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Travel Alerts
Services 71/371 | London Road, Feering | OVERNIGHT road closures
London Road, Feering is closed for overnight roadworks from Wednesday 26th March to Wednesday 2nd April 2025.
The road is to be closed from 20:00hrs each evening and is to re-open from 06:00hrs each morning.
Due to the location of the road closure, the 71 and 371 services will divert in both directions via the B1024 and A120*.
The following bus stop(s) will not be served in both directions:
- The Railway Tavern (towards Chelmsford only)
- Feering Hill
- Gore Pit Corner
- New Lane
- Prested Hall
- Marks Tey Office
*The following EVENING journeys between Colchester and Kelvedon ONLY will divert via Feering Road/Coggeshall Road.
- EVENING journey - departing from Colchester, Osborne Street to Kelvedon at 20:05
- EVENING journey - departing from Colchester, Osborne Street to Kelvedon at 22:05
Journeys will terminate/recommence at New Lane bus stop. The following bus stops will not be served: Gore Pit Corner, Feering Hill, The Railway Tavern, Trews Garden, The Institute, Kelvedon Post Office and London Road.
We apologise for the disruption to your bus journey.
ALL Colchester services | St Botolph's Street, Colchester | EMERGENCY road closure
St Botolph's Street, Colchester is closed for emergency roadworks from Tuesday 25th March to Monday 31st March 2025.
Due to the location of the road closure - the bus station on Osborne Street, is not accessible via St Botolph's Street Roundabout. The following services will be placed on diversion:
Bus No. |
Direction of route: |
Diversion route: |
S1 |
To Highwoods |
The S1 service will divert via Southway and Headgate. |
S3 |
To West Bergholt |
The S3 service will divert via Southway and Headgate. |
S4 |
To Greenstead |
The S4 service will divert via Southway and Headgate. |
S5 |
To Greenstead |
The S5 service will divert via St Johns Street. |
S8 |
To Monkwick |
The S8 service will divert via Southway and Headgate, Head Street, High Street, Queen Street and Osborne Street. |
S8 |
To Colchester General Hospital |
The S8 service will divert via Southway and Headgate and Head Street. |
67 |
To Colchester, Osborne Street |
The 67 service will divert via Southway, Headgate, St Johns Street and Stanwell Street. |
68 |
To Highwoods |
The 68 service will divert via Southway and Headgate, Head Street, High Street, Queen Street and Osborne Street. |
69A |
To Colchester, Osborne Street |
The 69A service will divert via Southway and Headgate, Head Street, High Street, Queen Street and Osborne Street. |
86 |
To Colchester, Osborne Street | The 86 service will divert via Southway and Headgate, Head Street, High Street, Queen Street and Osborne Street. |
104 |
To Colchester, Stanwell Street |
The 104 service will divert via Southway and Headgate. |
X20 |
To Colchester Railway Station |
EVENING journeys only. The X20 service will divert via Southway and Headgate, Head Street, High Street, Queen Street and Osborne Street. |
Head Street, Colchester is closed for overnight roadworks from Monday 24th March to Wednesday 26th March 2025. *ALL services will be unable to serve bus stops on Head Street*. The road will be closed from 20:00hrs each evening and is to re-open from 05:00hrs each morning. ALL Colchester services | Head Street, Colchester | OVERNIGHT road closures | First Bus
We apologise for the disruption to your bus journey.
Service 31/331 | Burnham Road, Latchingdon | Road closure
Burnham Road, Latchingdon is closed from Tuesday 25th March to Wednesday 2nd April 2025.
Due to the location of the road closure the 31 and 331 services will divert in both directions via Steeple Road, Grange Avenue and Green Lane.
The following bus stop(s) will not be served in both directions:
- The Village Hall
- Greenacres
We apologise for the disruption to your bus journey.
MULTIPLE Colchester services | North Station Road, Colchester | OVERNIGHT road closures
North Station Road, Colchester is closed for overnight roadworks from Wednesday 26th March to Friday 28th March 2025.
The road is to be closed from 21:00hrs each evening and is to re-open from 05:00hrs each morning.
Due to the location of the road closure, multiple Colchester services will divert in both directions via Colne Bank Avenue, Colne Bank Roundabout and Station Way.
All bus stops will be served as normal - however, there will likely be delays to services.
We apologise for the disruption to your bus journey.
Services 2A/87 | Mile End Road, Colchester | Road closure
Mile End Road, Colchester is closed for roadworks from Monday 31st March to Friday 20th June 2025.
Due to the location of the roadworks, the 2A and 87 services will divert in both directions via Bruff Close, Northern Approach Road and Mill Road.
