Southend Green Party is speaking out against further cuts to bus services in the east of the city.

People living between Asda and East Beach in Shoeburyness have been told that the Number 9 bus will be reduced again, despite a local campaign calling for more frequent buses.

Last summer, Arriva Herts & Essex cut the number of buses running between East Beach and Asda in half. They redirected the deleted buses to Great Wakering on a new 9a route.

Now, the Saturday service is being cut too, with buses only running every 40 minutes.

Green Party campaigner Tricia Cowdrey handed over a petition last year to Arriva and Southend City Council, signed by 549 residents, asking for the full service to be brought back. But that call has been ignored, and more cuts are now going ahead.

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Tricia said:

“Bus services in the east of Shoebury have been stripped away over the years. We used to have four different routes, and now we’re left with a patchy and unreliable service from Arriva. I’m deeply worried about people becoming isolated. These buses help residents stay connected to friends, family, and essential services.

“With more homes being built in the area, and the need to cut traffic and emissions, now is the time to improve public transport, not make it worse. For many people, buses are a lifeline to work, school, healthcare and support.”

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Arriva says the changes are due to government funding cuts and changing passenger habits.

A new service, the Number 26,  has been launched by First Essex, running from East Beach to Leigh every hour, but it finishes early in the afternoon.

Green Group Leader Cllr Stuart Allen said:

“We’ve seen some welcome improvements to bus services in the west of Southend, but the east is being left behind. If we want fewer cars on the road and cleaner air, we need reliable public transport people can count on. Otherwise, more people will turn to driving, and that means more congestion and more pollution across the city.”

The Greens are urging residents to keep using the buses as much as possible, and to make sure their journeys are recorded, to help protect what’s left of the service.

— ENDS —

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Green Party campaigner AJ Sutherland has criticised the Southend Council’s handling of reports of damaged street infrastructure, arguing that essential repairs are being ignored despite clear signs of damage.

AJ reported a leaning bus stop sign on Marine Parade in Leigh – tilted at an 11-degree angle – as well as a road sign on Tattersall Gardens that has been twisted 80 degrees in the wrong direction. Both did ‘did not meet the necessary requirements’ under the council’s current criteria. “These signs are visibly damaged and need fixing,” AJ said. 

“Either the contractor isn’t doing its job, or the council is deliberately cutting corners to save money – all while residents face a 4.99% increase in council tax in April.”

“It’s hard to take pride in a city where basic infrastructure is falling apart,” he added.

Local councillor Stuart Allen, who represents Leigh ward, echoed these concerns. “The administration is pushing residents and councillors to report issues on mySouthend, but time-and-time again I receive messages from residents that reports are being dismissed. Pavements falling apart, signage damaged, bollards knocked over – all not meeting the said criteria.”

Building on their ‘Fix or No Fix’ social media campaign – which spotlighted ongoing issues with neglected infrastructure across the city – the Green Party is urging the administration to adopt a more proactive stance on maintenance. They’re also calling for greater accountability in ensuring that damage reported via the mySouthend system is swiftly and effectively resolved.

– ENDS –

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A dangerous junction in Leigh has been made safer after the council took action following concerns from residents about drivers traveling the wrong way on North Street.

Reports of repeated incidents prompted Green Councillor Stuart Allen to call for a survey to assess the scale of the problem. The results confirmed the issue, leading to the junction’s reprofiling and the installation of clearer signage to reduce the risk of any accidents.

“It was a serious hazard, particularly with the primary school nearby. When drivers go against the expected flow of traffic, the risk of collisions increases dramatically. I’m grateful to the residents who raised the issue and to the council staff who worked with me to get something done.”

Stuart Allen

The changes are part of a wider effort by the Green Party to make Southend’s roads safer for all.

“Everyone should feel safe on our streets,” added Cllr. Allen. “Our goal is to eliminate accidents and ensure that no one is put at risk simply because of poor road design.”

– ENDS –

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Thank you for contacting me about airport expansion and the need for urgent action on tackling the climate crisis. I would also  like to thank you for sharing the fact sheet with me. 

On climate action, I agree with you on the gravity of the situation. Last year was the hottest on record, the first to pass 1.5°C above the pre-industrial average. This should be an alarm call for all of us.

