First Essex have announced some quite major changes, starting from 17 April. The Basildon, Chelmsford and Colchester urban networks are being redesigned and rebranded as Basildon/Chelmsford/Colchester Shuttles (red livery, route numbers prefixed B, C and S respectively), while the rest of the network becomes Essex Bus (green livery). The Tap & Cap fare model currently in operation in Chelmsford and Colchester is also being expanded to Basildon.
The general impression is that a lot of places will be served less frequently (especially outside the peaks) and many routes are being simplified. The first of these is to be expected given the impact of the pandemic, while the latter is long overdue in some areas. There are a few definite improvements and expansions to the network too (e.g. in Colchester there are new services to Monkwick and Horkesley Heath, competing with Arriva, and route 75 is extended to the General Hospital though the Tiptree to Colchester short journeys disappear). I'm pretty certain that the main reaction to the changes will be negative though, given the various cuts and the short notice at which these are being announced. The frequency cuts impact my local service, for example, and I'm certainly not best pleased!
Full details for Basildon and South Essex:
Full details for Chelmsford:
Full details for Colchester:
The general impression is that a lot of places will be served less frequently (especially outside the peaks) and many routes are being simplified. The first of these is to be expected given the impact of the pandemic, while the latter is long overdue in some areas. There are a few definite improvements and expansions to the network too (e.g. in Colchester there are new services to Monkwick and Horkesley Heath, competing with Arriva, and route 75 is extended to the General Hospital though the Tiptree to Colchester short journeys disappear). I'm pretty certain that the main reaction to the changes will be negative though, given the various cuts and the short notice at which these are being announced. The frequency cuts impact my local service, for example, and I'm certainly not best pleased!
Full details for Basildon and South Essex:
Changes to the bus network in Basildon:
The local bus routes in Basildon, connecting the town centre with Pitsea and Laindon, will be replaced by the Basildon Shuttles network to make them more reliable and easier to understand. This network will operate with self-charging hybrid vehicles to reduce emissions in the town centre.
B1: Route B1 will run between Laindon, Fenton Way and Basildon via Durham Road, Laindon Station and Great Knightleys as routes 8/8A currently do.
The first bus will leave Laindon at 0515 on Monday to Saturday (0700 on Sundays and Bank Holidays) and will then leave Laindon up to every 10 minutes in the morning peak, every 12 minutes during the day and evening peak and then every 30 minutes up to 2300 in the evening.
On Saturdays, buses will run every 20 minutes for most of the day and every 30 minutes in the evening.
From Basildon the first bus will be 0540 Monday to Saturday with the last bus leaving at 2330 Monday to Saturday (2200 on Sundays).
B2: Route B2 will again run from Laindon, Fenton Way and Basildon but will use the King Edward Drive leg of routes 8/8A to get to Laindon Station. From here, it will replace route 5 to Langdon Hills then run via Staneway to The Knares and along The Knares replacing route 5 to Basildon.
Customers in Langdon Hills will now have to wait on the other side of the road to go to Basildon. Buses will run every 30 minutes all day Monday to Saturday and hourly on Sundays.
B3: Route B3 will start at Pitsea Tesco and run via London Road to Pitsea Broadway where it will replace routes 5/5A/5B to Basildon. Buses will leave Pitsea every 12 minutes in the morning peak, every 15 minutes for the rest of the daytime on Mondays to Saturdays with buses every 30 minutes in the evenings until 2300. The last bus will leave Basildon at 2330.
B4: Route B4 will also start at Pitsea Tesco and run via London Road to Pitsea Broadway where it will replace 8 to Basildon via Wickford Avenue running every 20 minutes during the daytimes and every 30 minutes in the evening and on Sundays with the last bus leaving Basildon at 2320 (2120 Sundays).
B5: Route B5 will start from Pitsea Broadway (westbound) and run via Sandon Road and Luncies Road to Basildon as route 8A currently does. When arriving at Pitsea; B5 buses will terminate at Pitsea Broadway (eastbound).
Buses will again run every 20 minutes during the day, every 30 minutes in the evening Monday to Saturday, every 30 minutes on Sundays with the last bus from Basildon at 2340 (2140 Sundays).
Routes 22 and 28 will no longer travel via Cherrydown East to reach the Bus Station and will instead continue on Clayhill Road to reach the Bus Station.
As a result of the introduction of these services, routes 5/5A/5B and 8/8A will be withdrawn. The Basildon to Grays service currently provided by routes 5A and 5B is covered by route 200, detailed below.
Changes to the bus network in South Essex:
Route 9 (Basildon to Brentwood) is reduced in frequency to hourly with extra peak journeys to meet customer demand at the busiest times.
Route 16 (Wickford to Runwell) has new bus stops in Runwell and a minor timetable change.
