THURROCK Council will consult residents on the future of three bus services supported by a £452,000 subsidy from the council, following a Cabinet decision last night (Wednesday 13 July).
The three buses are:
- number 11 – seven buses in each direction on weekdays only between Purfleet and Basildon
- number 265 – twice daily on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays between Grays and West Horndon
- number 374 – approximately eight buses on weekdays and five on Saturdays between Grays and Basildon
In the past the council has supplied a subsidy of £452,000 a year, but that is set to rise this year because of significant and uncontrollable increases in costs such as fuel, driver wages and parts.
Cllr Ben Maney, Cabinet member for Highways and Transport, said: “This consultation will help us find out what communities think of these services. We really want local people to engage with the consultation and speak to us so we can make informed decisions.
“Passenger numbers on these services are still not back to pre-pandemic levels and we need to make sure that they are providing value for money.”
The consultation will last for 12 weeks and results will be presented to Cabinet in a follow-up report scheduled for December 2022.
