Southend-on-Sea City Council is pleased to confirm a new agreement with Stephensons of Essex to deliver a vital extended bus service for residents living around Highlands Estate and West Leigh areas.
The extended service, funded by the Department for Transport's Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) Bus Grant and is part of the council's continued commitment to restoring and enhancing local public transport.
Launching Monday 28 July 2025, the extended service 17 and 17A will run hourly on weekdays during the morning and early afternoon, connecting the Highlands Estate and Belfairs Swimming Centre with Leigh and Southend-on-Sea city centre. This marks a significant development for the local community, which has been without a dedicated service for many years.
The new routes will provide direct connections to services along London Road, Leigh town centre, and Chalkwell and Westcliff stations for onward travel on c2c services.
Cllr Paul Collins, cabinet member for finance, assets, and investments, said: "We're pleased to bring back a bus service for the Highlands Estate. This new connection will be a lifeline for many residents, improving access to the City Centre and other key destinations.
"It's part of our broader efforts to restore essential services, encourage bus travel, and reduce the number of car journeys, all of which contribute to better air quality and a more sustainable city.
The extended service will start at the Heygate Avenue stop at the Southend Travel Centre and travel past Cliffs Pavilion, Westcliff and Chalkwell stations, Grand Drive and Leigh Broadway. Service 17 will continue past Leigh Station, while the 17A will travel via Hadleigh Road to Belfairs Swimming Centre, before both routes head along Highlands Boulevard to terminate at Woodlands Park.
Timetables for the new 17 and 17A services will be available on the Stephensons website and App ahead of the launch.
To find out more about Southend-on-Sea's BSIP visit our bus service improvement plan page.