FOLLOWING successful public consultation events on the South Essex Rapid Transit
(SERT) proposals in Southend and Thurrock, Essex County Council plans to hold
public consultation in Basildon in the early autumn and, in partnership with
Southend and Thurrock councils, aims to submit a detailed justification for the
project to the Department for Transport (DfT) in the late autumn. Assuming a
normal period for review, DfT would aim to make a decision on project approval by
summer 2010.
Response to the consultations so far has been overwhelmingly positive. In
Thurrock, over 90% of respondents backed better public transport, while 75%
though the sert proposals were better than just improving existing services. 83% of
people specifically supported priority measures to make sure journeys on the sert
system are reliable.
Similarly, in Southend more than 90% of respondents thought improving public
transport is a good idea and nearly 60% backed sert in particular. Nearly three-
quarters of respondents in Southend also supported priority measures for sert, such
as separate lanes for sert vehicles.
“We take this as a resounding endorsement of our proposals” said Norman Hume,
Essex County Councillor and Cabinet Member for Highways and Transportation. “We
go forward into the consultation in Basildon confident of finding similar levels of
support for this exciting scheme, and of being able to submit a case for funding to
Government that has the full and very real backing of local people”
