In 2008 the Group experienced severe trading difficulties which led to a team of corporate finance and restructuring experts from TLT Solicitors advising the ECT Group on a three phase restructuring including the refinancing of the business, the share sale of the recycling division and the share sale of its rail business.

The £15.5 million sale of £47 million turnover business 'ECT Recycling' to AIM listed maintenance services contractor May Gurney and the share sale of ECT's rail business to British American Railway Services, a subsidiary of American rail operator Iowa Pacific Holdings, LLC (for an undisclosed sum), meant that the ECT Group returned to its Community Transport roots.

This recycle from home service is now used by 860,000 people in sixteen local authority areas, across parts of London, Avon, Somerset, Warwickshire and the West Midlands.

ECT has developed into a company with an annual turnover of around £50million pounds, with 600 staff working in its recycling, community transport, engineering and refuse collection.

From 14 March 2009 ECT stopped trading as a bus operator and its sole route is now being run by First London on a temporary contract.

Mainline Rail ceased to trade, and the Dartmoor Railway was suspended on 18 April 2008[1] (although services have since been resumed), while ECT was seeking a buyer for its stake in the Weardale line.