New Bus Service - Leigh-on-Sea

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Leigh On Sea News: New Bus Service – A REVAMPED bus network linking both central Southend and the hospital with Leigh is now up and running, providing essential new routes and services to areas which have gone without.

New Bus Service - A REVAMPED bus network linking both central Southend and the hospital with Leigh is now up and running, providing essential new routes and services to areas which have gone without.

A REVAMPED bus network linking both central Southend and the hospital with Leigh is now up and running, providing essential new routes and services to areas which have gone without.

Paul Collins, Liberal Democrat councillor for finance, assets, investments, and public transport, announced the revamp to the First Bus network, which came into effect on April 22.

The changes mean the hourly 3A service will run from Southend, past the Southend Hospital area, along Blenheim Chase and Elmsleigh Drive to Leigh town centre.

The 21A First Essex bus service will also be renumbered to service 26 and rerouted from the hospital, to instead run down London Road to Southend, restoring an hourly link from Westcliff to Leigh.

The service is funded by the Government through Southend Council’s bus service improvement plan.

Speaking on the service revamp, Coun Collins commented: “Across the city, here in Westcliff, Leigh and Shoebury, First Bus wanted to make changes to the network and approached the council with what they wanted to do. We took the opportunity to put forward our suggestions and improvements.

“We got the new 3A service, and took the opportunity with First Bus to put in the new 26 route down Campfield Road and into East Beach in Shoebury.

“This is the first bus service down Campfield Road in many years, which is good news for residents and answers a number of complaints we’ve received regarding service there.

“People want to get to the hospital, they now can on the 3A from Blenheim Chase. We’ve put in new opportunities for new journeys with these services.

“For people having to get a taxi service to the hospital, they will now have a regular bus service, it will save them money and people have been petitioning for it for some time. For Shoebury, it provides service for an area which didn’t have service before.”

“I’m very pleased to be part of this process, it shows our ambitions, it shows we want to enhance services where we can, and we look forward to making more enhancements as the year goes on.”

The new transport links join the return of the much-anticipated 23A and 23B bus routes, that will connect Leigh to Southend Airport and the neighbouring business park.

Picture: : Lib Dem councillor Paul Collins

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