From Essexlive
'A "vital" bus route which transports people to an Essex hospital will be restored later this month following a summit meeting between transport bosses and an MP. First Essex has announced it will bring back the 21A bus route which connects Southend Hospital to other parts of the borough.
The service, which is an extension of the 21 service, will run every hour during the middle of the day from Monday to Saturday and will serve Carlton Avenue in Westcliff, providing access to residents to Southend and Leigh. It comes following a huge meeting between bosses and Anna Firth, MP for Southend West, at the end of March.
This service has been made possible through the use of Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) funding awarded by HM Government to Southend City Council - believed to be just under £1million - and will provide "increased convenience and flexibility" for passengers wanting to access the hospital.
Julian Elliott, Head of Network at First East of England said: “First Essex is proud to be working in partnership with Southend-on-Sea City Council to meet the evolving needs of our customers and the community. The new 21A service underscores the collective effort to ensure sustainable and reliable services for residents and visitors to South Essex.”
Following her summit meeting with transport leaders, Anna Firth said: "For well over an hour, we discussed the current and future provision of buses in Southend. We spoke at length about the long-term plans for the bus operators, as well as the current challenges they face to operate in Southend.
"Local transport remains crucial to many in Southend West and Leigh, so it is vital that we have a bus network befitting our new city status. Absolutely no residents should be left completely unserved or isolated as a result of a withdrawn service."
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Passengers can visit the First Essex website or download the First Bus app for more information on the new service, which will begin on Monday, April 15.'
