THURROCK Council has renewed a contract to operating the 375 rural bus service across the borough, guaranteeing it will run until at least 2029.

The council-supported bus service was launched in 2024 to link communities in Horndon on the Hill, Stanford-le-Hope, East Tilbury, Chadwell St Mary and Grays.

The followed a public furore and campaign by residents after the council axed previous rural services as a cost-saving member by the Conservative administration.

When the Tories were ousted, the Labour administration, with support from then Conservative East Thurrock MP, lobbied for funding and brought a service back in July 2024.

The council is now under a Reform administration and its deputy leader Cllr Alan Benson, who is also portfolio holder for Transport and Highways, said: "Talking to residents we know how important this bus service is to these communities.

"The 375 will continue to link some of the borough's more remote and rural communities and ensure people can reach larger transport hubs such as mainline railway stations and Grays bus station."

The 375 runs Monday to Saturday, 5 times in each direction between 7am and 6:45pm, starting from South Hill Crescent in Horndon on the Hill and ending at Grays bus station, taking in East Tilbury Station and Coalhouse Fort along the way.

The service, which is supported by Thurrock Council through funding from the Department of Transport and operated by Central Connect, will remain the same.

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