A number of service improvements and investments have helped to build customer confidence in the bus network
The number of passengers using bus services in Essex has continued to grow in the last year as satisfaction with services has also increased.
Between 2023 and 2024 there were an extra two million journeys made by bus in Essex, an increase of 7% a year. This upward trend reflects the impact of targeted measures to improve affordability, infrastructure and service quality of the bus network across Essex.
Some of these improvements include:
The Love Your Bus Grant, which allowed parish and town councils to apply for funding for projects which increases passenger numbers, service frequency and coverage in their local areas.
The Thrive research project which, working with bus providers, aims to understand how best to improve struggling services by improving journey times and frequency, improving roadside infrastructure and more focused publicity.
The National Fare Cap scheme, where the Government subsidised fares, initially capped at £2 and rising to £3 per journey in 2025, which have made bus travel more accessible. Many bus journeys already cost less
Infrastructure investment, including through the partnership between Essex County Council and Bauer Outdoor Media to deliver new and upgraded bus shelters across Essex to improve the passenger experience
Modernising the fleet of 55 buses in Basildon in collaboration with First Bus. The Council secured Department for Transport funding to introduce electric buses in Basildon, supporting cleaner greener travel.
Recent passenger survey results also indicate a marked improvement in public perception, finding that 71% of respondents reported overall satisfaction with bus services - an increase of 17% since 2023. The survey also found:
64% of respondents were happy with punctuality, an increase of nearly 20%
80% satisfaction with journey time – up 6%
An 8% increase in residents considering travel by bus good value for money
63% felt satisfied with bus stop infrastructure from 56%,
Councillor Tom Cunningham, Cabinet Member for Highways, Infrastructure and Sustainable Transport said:
"The bus network in Essex is incredibly important to so many of our residents so it's wonderful to see more people are placing their trust in public transport each year. Investing in, improving and modernising the service clearly builds confidence in the county's bus services, and gives residents more choice over safer, greener and healthier ways to travel."
