Guernsey Gardens buses

Buses travelling along Guernsey Gardens are continuing to cause huge problems, mainly:

1. Width of road/buses: Guernsey Gardens is 16ft wide, a bus is over 8ft wide so vehicles are mounting the footpath in order to pass each other (this is illegal).
2. Pedestrian Safety.
3. Damage to footpaths and dislodging / breaking kerb-stones.

We are continuing to fight for the bus routes through Guernsey Gardens to be reverted back to Swan Lane, which is the route they have always used previously. (This has been a lengthy and arduous task mainly due to changes in councillors etc. resulting in time lapses).

Update from Essex County Council:

• Bus service 15 to Basildon Hospital has recently been withdrawn from Swan Lane.
• Essex County Council's plan is to re-route Service 10 along Church End Lane - and for no buses to use Swan Lane - Wantz Corner.
• Essex County Council plan to run routes 13/13A/14 both ways along Alderney Gardens, which means buses continuing to run both ways along Guernsey Gardens.
• Essex County Council refer to Guernsey Gardens as being an established route and therefore they may have plans in the future to increase the bus routes in both directions down Guernsey Gardens.

It is YOUR opportunity to have your say. [now archived - consultation ended May]

Background.

• Buses first appeared along Guernsey Gardens about 5 years ago, and the traffic calming roundabout half way along was modified so that they could get past, just North bound, away from the station, which was the only way they travelled at that time. The buses used were the small 'hopper' type. These are now considered unsuitable by the bus companies, as they do not carry enough passengers, and the larger single deckers are now used, and for a time even double deckers. They run in both directions, and the South bound ones have to mount the roundabout, which is now in a sorry state.
• This video shows what can happen. A larger car or van cannot pass a bus without one or both mounting the pavement. This video was sent to Adrian Summons of Essex County Council, and Julian Elliott of First Group, on 26th August 2016. Neither bothered to reply.
• A meeting was held in the Community Centre on Saturday 11th February 2017 to try to get some action. It was well attended, and Councillors Buckley, Holliman and Morris were present, but unfortunately no one from the bus companies (although they were invited). The consensus was that the road simply isn't suitable for buses, but as far as we are aware, nothing positive resulted.