The following stops will not be served in both directions:
- Groves Close (towards Great Horkesley only)
- Oaks Place
- Tall Trees
- Mile End Church
- Link Close
- Rectory Close (towards Colchester City Centre)
We apologise for the disruption to your bus journey.
Service X30 | Essex Regiment Way, Little Waltham | OVERNIGHT road closure
Essex Regiment Way, Little Waltham is closed overnight for roadworks from 21:00 on Sunday 30th March to 05:00 on Monday 31st March 2025.
Due to the location of the road closure the X30 service will operate all journeys in both directions via Main Road (B1808) and Valley Bridge. NO journeys will operate via Chelmer Valley Road and Essex Regiment Way.
The clocks go forward 1 hour at 1am on Sunday 30th March 2025 (switching from GMT to BST). There will be a temporary change to the X20 and X30 timetables, in the early hours of Sunday 30th March 2025, owing to the clock change: Services X20 & X30 | Clocks go forward on Sunday 30th March 2025 | First Bus
We apologise for the disruption to your bus journey.
Services X20 & X30 | Clocks go forward on Sunday 30th March 2025
The clocks go forward 1 hour at 1am on Sunday 30th March 2025 (switching from GMT to BST).
- GMT= Greenwich Mean Time (clocks go back)
- BST= British Summer Time (clocks go forward)
There will be a temporary change to the X20 and X30 timetables, in the early hours of Sunday 30th March 2025, owing to the clock change:
X20
Colchester to Stansted Airport
X20 departures on 30/03/2025 ONLY
|
GMT | BST |
Colchester Osborne Street | 01:25 | 03:25 |
Lexden, Halstead Road Corner | 01:32 | 03:32 |
Stanway Sainsburys Store | 01:36 | 03:36 |
Marks Tey, Railway Station | 01:41 | 03:41 |
Marks Tey, Poplars Nurseries | 01:44 | 03:44 |
Bradwell, The Swan | 01:54 | 03:54 |
Braintree Tesco East Store | 01:57 | 03:57 |
Braintree Bus Interchange | 02:05 | 04:05 |
Braintree, Tortoiseshell Way | 02:10 | 04:10 |
Great Dunmow High Street | 02:23 | 04:23 |
Stansted Airport | 02:37 | 04:37 |
Stansted Airport to Colchester
X20 departures on 30/03/2025 ONLY | GMT | BST | BST |
Stansted Airport | 00:45 | 02:45 | 05:00 |
Great Dunmow High Street | 00:59 | 02:59 | 05:15 |
Braintree, Tortoiseshell Way | 01:14 | 03:14 | 05:30 |
Braintree Bus Interchange | 01:20 | 03:20 | 05:40 |
Braintree Tesco East Store | 01:25 | 03:25 | 05:45 |
Bradwell, The Swan | 01:28 | 03:28 | 05:48 |
Coggeshall Market Hill | 05:54 | ||
Marks Tey, Poplars Nurseries | 01:37 | 03:37 | 06:02 |
Marks Tey, Railway Station | 01:40 | 03:40 | 06:05 |
Stanway Sainsburys Store | 01:45 | 03:45 | 06:11 |
Lexden, Halstead Road Corner | 01:48 | 03:48 | 06:15 |
Colchester Osborne Street | 01:55 | 03:55 | |
Colchester Head Street | 06:22 | ||
Colchester Railway Station | 06:27 |
X30
Southend-on-Sea to Stansted Airport
X30 departures on 30/03/2025 ONLY | GMT | BST | BST | BST |
Southend-on-Sea Travel Centre | 23:55 | 00:55 | 03:15 | |
Victoria Station Interchange | 23:58 | 00:58 | 03:18 | |
Southend Hospital South | 00:03 | ↓ | ↓ | |
Earls Hall Avenue | ↓ | 02:01 | 03:21 | |
Kent Elms Corner North | 00:09 | 02:05 | 03:25 | |
Eastwood Rise | 00:14 | 02:10 | 03:30 | |
Eastwood Road | 00:19 | 02:15 | 03:35 | |
Rayleigh Railway Station | 00:21 | 02:17 | 03:37 | |
Wolsey Park North | 00:27 | 02:23 | 03:43 | |
Chelmsford Bus Station | 00:51 | 02:47 | 04:10 | 04:58 |
Broomfield Hospital | ↓ | ↓ | ↓ | 05:08 |
Church School | 02:13 | 03:08 | 04:31 | 05:23 |
Great Dunmow High Street | 02:19 | 03:14 | ↓ | 05:29 |
Stansted Airport | 02:34 | 03:29 | 04:44 | 05:44 |
Stansted Airport to Southend-on-Sea
X30 departures on 30/03/2025 ONLY | GMT | BST | BST | BST | BST |
Stansted Airport | 00:40 | 03:20 | 04:15 | 05:08 | |
Great Dunmow High Street | ↓ | ↓ | ↓ | ↓ | |
