Tribute paid to campaigners as council brings back rural bus route

By Nub News Reporter

16th Jul 2024 | Local News

ON the day it has been announced that a rural bus service will be coming back to borough villages, a local councillor has paid tribute to campaigners who have challenged and opposed a decision by Thurrock Council's previous administration to cut it.

Residents in villages and communities across Thurrock were up in arms when the Conservative administration axed bus services that connected Horndon on the Hill, West Tilbury, Linford and East Tilbury and other parts of the borough, including Bulphan and Aveley. The services cut were the 11, 265 and 374 routes.

Now it has been announced that, from 2 September, a new rural route will be brought back, linking some of the communities - though Bulphan remains unconnected.

Funding for the new service has come through the Government Bus Service Improvement Programme, and was available to the council when it made the decision to axe the services. However, then transport portfolio holder Ben Maney said no rural servives were sustainable and they all had to go - with the money being used elsewhere.

The new bus service will be route 375 and will connect East and West Tilbury, Linford and Horndon on the Hill with Stanford-le-Hope and Grays town centres on Mondays to Saturdays for an initial period of 15 months.

East Tilbury Cllr Fraser Massey has been a strong opponent of the cuts and welcomed today's nes, but said the credit should go to residents who refused to let the issue drop.

He said: "This campaign has been spearheaded by Emma, Carol and Kirstie of the 'Save Our Bus campaign. They should be very proud of what they have achieved.

"Working with ward councillors and the new administration, they have made a difference to people's lives."

What residents used to have:

The 11 service ran six times a day each way between Basildon and Purfleet, knitting together Aveley, South Ockendon, North Stifford, Grays, Chadwell St Mary, Orsett, Horndon on the Hill and Fobbing en-route.

The 265 ran three services a day on a route linking Grays, West Horndon. Bulphan and Stifford Clays, including stops at Orsett and Thurrock Community Hospitals.

And the 374 threaded a way across the borough from Grays to Basildon, linking Little Thurrock, Chadwell St Mary, West Tilbury, East Tilbury, Linford, Stanford-le-Hope, Corringham, Fobbing and Vange - calling at Basildon Hospital. It ran six days a week, with eight services in each direction on weekdays and four on Saturdays.

The 375 timetable: