Transport and Infrastructure

In South Essex the transport network, especially highways, operate over capacity. This has significant impact on productivity and movement. The authorities want to rebalance modal priorities in favour of active and sustainable modes and deliver a decarbonised, integrated public transport system. Walking, cycling and greener public transport will become the most appealing and practical choice. These will be supported by quality placemaking initiatives improving public realm, regeneration and community led initiatives.

There are a number of guiding principles underpinning South Essex’s approach:

• Enhancing and connecting local places to reflect the distinctiveness of communities.
• Supporting healthier lifestyles by connecting places at a human scale.
• Reducing the need for travel by the private car, providing attractive and safer routes for active travel while aggressively reducing emissions with the aim for South Essex to become Carbon Neutral ahead of national targets.
• Laying foundations for future working practices by improving connections between existing and future residential and employment areas, supporting logistics and advanced manufacturing sector by creating new opportunities to integrate these land uses and reducing the need to travel.
• Supporting access to local services, particularly health and education, by active modes and public transport.

South Essex Councils (SEC) is asking the government for a significant amount to be invested in South Essex to tackle the infrastructure deficit and for the powers to make decisions locally that will improve the lives of residents, now and in the future.

SEC is developing a number of key programmes to deliver transformative change:

South Essex Active Travel Network
A regional wide active travel programme to provide attractive connections between places which will enable a significant shift to movements by active modes.

Green Blue Integrated Public Transport
A rapid transport network that provides high quality, high frequency direct links to public transport hubs (or living stations).

Living Stations
Establishing key public transport hubs (Living Stations) that will be a focus for public transport interchange and opportunities for the delivery of high quality and distinctive public realm, creative employment and retail spaces and education, health and leisure services located at Brentwood, Basildon, Grays, Southend and Southend Airport.

New strategic Interchange Hubs on the River Thames
Located between Tilbury and Southend to support new passenger river services. Green and Blue Infrastructure through South Essex Estuary Park Where there is a long term vision to create a single park system that encompasses all of South Essex, framed by five large-scale landscapes and an improved network of blue and green connectors.

Local Connections to Health, Education & Natural Assets
A programme including establishing active routes to schools. These routes will link schools to local communities with enhanced landscaping providing opportunities for play and interaction with green spaces.

Forward Funding of a new EV Infrastructure Network
At scale, providing EV charging points across homes, businesses and existing infrastructure to drive the transition away from petrol and diesel vehicles and securing a step change in decarbonised transport use.