Saturday 13 June 2026 (approx. 1130) – In the Spring of 2026 the road layout around the Tollgate island in Bury St. Edmunds was re-modelled. The three-sided island now had a two-way traffic flow on each side replacing the former clockwise one direction traffic flow. Traffic for Fornham St. Martin, through where this bus is heading, now turns right at the start of the island rather than taking what had been the right hand lane for a the right hand turn behind the camera.

The bus is Mulleys Motorways YJ23 EKN which was heading out of town working the 1120 service 955 from Bury St. Edmunds to Mildenhall and Beck Row.

It is one of two Optare MetroDeckers delivered to Mulleys in March 2023 that were part of an order placed by Reading Buses in June 2018 to operate the Green Line branded route 702 from London to Slough, Windsor and Legoland. Reading Buses cancelled the order in July 2020 as part of a number of financial cutbacks made following the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. (Optare was renamed Switch Mobility in November 2020).

It was very close to this spot where the old road layout featured an inclined slip road used by traffic travelling round the island towards Tollgate Lane/Mildenhall Road. There was a ‘Give Way’ line at the top of the incline. I recall vividly when I drove buses for Mulleys taking 100 seat tri-axle double deckers up the incline when working the school related service 955. It was quite exhilarating in the busy morning traffic to coast up the slope and try to avoid having to stop at the top which would then require a hill start with the fully loaded bus!