I therefore welcome that since coming to office, the Government has already introduced a world-leading agenda on climate and nature action, making rapid progress and overturning the legacy of the previous Government, which left the country, as the Climate Change Committee confirmed last July, off track to meet our climate goals.

I welcome, for example, the Government’s ambitious mission to make Britain a clean energy superpower – delivering clean power by 2030 and accelerating to net zero across the economy. And I back the crucial steps it has already taken towards getting us back on course, including removing the ban on onshore wind in England, committing over £20 billion for carbon capture, approving solar projects that will be able to power millions of homes, launching Great British Energy and delivering a record-breaking renewables auction. I also support the plans it has set out for increasing the energy efficiency of rented homes to lift up to half a million households out of fuel poverty.

On Heathrow, I understand the concerns that many people have about the expansion of airports and their compatibility with our climate change targets. So I am pleased that the Government has been clear that any airport expansion proposals will need to demonstrate they can be delivered in line with our legally binding climate change commitments, as well as meeting strict air quality standards.

I am pleased that progress is already being made in transitioning to greener aviation with the introduction of the sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) mandate which is now in force. In support of this, the Government will invest £63 million over the next year in the advanced fuels fund, supporting SAF producers across the UK. Ministers have been clear that the Government’s SAF commitments will support thousands of jobs while bringing down our transport emissions.

As for Southend Airport I do not believe there are any plans to expand the current flights operations.  

I believe the benefits to the South-east through the Lower Thames Crossing will be profound. This project is expected to almost double road capacity across the Thames east of London, significantly easing congestion at the Dartford Crossing and improving journey times by up to 46% between Tilbury and Medway. It will also create a more resilient road network, reducing traffic spill over onto local roads and providing a vital new route for freight, connecting South-East ports with manufacturing centres and distribution hubs. Additionally, the project is projected to add up to £40 billion to the UK economy by making journeys quicker, safer, and more reliable. I support my fellow parliamentary peers in the South East with their efforts in progressing the proposed development forward, as it will bring substantial economic and logistical benefits to our region.

Thank you once again for contacting me about this important issue. I can assure you that I will continue to support the strong action that we need on climate change.

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Concerned about the deterioration of grass verges across the city, local Green Party Campaigner, Lauren Ekins is calling on the council to implement measures that would curb damage caused by vehicles.

In recent years, verges in areas such as Belfairs and West Leigh have suffered from neglect and misuse, with delivery vans and residents frequently driving over them for convenience. Lauren believes the city must adopt a proactive approach to prevent further degradation and is asking a question at full council on Thursday 20th March.

“Some verges are in a terrible state,” Lauren said. “While enforcement through byelaws and fines is an option, I believe it’s far better to design solutions that prevent this from happening in the first place. Canvey Road in West Leigh provides an excellent example – planting bushes not only deters vehicles but also enhances biodiversity.”

Cllr. Stuart Allen, Councillor for Leigh Ward echoed Lauren’s concerns, noting that the problem extends beyond verges.

“It’s not just the grass – our entire infrastructure is suffering,” Cllr. Allen said. “Signs are being bent and twisted, bollards are being knocked down, and all of this comes at a significant cost to taxpayers. We need to explore solutions, whether through better urban design or a delivery licensing scheme to help offset these expenses.”

The Green Party continues to advocate for policies that promote sustainability, improve public spaces, and foster biodiversity, emphasising that well-maintained infrastructure benefits both residents and the environment.

– ENDS –

Notes to editor:

Lauren Ekins question to Cllr Daniel Cowen states;

Across the city, our grass verges are being damaged by residents driving across them and delivery drivers using them for parking. Once well-maintained green spaces are now frequently reduced to muddy, unsightly, hazardous areas. The most effective long-term solution would be to design out the problem while also enhancing biodiversity. Streets such as Canvey Road in Leigh demonstrate how a mix of trees and shrubs on these verges can improve both the street scene and local wildlife.

I am concerned about the approach taken in some areas where verges have been tarmacked over, I do not believe this is a viable solution. It decreases capacity for natural drainage and encourages parking on walkways, to name just a few drawbacks. Will the portfolio holder explore ways to protect and enhance our verges, ensuring they contribute positively to both residents’ wellbeing and the local environment?

The post Green Campaigner Urges Council to Protect City’s Verges from Damage appeared first on South East Essex.