Route 20 (Hullbridge – Southend) will now run every 20 minutes instead of every 15 minutes. We are changing the way in which buses work on route 20 to make them more reliable by being less impacted by delays elsewhere in south Essex.
To make journeys on route 21 (Canvey Island – Southend) more reliable, during peak times the route will not serve Morrisons (Northwick Road).
Route 21 will also now serve SEEVIC on all journeys but this means that Thundersley Village will no longer be served.
When buses reach Thames Drive they will replace route 26 along Thames Drive to serve Leigh-on-Sea Railway Station and Rectory Grove. Most journeys on route 21 will continue along Broadway and Leigh Road to London Road where they will then use Southbourne Grove (Westbourne Grove on journeys to Canvey Island) to reach Prittlewell Chase and Southend Hospital.
Some journeys will leave Rectory Grove via Station Road to serve the schools along Blenheim Chase before re-joining the main route at Prittlewell Chase. Buses will continue to terminate at Southend Travel Centre.
Route 21B is withdrawn and replaced by journeys at similar times on route 21.
Route 22 (Canvey Island to Basildon) is reduced in frequency to every 20 minutes and will be timetabled to work with route 28 between Benfleet and Basildon to provide a combined 10 minute service on this section of the route. Route 822 is withdrawn and replaced by journeys on route 21 that divert via Prittlewell Chase at school times.
Route 25 (Basildon to Southend) will now run every 20 minutes during the day on Monday to Friday instead of every 15 minutes.
Route 26 is withdrawn as it is mostly replaced by route 21. The section from Southend Travel Centre to Newington Avenue will now only be served by Stephenson’s route 24.
Route 27 (Canvey Island to Southend) is reduced to every 20 minutes but timetabled to provide a 10-minute service with route 28 between Benfleet and Southend. Route 827 is revised to stop at all stops along line of route and will run along the same roads as route 27 to Station Road in Leigh on Sea where it will operate as route 21 will do to the schools on Blenheim Drive and on to Southend.
Route 27X is withdrawn and replaced by short journeys on route 27 operating between Leigh Beck and Benfleet Station (and back in the afternoon) and additional journeys on SEEVIC college days between Leigh Beck and SEEVIC and back in the afternoon.
Route 28 (Basildon to Southend) is reduced to every 20 minutes and will have better coordination with routes 22 and 27 to provide a bus every 10 minutes between Basildon and Benfleet and Benfleet and Southend.
We are improving the evening service to improve the connectivity between Basildon, Pitsea, Benfleet, Hadleigh, Leigh-on-Sea and Southend which, with route 27, will provide a bus every 15 minutes between Southend and Benfleet.
Route 100 between Basildon and Chelmsford will be replaced by route 300 using the same route and at the same times as route 100 currently does with newer, more comfortable buses being used. Route 100 will remain between Basildon and Lakeside with double deckers being used.
Route 200 will be reintroduced to replace routes 5A and 5B between Basildon and Grays. In Corringham buses will be diverted to serve more customers by turning from Southend Road into Springhouse Road to serve Corringham Town Centre before travelling along Abbots Drive and picking up the existing line of route. All journeys will run via Orsett Hospital and the route will run once an hour with extra journeys at the busiest times.
Having successfully had significant numbers of new colleagues join us, we are able to reintroduce route X10 between Basildon and Chelmsford and on to Stansted Airport. More suitable vehicles are being refurbished to provide a more pleasant travelling environment as the route whisks you across the county. We are sorry that we had to remove this popular link, due to a lack of staff, but hope to see you onboard again as soon as possible.
There are no changes to other services in South Essex.
Full details for Chelmsford:
Changes to the bus network in Chelmsford:
Routes 40, 42, 45, 51, 54, 56, 57 (and their variants) are withdrawn and replaced by the new Chelmsford shuttles network as detailed below.
C1: Route C1 will replace route 42 and operate a similar frequency. On Sundays, route C1 will operate every 30 minutes between Galleywood and Broomfield Hospital without the existing extensions. beyond Broomfield Hospital. to Bishops Stortford and Halstead.
C2: Route C2 will replace the north-western leg of route 54 operating as a loop from Broomfield Hospital, via Melbourne to the City Centre. In the City Centre buses will serve the stops at the Railway Station and Duke Street before serving the Retail Market and Bus Station on the way back to Melbourne and Broomfield Hospital.
C3: Route C3 will replace route 56 from Melbourne (Morrisons) to the City Centre, via the current pattern of route 56. In the City Centre, buses all serve the Railway Station and Duke Street. Some buses will also serve Tindal Street and Parkway having changed to route C11.
