THURROCK residents are set to benefit from additional late night bus services at intu Lakeside as part of its multi-million-pound leisure development ahead of the peak Christmas period.

The new evening bus services have been secured using Section 106 funding after Thurrock Council negotiated more local transport options as intu Lakeside begins its transformation. This agreement was approved by the Lakeside Travel Plan Committee, made up of the council, Highways England and intu Lakeside.

Ensignbus will run extra departures from intu Lakeside on the number 22, 44 and 73 bus routes. The 22 bus service will operate new late night departures from Monday to Friday at 11.17pm and 12.30am, and on Saturday at 11.40pm and 12.45am.

The number 44 bus will provide an extra service at 12.05am from Monday to Friday, and on Saturday at 11.05pm and 12.05am. An additional night time service will be offered at 12.45am from Monday to Friday on the number 73 bus route. The listed Ensignbus services will commence on Monday, 2 December 2019, for a two-year period.

Operator First Essex will put on an extra evening service for its 100 bus route from Monday to Saturday at 12.20am from intu Lakeside to Basildon. A one-year deal has been initially agreed and will commence in the New Year.

More details on Thurrock bus routes can be found at thurrock.gov.uk/bus-timetables

From Monday, 25 November to Sunday, 8 December, during full centre opening hours shoppers at intu Lakeside can support the council's award-winning #GiveAGift by donating a Christmas present to a Thurrock child for whom Christmas can be a difficult time of year.

A Christmas tree decorated with more than 2,000 stars – each one representing a child who the council has corporate parental responsibility for – will be located in Unit 7, on Level 1 next to HSBC at the House of Fraser end of the shopping centre. For more information on Give a Gift, visit thurrock.gov.uk/giveagift