CHANGES are being made to some of the bus services that link Thurrock from east to west.

First Essex have announced a number of changes, which will come into force on January - with one of the most significant in Thurrock being the end of the current 200 service which is to become part of the existing service 5 network.

The service 5 journeys which currently terminate at Basildon Hospital will extend to Grays replacing the current 200 service as 5A or 5B, every 30 minutes Monday to Saturday. Alternate journeys will serve Orsett as 5B.

The morning 200X journey to Palmer's College will also be revised and renumbered as 5X. The morning 100X journey to Palmer's College is revised and also becomes 5X.

There will also be other changes to the 100 service.

New Monday to Saturday evening journeys will be introduced at 11.03pm (11.04 Saturdays) from Basildon to Lakeside and at 00.20am from Lakeside to Basildon, in partnership with intu Lakeside and Thurrock Council.

The Sunday only 201 service will withdrawn, due to very low usage.

Though Thurrock Council has had some input in providing additional services by spending money if has received from development projects (106 payments) it says it cannot get involved with other service changes.

A council spokesperson said: "The First Essex bus service 200 is operated on a commercial basis and as such the local authorities in which it travels have no jurisdiction or control over any alterations to the service (such as timetables, route, etc).

More information can be found via the link below.