Simon Gittus, a Green Campaigner and Leigh resident, is pressing the City Council to make urgent improvements to the town’s bus infrastructure, arguing that better public transport is essential to easing congestion and cutting emissions.

At the upcoming Full Council meeting, Simon plans to challenge the portfolio holder, Cllr Paul Collins, overseeing transport, demanding clarity on how a £1.8 million capital investment will be spent. His focus: upgrading bus stops, improving signage, and accelerating the shift toward electric buses.

“If we’re going to reduce the strain on our at-capacity infrastructure, we need to be encouraging people to use the bus more,” Simon said. “Right now, buses are competing against each other, shelters are in disrepair, and signage is often non-existent, making it incredibly difficult for people to even know where the routes run.”

Mr Gittus is calling for what he describes as “London-style” bus stop signage, with clearly marked routes, journey times, and maps – an upgrade he argues is long overdue.

Cllr Richard Longstaff, Green Party Councillor for Leigh Ward, agreed, “In so many cities around Europe people rely on the bus to get around instead of using their cars. It’s about time we change the narrative here in Southend and make buses as accessible to as many people as possible so that anyone and everyone can rely on our bus services.”

His push comes amid recent fare hikes by the Labour government, a move that has drawn criticism from the Green Party. With rising costs making public transport less attractive, The Greens are hoping that – at the very least – basic infrastructure improvements can be fast-tracked.

– ENDS –

Simon Gittus will be asking Cllr Paul Collins at the Full Council meeting on the 20th February the following:

I welcome the proposed investment in our struggling bus network, a long-overdue step toward improving public transport in our communities. Could the portfolio holder clarify how the £1.8 million in capital funding will be allocated? Will this investment include essential upgrades such as a transition to electric vehicles, clearer and more comprehensive signage to help passengers navigate routes with ease, and well-designed green-roofed shelters that offer genuine protection from the elements and support biodiversity? These measures would not only enhance the user experience but also encourage greater uptake of public transport at a time when sustainable travel has never been more important.

Simon can be followed on Social Media at simongittus.green on Facebook and Instagram.

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Green Party activist Simon Gittus has called on the Labour-led council to tackle the pressing issue of speeding along Marine Parade in Leigh-on-Sea.

 During a recent Full Council meeting, Mr. Gittus asked the Council Leader, Daniel Cowen, urging the administration to ‘design out’ speeding risks on the notoriously straight stretch of road.

“There are proven, effective solutions to curb speeding, such as chicanes and road narrowing measures. Yet once again, the Council downplays the problem.

“This isn’t what I’m hearing from concerned residents who live on adjacent roads, and families who visit Marine Gardens with their children and pets. We cannot ignore the fact that some drivers treat this road like a race track. We need action now, before a serious accident occurs.”

Simon Gittus, Green Activist

Adding to the urgency, Cllr. Stuart Allen remarked, “Speeding isn’t limited to Marine Parade; we’re seeing it on New Road, Station Road, and Cranleigh Drive as well. Residents know it’s an issue, the Police know it’s an issue, yet we continue to wait for another serious accident before acting. We already have had one tragic death on New Road and still we do not have a solution to slow traffic down along these roads.”

Cllr Richard Longstaff concurs, “We know where the speeding issues are and would like to see some firmed up action from the Council along these routes.  I have requested a tabletop pelican crossing at the New Road bridge to the old town, and I’m suggesting that we link this up to a tabletop zebra crossing in Broadway West adjacent to the Library and Gardens entrance. These additions will make our streets safer and more enjoyable, while significantly helping to reduce traffic speeds along these roads.”

In response to Mr. Gittus’ question, Cllr Cowan stated, “We fully appreciate residents’ concerns with speeding across the city and actively deploy a regular programme of speed monitoring surveys and work with Community Speed Watch, who are managed by Essex County Fire and Rescue Service; this road is one of their approved sites for monitoring. 

“Our most recent speed monitoring information for this road didn’t show any particular concerns, however, as it has been some time since the last test, we have requested that this road be added to our programme for speed monitoring surveys so we can assess if there has been any increase in the levels of speed being measured. It should be noted that any specific concerns around speeding vehicles should be sent to Essex Police for further investigation.

“Based on the current results and without yet knowing the results of the proposed survey, we would not be undertaking any further action at this time.”

– ENDS –

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Southend Green Party Group have reacted to news that the Labour Government is to increase the Bus fare cap by 50%.

Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer announced on Monday the £2 cap introduced by the Conservatives to help with the cost of living will be increased to £3 per journey.

“This is a tax on working people, and will affect the poorest in society. Plenty of people rely on the bus to get to work and this increase will only hurt them in their pockets – once again Labour are hitting the most vulnerable hard, rather than looking at other ways to tax those that can afford to pay more. These are political decisions and Labour are making the wrong ones.

“Like Europe, I believe Government should be subsidising all forms of public transport, especially buses and trains, as this enables greater mobility and less dependence on cars.  Increasing fares directly impacts the poorest in society and restricts mobility.  It’s a stealth tax on the least well-off when we should be taxing the super wealthy more.”

Cllr Richard Longstaff

Cllr Stuart Allen adds, “The £2 fare cap made the bus an affordable way to get around the city, and we should be actively encouraging as many people to use the bus to reduce traffic on our roads and emissions in our city. Ultimately the increase will put people off from using the bus and will result in more congestion and more dangerous pollution.”

The Green Party will be writing to Southend West & Leigh MP, David Burton-Sampson sharing its concerns with the cab increase.

– ENDS –

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Bus users are already contributing to building a cleaner city. By taking the bus, you’re helping solve congestion and air pollution and help reduce the city’s environmental impact. Thank you!

But Southend Council has consistently failed bus users across the city. For decades we’ve seen fares getting more expensive, vital routes being slashed, and services becoming more infrequent.

If we’re to fix our problems with Air Pollution and meet our climate goals as a city, we urgently need dependable, accessible, and affordable public transport for everyone. That means having an integrated public transit system that makes walking, cycling, and public transit the cleanest, most affordable, and most convenient options across the city.

The full story:

Buses in Southend are a crucial means of transport for local people. For many car-free households, our local bus services are the primary way that people commute to work and school, and it’s how they make important trips to GPs and other local services and amenities.

In 2021 alone, buses in Southend travelled a combined 2.6 million miles across our roads, providing an invaluable connection for communities across the city. This connectivity helps the local economy thrive, and contributes to the independence, happiness, and well-being of our residents.

Buses also play an important role in helping reduce the city’s air pollution and carbon emissions. Estimates from the Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) show that vehicles on our roads are responsible for a significant proportion of local carbon emissions, accounting for 29% of all estimated local emissions in 2019. Buses help reduce the overall number of vehicles on our roads and are a far more efficient means of mass transportation in both space and emissions than private car use.

Currently, a majority of the city’s regular bus users are those from the BAME communities and the city’s lowest-income families. Bus users making use of the National Concessionary Bus Pass accounted for around 40% of local bus trips in 2018/19. Town centre wards such as Kursaal, Victoria, and Westborough have the highest number of bus users compared with other wards; with Thorpe, Chalkwell, and both Leigh wards having the lowest average.

What’s been happening with the buses?

The city’s bus network clocked up 9.7 million trips in 2009/10, but that number has slowly declined to just 7.1 million in 2019/20.

As the city wrangles with areas of illegally-poor Air Quality and chronic congestion, the council should be promoting and prioritising bus use for our residents. Instead, poor planning and progressive declines in standards of service have resulted in a reduction in the number of regular bus users.

The council’s own documents state: “Bus services in the town are not fulfilling their potential.”

Southend has four private Bus companies operating twenty routes across the city. These companies flood the four main transit corridors with regular profitable services, whilst communities in Leigh, Shoeburyness, and Eastwood are largely disconnected from the network; only receiving infrequent and often meaningless connections.

Pre-pandemic data showed that 40% of services across the network (over 14,800 timing points) were over five minutes late. Users have also noted a worsening reduction in the frequency of services, whilst also bearing the full weight of higher and higher annual fare increases.

Bus use in the city is also low compared with other cities. York has a comparable population to Southend, yet achieved 4.4 million bus miles in 2021.

Analysis by Mott MacDonald shows walking distance to the nearest bus stops in Southend.

The connectivity of the network is also poor, with services often only operating via the town centre as an interchange. For example, there is currently no direct service from Eastwood to Leigh. To make that simple journey via bus would take you three times as long, necessitating a change in the Town centre.

It is obvious to us that the city’s bus services are broken, and are being run purely for profit and not for those who depend on them. 

