Questions by Members:

Answers:

(For Lee Heley / Councillor Placey) Could you please provide an update on the delivery against the recommendations from this Committee previously approved?

[The recommendations are set out in the papers for the meeting]

RECOMMENDED TO CABINET:

a) Hold a summit with local transport providers including Hedingham and Chambers and Greater Anglia, to seek to improve the frequency, reliability and quality of local public transport services; 

TDC have met with providers and partners a number of times to discuss the opportunity for a summit meeting.  However, due to continued policy changes including devolution, the emergence of the Local Transport Plan, and importantly changes in the ownership of bus operators, it was felt there has not been a ‘right time’ to hold it.  A future meeting is in the calendar to decide on when a summit would be most advantageous.

b) Support advocacy for an improved rail service from Clacton, moving to a half hourly service;

In September 2025, TDC wrote to Jonathan Denby, Head of Corporate Affairs, Greater Anglia requesting two trains an hour from Clacton to Colchester.  Also in November 2025, Transport East wrote a joint letter which included ECC and TDC, to Martin Beable, Managing Director of Greater Anglia making the same request.  TDC are currently awaiting an update.  The Council has worked with partner councils across north Essex to gain their support for the proposal.

c) Take advantage of the levelling up funding where available to support improved public transport;

Transport projects within the Community Regeneration Partnership Funding including:

·        Provision of three new community buses to enhance the quality of community transport, one of which is specifically for disadvantaged young people to support access to education and support services.

·        Fund ECC to provide Bus Stop improvements, including upgrading five bus stops where there is sufficient space to include shelters, lighting, seating and paving.

Uk Shared Prosperity Funding included:

·        A Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan for Clacton and Harwich. These plans have been considered within the Clacton Regeneration Plan and the Cultural Masterplan and supported decisions regarding projects in these areas.

d) Engage with ECC and providers on the potential for Demand Responsive Transport to supplement the current public transport offer;

Essex County Council's (ECC) bus strategy detailed in its Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) incorporates Demand Responsive Transport (DRT) for rural areas. However, this has not been rolled out in Tendring.

e) Advocate where possible for services to be brought to coastal areas so that there is less need to travel for education and health care;

This is ongoing working with partners in education and health and with improvements under the Community Regeneration Partnership  Funding including:

·        Redevelopment and improvements to Clacton Library including ACL’s relocation to support adult education.

·        Match funding the NHS to develop Clacton Hospital further enabling improvements to the Urgent Treatment Centre.

·        Invest in the community ride and play zone at Clacton Leisure Centre.

The Capital Regeneration Project in Harwich has:

·        Redeveloped the library to provide a stronger ACL offer.

Further examples include.

·        Working with Clarion to provide construction training in Jaywick Sands in partnership with TDC, SignPost and Colchester Institute.

·        Clarion working with Colchester Institute to provide a training centre to support the Tendring, Colchester Boarder Garden Community.

·        Colchester Institute are providing construction courses in Harwich

·        Supporting health partners to provide a mobile service to the residents of Jaywick Sands withing the Sunspot.

Planning has worked with Essex County Council (ECC) and the NHS to ensure education and health care provision expands in line with housing growth.

f) Ask Hedingham to review the provision of a bus stop to support the new Marks and Spencer’s store at Brook Park West, the Crematorium and the potential for park and ride to Clacton at peak tourist season building on the experience of the Airshow;

On the 21^st November 2025, members of TDC met with Transport Made Simple, who are the new owners of KonectBuses.  They are currently looking at routes and available resources.  One of the routes they are looking at is Clacton to Colchester via Brook Park and particularly the M&S side.  They have also suggested they are happy to support further events within Tendring and provide connectivity to Colchester for Events.  The Council’s Economic Growth team will provide a list of events and dates of importance for their consideration.

g) Prioritise gaining developer contributions for new bus routes in the delivery of the revised Local Plan;

The revised Local Plan makes clear that new development must help fund the infrastructure needed to support growth. Strategic Policy DI1: Infrastructure Delivery and Impact Mitigation sets out that developers will be expected to contribute towards improvements, including public transport, through legal agreements. Strategic Policy CP1: Sustainable Transport and Active Travel aims to reduce car dependency and improve connections by supporting better bus services alongside walking and cycling routes.

To make this work in practice, the Council works closely with ECC on sustainable transport and uses Essex County Council’s Developer Guide to Infrastructure Contributions, which explains how contributions are calculated and what they can fund. This guide works hand-in-hand with the Local Plan: when planning applications come forward, we assess what transport improvements are needed, such as new bus route and then seek developer funding to deliver them. This ensures growth is supported by sustainable travel options, making it easier for residents and visitors to get around without relying on cars.

h) Councils should take these recommendations into account when developing the Tendring Future Transport Strategy (ECC) and the Local Plan (TDC).

As above in g) the local plan takes these recommendations into account.

(Gary Guiver) Do you have any insights on how these improvements might be maintained in a commercially sustainable way?

(Charlie Poulter) ECC funding is now secured for a three?year period, representing a significant shift from the previous model in which funding was limited to a maximum of one year. We also anticipate an increase in demand, which could create additional opportunities for growth, although this cannot be assured.

(Gary Guiver) What are your key priorities in Tendring, particularly with respect to improving access to educational facilities?

(Charlie Poulter) In the longer term, we aim to develop a dedicated route to Colchester Institute. This represents an important area for collaboration, where joint planning and shared insights would be particularly valuable.

How can provision be improved to ensure that children are able to travel to St?Benedict’s in Colchester, given that the existing ‘Seaside route’ that does not currently operate during school hours? Could you review this issue and provide an update in due course.

(Charlie Poulter) I am happy to take this away with me and provide an update in due course.

Bus arrival times have shown improvement, with the highest current performance at 75%. What target level of reliability are you working towards, and at what point would you consider the service to be meeting your expectations?

(Charlie Poulter) We are not working toward a single fixed percentage; the focus is on making steady, incremental improvements over time. A performance level of around 75% is not unusual for the sector, and it is important to note that the remaining 25% includes services running only one or two minutes behind schedule, so the picture is not as negative as it may initially appear.

How does the establishment of the new combined authority factor into your strategic planning?

(Charlie Poulter) As the transition to a unitary authority progresses, we remain committed to maintaining strong relationships with Councillors. At the appropriate stage, we will also engage proactively with the Chief Executive and the Mayor. We look forward to building a constructive and collaborative working relationship.