Southend traffic and travel
Road closures, crashes, roadworks and train delays in and around Southend, newest first. Each update links to its official source, such as National Highways.
Top story
Lamppost EV Chargers for 26 Leigh and Milton Streets: Say by 18 November
Southend Council wants views on 26 lamppost chargers in Leigh and Milton wards, most with an EV-only bay beside them. The consultation closes on 18 November.
More stories
Airport
Southend to Belfast Flights Start: Mon, Fri and Sun
easyJet's first London Southend to Belfast City flight left on Monday 2 November. It flies Mondays, Fridays and Sundays, one of 26 easyJet routes from Southend.
Trains
c2c Barking Derailment Disruption Cleared on 11 November
National Rail cleared the Barking derailment disruption at 12.12pm on 11 November, after 19 days. How Southend c2c passengers can still claim for delays.
Police
Westcliff Cyclist Steve Ames, 72, Dies: Family Tribute
Cyclist Steve Ames, 72, died on 22 October, two weeks after a collision with a pedestrian in West Road, Westcliff. His family remember a man who loved boats.
Trains
Woodgrange Close Level Crossing Gets Red and Green Lights
The Woodgrange Close footpath crossing between Southend East and Thorpe Bay now has red and green lights and an alarm. Until now, users had no warning at all.
Leigh-on-Sea
Leigh-on-Sea Roadworks: Road Closures and Traffic Orders Near Leigh-on-Sea
Leigh-on-Sea roadworks: Footpath south of High Street (now, until 9 Dec) and every other traffic order within 3 km, checked each morning with the...
Health
Prittlewell Chase Crash: Two Ambulances, Three Crew Hurt
Two ambulances collided on Prittlewell Chase by Southend Hospital on Thursday. Three crew went to hospital; the patient on board was unhurt, the trust said.
Policing
Southend Driver Reversed From Police Check, Held Over Drugs
A driver who reversed away from a police check on London Road was found with 50+ deal bags of suspected drugs. Officers dealt with 95 offences that day.
Roadworks
Southend Roadworks: North Road and Bournes Green Chase
North Road, Westcliff, is shut for about two weeks of power repairs. Bournes Green Chase closes one way on weekday daytimes from 16 November to 18 December.
Transport
Southend 62A and 62B Airport Buses: Every 30 Min From 5.45am
Weekdays, the first 62A/62B leaves Southend Travel Centre at 5.45am and the last at 7.45pm, every 30 minutes to the airport. Free week over, fares unpublished.
Airport
Southend Airport: easyJet Adds 4th Jet, Rhodes from 27 Apr
easyJet will base a fourth A320neo at Southend from summer 2027 and fly to Rhodes twice a week from 27 April. The airport expects to pass a million passengers next year and employ more than 400 people.
What's On
What's on in Southend this weekend, 25 to 27 September
The seafront fireworks return on Saturday at 7.30pm, the Vulcan opens for its last visit day of 2026 on Sunday, Southend United host Barrow, and Sunday's c2c trains divert to Liverpool Street.
Southend Airport
Southend Airport: Belfast, Budapest, Edinburgh Now Flying
Edinburgh started on 25 October, Budapest on 26 October and Belfast City on 2 November. Rovaniemi, Lyon and Sharm El Sheikh follow; Lanzarote still has no published date.
Southend Airport
Southend Airport Is the UK's Most Punctual, at 83.9%
Southend ran 83.9% of flights on time from April to June, first of 25 UK airports. In June it beat Stansted by 20 points. We read the CAA's own tables.
Council
Southend Taxi Licensing Policy: Points In, Uber Not Banned
Southend's first taxi policy brings a points system that can cost a driver their licence, and the council says it never banned Uber. Start date still blank.
Roadworks
Gallows Corner Shut in All Directions 18 to 21 September
TfL shuts the whole Romford junction from 10pm on Friday 18 September to 5am on Monday, then plans to reopen the A127 pinch point fully by the end of the month.
Transport
Southend Bus: New 62A and 62B Airport Routes Planned
A new bus service will link Southend Travel Centre to the airport through the east of the city, paid for from a £10.4m grant. No start date has been published.
Roads
Southend Roads: 121 Named for Resurfacing by 2029
Nearly a quarter of Southend's residential roads are rated red in the council's own survey. Councillors debate a pothole emergency on Monday. Here is the list.
Roadworks
Southchurch Road and Sutton Road Reopen: What's Still Shut
Sutton Road and Southchurch Road reopened on 13 August, the first stretch of Better Queensway handed back. The slip-road closures run on to late 2027.
Parking
Southend EV Charging: Zest Chargers Live at Alexandra Street
Zest EV chargers are now live at Alexandra Street Car Park, replacing the old Blink units, part of a 3,000-space Southend rollout backed by £1.4m of LEVI funding.
Transport
Southend Buses: 17 and 17A Funded for Another 12 Months
The 17 and 17A are funded to July 2027, but still run weekdays only, 09:36 to 17:42. The 24 gains six months of evening buses, and kids ride free all August.
Trains
Southend Christmas Trains 2026: None on the 25th
No c2c or Greater Anglia trains on Christmas Day. Last year the final Christmas Eve trains left London at 21:50 and 22:04. What is confirmed for 2026 so far.