Local community groups, bus operators, and transport advocates are coming together to talk about how to improve bus services in Southend.
The Southend Local Bus Forum will hold its second annual meeting on 5 September, and residents are invited to get involved.
The Forum was created as part of the Southend-on-Sea Enhanced Partnership, which followed the council's Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) launched in October 2021. This plan was put together in response to the Government's Bus Back Better strategy, aiming to make bus services better and more sustainable across England after the challenges of the pandemic.
The Forum includes representatives from Southend-on-Sea City Council, nearby councils, local bus companies (Arriva, First, and Stephensons), the Southend Area Bus User Group, Bus Users UK, Southend BID, Essex Police, Campaign for Better Transport, and Transport Focus. The meeting is open to the public, and everyone is encouraged to submit questions or comments in writing before the event.
Councillor Paul Collins, cabinet member for finance, assets and investments, said: "The Southend Local Bus Forum is an important opportunity for everyone to have their say about our bus services.
"One of the outcomes of the better working relationship with bus companies, is the Southend Bus Passenger Charter, which was recently set by Southend-on-Sea City Council and accepted by all of the bus companies in our City.
"By working together, we can make sure that buses in Southend are reliable, efficient, and meet the needs of all our residents.
The Enhanced Partnership, which builds on the BSIP, started on 1 April 2023. After a successful first meeting last September, the second meeting of the Southend Local Bus Forum will be held on Thursday, 5 September 2024, at 2 pm in the Jubilee Room at the Civic Centre, Victoria Avenue, Southend-on-Sea, SS2 6ER. The meeting will also be available online.
To learn more about the Bus Service Improvement Plan, the Enhanced Partnership, and the Local Bus Forum, please see the Southend Bus Service Improvement Plan and Enhanced Partnership page.
The annual meeting agenda and reports pack will be published online a week before the 5 September meeting.