C4: Route C4 replaces route 45 between Oxney Green and the City Centre. During peak times, buses will serve the Railway Station and then follow route C2 back to the Bus Station and head back to Oxney Green. Outside of peak times, buses will continue from the Railway Station and Duke Street to Tindal Street and Parkway, as route C5, with some buses extending beyond the City as route C5.
C5: Route C5 is the replacement for the Moulsham journeys on route 45. However, route C5 will operate via Gunson Gate, Waterson Vale and Van Diemans Road rather than Beehive Lane and Baddow Road. In the City buses will terminate at the Bus Station.
C6: Route C6 replaces off peak route 51 to BAE Systems but instead, of using Gunson Gate and Waterson Vale, buses will stay on Beehive Lane to Baddow Road then via Army & Navy roundabout and Parkway to the Retail Market stop and terminate in the Bus Station.
C7: Route C7 replaces route 57 from Galleywood to Great Baddow and then operates along Meadgate Avenue to Army and Navy and along the normal route to the City Centre.
C8: Route C8 replaces route 54 from the City through Springfield to Beaulieu Park where it terminates at the junction of Shardelow Avenue and White Hart Lane (A130). To speed up journeys to and from Chelmsford Station in the morning and evening buses will run via Victoria Road.
C9: Route C9 replaces route 57 to Beaulieu from the Bus Station (Retail Market on Saturdays and via the Bus Station) via Victoria Road, New Street, University, to Chelmer Valley Road then a one-way loop via Essex Regiment Way, Regiment Gate, Centenary Way, White Hart Lane, New Nabbotts Way, Pump Lane and Chelmer Valley Way back to University and New Street continuing to Bus Station.
Between 9am & 3pm Mondays to Fridays and shopping hours on Saturdays and Sundays, route C9 will run via Victoria Road (east bound), Springfield Road, High Bridge Street, Parkway and Retail Market. The rest of the time, it will run direct from New Street via Victoria Road to Duke Street and the Bus Station.
C10: Route C10 partly replaces route 40 and runs along Broomfield Road, across Valley Bridge then north on Chelmer Valley Road, Lawn Lane, Brackenden Drive, Pump Lane, White Hart Lane then left into Centenery Way and then right into Commonwealth Link to Channels Drive.
From here a loop takes place as buses run along Channels Drive, right into Albatross Way, Belfry Crescent, across Channels Drive, round Brassie Wood, right on to Fairway Drive and right back on to Channels Drive and Commonwealth Link to Regiment Gate, Centenary Way and White Hart Lane.
After turning right in to New Nabbots Way buses will turn left into Pump Lane, right into Brackenden Drive, right into Lawn Lane and left into Chelmer Valley Road. Buses then run back to the City Valley Bridge and Broomfield Road to the City and loop round the centre as route 70 does.
C11: Route C11 replaces route 56 from the City to Springfield as far as New Nabbots Way. Instead of carrying on into Shardelow Avenue buses will turn right on to White Hart Lane to the roundabout at Colchester Road where they will terminate at the stop in Sainsburys creating a new link for customers to access this store.
C12: Route C12 will operate from the City via Parkway and Beeleigh Link to New Dukes Way, Cuton Hall Lane and Colchester Road to Sainsburys replacing route 40 over this section.
Changes to Essex Bus services to Chelmsford:
Chelmsford – Braintree – Colchester
Buses running between Chelmsford and Colchester will become route 370.
Route 70 between Braintree and Chelmsford will continue to loop around the City as they do now providing greater access to the centre.
Route 370 will operate hourly with additional buses in the peaks and route 70 will operate every 60 minutes providing a bus every 30 minutes between Chelmsford and Braintree between the two routes.
Chelmsford – Witham – Colchester
Route 371 will take over the Chelmsford – Witham - Colchester service and will be operated with increased double deck vehicles on-route to provide more seats when they are needed.
Route 71 will operate between Chelmsford and Witham only, serving Boreham Village and will terminate at Morrisons in Witham.
Both routes 71 and 371 will operate hourly providing a bus every 30 minutes between Chelmsford and Witham with extra buses running at the busiest times.
Because of the use of more double deck buses on route 371, and the need to avoid Duke Street railway bridge when arriving in Chelmsford; buses will serve the Retail Market stops then travel back along Parkway to enter Duke Street via Rainsford Road and into the Bus Station.
Route 371, when heading to Colchester, will leave the Bus Station via Duke Street and Coval Lane to then travel along Parkway to Duke Street, Tindal Street and the current line of route to Chelmer Village.
Route X71 will replace the 71X journeys currently operated.
Chelmsford – Maldon – Burnham-on-Crouch
The combination of services between Burnham-on-Crouch and Chelmsford will be simplified to be routes 31 and 331. The journeys that divert via Steeple will be renumbered route 332.
