Thurrock Council is to spend over £600,000 supporting bus services in the borough next year.
Despite reducing its support by a quarter, compared to the current year, cabinet member for Transport, Cllr Yash Gupta, says he is pleased with the outcome which includes several improvements to services.
He said: “The council has little say over where and when the independent bus companies run their vehicles, but by providing funds to them we can try and make sure that non-profitable public transport routes are operated.
“There are only four bus route in Thurrock that is totally self-supporting, the 100 service — from Lakeside to Chelmsford — the 73, 83 and 265. Every other route in the borough has at least some sort of public subsidy from the council or another source.
“Some we pay for totally, but most see the council’s money being spent on extensions of times, weekend running or an extension of the route from what is commercially viable.”
A number of service improvements have been made in response to the needs of the community including a direct service from Bulphan to Grays (565); direct services from Orsett Hospital to Grays (565); a new link from East Tilbury to Basildon (374); and a new link from Chadwell St Mary to Orsett Hospital (11).
Cllr Gupta said: “Funding for Sunday services remain unchanged as does our support for Transvol, for those people unable to access local bus services.”
He added: “Last year we carried out a consultation with bus users and the public generally. The feedback from that consultation has been integrated into the latest contract with the bus companies.”
The new bus timetables come into effect on Sunday, 3 April and details are available from the council’s Transport section.
