frequency of bus services in England had reached an "historic low".

Last month, the government said it had earmarked nearly £1bn to be spent on bus services between now and 2026.

Essex County Council said it was waiting on more information from the Department for Transport, having been promised a £23m portion of this funding.

However, the local authority stressed that the private bus operators were responsible for timetables.

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