As the climate emergency necessitates changes to our way of life, buses will be a vital tool in tackling our own carbon emissions. We think that all of the city’s buses should provide a useful and interconnected service and that they should be reliable, accessible, and affordable to every resident.

What can we do to fix it?

The Green Party have launched the above petition, calling on Southend Council to work with the bus operators to improve the dependability, accessibility, and affordability of bus services across Southend.

Please sign and share this petition.

The Greens are also proud to pledge that we will;

• Develop a new and ambitious Integrated Transport Plan, increasing the provision, reliability and affordability of Public Transport services;
• Seek to work with existing local bus companies, reforming the Local Authority’s Bus Working Group and Quality Bus Partnerships, and working to yield a significant improvement in the frequency, accessibility, the number of routes, and overall reliability of bus infrastructure across the borough;
• Seek to introduce new night bus services across the borough, and improve the frequency and reliability of weekend bus services;

Sources & Further Reading:

DfT Public Service Vehicle Survey 2021

Southend Council Bus Service Improvement Plan, October 2021.

https://www.echo-news.co.uk/news/20058151.firstbus-make-changes-south-essex-services/

The post Greens Launch Bus Petition appeared first on South East Essex.

Asking the council two written questions, James challenged the council over its dire track record on supporting cycling in Southend-on-Sea. 

He said;

The results of a survey conducted by the Green Party in Southend in 2021 found that only 10% of respondents thought that the council sufficiently priorities cycling. 

86% of respondents felt that bike theft is an issue of concern in Southend, and that the Police and Council are not doing enough to tackle bike theft across the town. 63% of people we asked said that they would not feel comfortable locking up their bicycle in town or at train stations, and said they would be concerned that their bike would not be safe if left unattended. A further 19% of people said they had previously been a victim of bike theft in Southend.

A staggering 95.7% of respondents said the cycling infrastructure across Southend was inadequate, with 84.95% saying they would not feel comfortable with cycling with their children or younger members of their family across Southend. Only 7.5% of responders said they regularly cycle to school with their children. This demonstrates that the council are not doing enough at present to safeguard and prioritise cycling. 

The benefits of cycling are vast; mental and physical wellbeing benefits are well-documented, and the average cyclist isn’t just better on Carbon emissions, but far better on our streets in terms of public space, congestion, air pollution, and road traffic accidents. If Southend is to meet its imperative climate goals, encouraging cycling amongst residents should be very high on that agenda. 

In the Full Council meeting of 10th March, the Portfolio Holder announced that of the £741,600 Active Travel Fund, just £241,000 is to be spent on cycling infrastructure across the city, with a large proportion of that to be spent on yet another expensive and needless public consultation on an A13 ‘painted bike lane’ scheme.

Contrast that to the council’s commitment to spending £10million per annum for another 18 years on Highways investments, and the town’s cyclists are again wondering which road users the council is prioritising in its investments. Given the unprecedented urgency of the climate emergency, Cycling receiving a figure 41 times lower than that of car users would be scandalous. It continues to signal a now outdated assumption that car use should be the default transit method for every resident in Southend. This is not at all compatible with your stated climate and Active Travel goals. 

Can the Portfolio Holder outline how much of the £10million Highways Budget is ring-fenced for improvements to the city’s cycling infrastructure, and what new safe and segregated cycle routes and infrastructure are currently being implemented by the authority? 

The Cabinet Member for Transport, Asset Management, and Inward Investment, Cllr Wakefield responded by saying:

“The authority receives money from a number of sources; For active travel interventions, it has received two main funds from central government. 

The Secretary of State for Transport awarded £309k for Tranche 1 of the Active Travel Fund. This fund supported producing cycling and walking facilities. In particular, Southend Council created four pilot Schools Streets and one pilot CCTV School Keep Clear enforcement scheme. 

Tranche 2 of the same fund awarded £741.6k and will support the creation of:

• Holistic Network Wide Cycle Audit & Master Planning of A13 Active Travel Corridor;
• Prittlewell Brook Greenway Lighting and Connectivity Improvements;
• A further rollout of the School Streets initiative;
• Cycling Improvements to the public realm – secure cycle parking, electric bike charging, and repair stations. 

In addition to this, the Local Transport Plan Grant supports sustainable transport projects and has been used to co-fund the London Road works that included the installation of secure cycle parking.

You’ll notice the council gave no firm answer on anything.

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