Journeys that operate via Baddow Road in Chelmsford and Milton Road in Maldon will become route 31 (route 332 on Sundays).
Journeys via Essex Yeomanry Way will be route 331.
Buses will leave Burnham-on-Crouch once an hour, Mondays to Saturdays, with some extra peak journeys. An extra bus will start in Maldon, every hour, to provide a bus every 30 minutes between Maldon and Chelmsford.
Chelmsford – Danbury – South Woodham Ferrers
The network of services between Chelmsford and South Woodham Ferrers will be simplified to be just route 336 which will run hourly, during the day, Mondays to Saturdays (with extra journeys to Chelmsford in the morning and back to South Woodham Ferrers in the afternoon).
Routes 94C and 94D on Sundays are withdrawn and replaced by journeys on route 94.
Other Essex Bus services in Chelmsford
On route X30, we will continue to monitor how we serve Southend Airport and will be making a change, under review to the route in the Rayleigh area October 2022.
Routes 42A and 42B will operate as stand-alone services operating from Chelmsford to either Bishops Stortford or Halstead.
All other routes in the Chelmsford area are unchanged.
Full details for Colchester:
Changes to the bus network in Colchester:
Routes 61, 62, 64, 65, 66 and 67 (and their variants) are withdrawn and replaced by the new Colchester shuttles network as detailed below.
S1: Route S1 will replace route 61 on a slightly reduced frequency from Highwoods to Wivenhoe via the Town Centre.
S2: Route S2 will replace route 65 between Highwoods and Stanway again with a slightly reduced frequency.
Between routes S1 and S2 buses will run every 10 minutes between Highwoods and the town centre.
S3: Route S3 replaces route 66 between West Bergholt and the town centre.
In the town centre, some buses will change to route S9 to Rowhedge, in the High Street, and others will continue to Osborne Street to start their return journey.
Buses will now run every 30 minutes in the morning then every 60 minutes during the day before running every 30 minutes in the afternoon peak period again. On Saturdays, buses will run every 60 minutes and every 90 minutes on Sundays.
S4: Route S4 replaces the Greenstead section of routes 64 and 64A; but will now run as a clockwise loop every 12 minutes during the day Monday to Saturday and every 20 minutes on Sundays.
Buses will leave the town via Magdalen Street and Hythe Railway Station then from Avon Road will serve Hawthorn Avenue, Forest Road, Hickory Avenue, Hawthorn Avenue, Magnolia Drive and Hamlet Drive before returning to the town via Avon Way.
S6 & S7: Routes S6 and S7 replace routes 64 and 64A between the town and Shrub End with each route running every 30 minutes to provide a bus every 15 minutes along Layer Road. On Sundays each route runs every 60 minutes so there is still a bus every 30 minutes along Layer Road.
S8: New route S8 connects the Gosfield Road area of Monkwick to the town centre every 15 minutes Monday to Saturday, every 30 minutes on Sunday. Leaving the town centre via Mersea Road buses will serve Queen Elizabeth Way, Monkwick Avenue, Berechurch Hall Road to the Lethe Grove stops and Gosfield Road before returning to the town centre via Monkwick Avenue and Queen Elizabeth Way.
S9: Route S9 will replace route 66 from Rowhedge to the town centre, and will run every 60 minutes during the day Monday to Saturday with extra buses at peak times and every 90 minutes on Sundays. Some journeys will continue to Colchester Railway Station and West Bergholt as route S3
S10: Route S10 replaces route 62B as the University term only service from the town centre but via East Hill instead of Magdalen Street to the University and Wivenhoe Park bus stop.
Changes to Essex Bus services to Colchester:
New route 86 will replace route 67, from West Mersea to Colchester, running every hour with a quicker journey time (this is possible due to no longer serving the residential area of Monkwick). Off-peak, and on Saturdays, buses will extend beyond the town centre to Colchester Railway Station and Colchester General Hospital.
New route 87 will replace route 62 from Brightlingsea to Colchester Railway Centre but to provide better links across the town it will continue to Malvern Way, Horksley Heath (providing direct links from Horksley Heath direct to the University).
The evening short journeys to Wivenhoe Co-Op, that currently operate as route 62B, will now be route 87 and use East Hill to leave the town centre.
Routes 70 and 71 to Chelmsford will be replaced by routes 370 and 371 between Colchester and Chelmsford and run hourly with extra buses in the peaks.
Route 75A will be withdrawn with journeys on route 75, to Maldon, running via Church Road and Station Road (in Tiptree) on all journeys and some journeys starting there where needed. Route 75 will also extend to Colchester General Hospital via Colchester Railway Station to provide more links from the south of the town to these areas.
Routes 103 and 104 have a minor timetable change.