Church School | 00:52 | 03:27 | 04:27 | 05:20 | |
Broomfield Hospital | ↓ | ↓ | ↓ | 04:40 | 05:35 |
Chelmsford Bus Station | 02:16 | 03:57 | 04:49 | 04:55 | 05:50 |
Wolsey Park North | 02:36 | 04:17 | 05:15 | 06:11 | |
Rayleigh Railway Station | 02:42 | 04:23 | 05:21 | 06:17 | |
Eastwood Road | 02:44 | 04:25 | 05:23 | 06:18 | |
Eastwood Rise | 02:48 | 04:30 | 05:28 | 06:23 | |
Kent Elms Corner North | 02:52 | 04:35 | 05:33 | 06:28 | |
Southend Hospital South | ↓ | ↓ | 05:38 | ↓ | |
Holiday Inn Southend Airport | ↓ | 04:40 | 06:34 | ||
Earls Hall Avenue | 02:58 | 04:43 | 06:37 | ||
Southend-on-Sea Victoria Station | 03:02 | 04:47 | 05:44 | 06:41 | |
Southend-on-Sea Travel Centre | 03:05 | 04:50 | 05:47 | 06:45 |
For more information regarding BST and GMT - please refer to gov.uk When do the clocks change? - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
ALL Colchester services | Head Street, Colchester | OVERNIGHT road closures
Head Street, Colchester is closed for overnight roadworks from Monday 24th March to Wednesday 26th March 2025.
The road will be closed from 20:00hrs each evening and is to re-open from 05:00hrs each morning.
- From 20:00hrs on Monday 24th March to 05:00hrs on Tuesday 25th March 2025.
- From 20:00hrs on Tuesday 25th March to 05:00hrs on Wednesday 26th March 2025.
Due to the location of the road closure the following bus services will be placed on diversion:
*ALL services will be unable to serve bus stops on Head Street.*
Bus No. |
Direction of route: |
Diversion route: |
S1 |
To Highwoods |
The S1 service will divert via Crouch Street, Balkerne Hill and Middleborough. |
S2 |
To Highwoods |
The S2 service will divert via Balkerne Hill and Middleborough. |
S3 |
To West Bergholt |
The S3 service will divert via Crouch Street, Balkerne Hill and Middleborough. |
S6 / S7 |
To High Street |
The S6/S7 services will divert via Butt Road, Southway, Balkerne Hill, Middleborough and North Hill. |
1A |
To Greenstead |
The 1A service will divert via Balkerne Hill, Middleborough and North Hill. |
2A |
To Great Horkesley |
The 2A service will divert via Crouch Street, Balkerne Hill and Middleborough. |
68 |
To Highwoods |
The 68 service will divert via Crouch Street, Balkerne Hill and Middleborough. |
75 |
To Osborne Street |
The 75 service will divert via Crouch Street, Balkerne Hill and Middleborough. |
87 |
To North Station/Great Horkesley |
The 87 service will divert via Balkerne Hill, Middleborough and North Hill. |
88/88A/88B |
To Osborne Street |
The 88, 88A and 88B services will divert via Balkerne Hill, Middleborough and North Hill. |
102** |
To Harwich |
The 102 service will divert via Stanwell Street, St Botolph's Circus, Magdalen Street and Brook Street. |
371 / X71 |
To Osborne Street |
The 371 and X71 services will divert via Balkerne Hill, Middleborough and North Hill. |
X20 |
To Osborne Street/North Station |
The X20 service will divert via Balkerne Hill and Middleborough. |
**The 102 service will be unable to serve the following bus stops: Head Street, The George, Greyfriars (in both directions) and The Surgery (in both directions).
We apologise for the disruption to your bus journey.
Service 102/104 | Mayes Lane, Harwich | Road closure
Mayes Lane, Harwich is closed for roadworks from Monday 17th March on Monday 7th April 2025.
Due to the location of the roadworks the 102/104 services will divert, in both directions, via Oakley Road (B1414).
The following stops will not be served in both directions:
- Bay View Crescent
- C of E Primary School
- Church
- Michaelstowe Drive
- Clayton Road
- Valley Road
We apologise for the disruption to your bus journey.
Service 170/370 | Great Leighs Bypass Roundabout South, Chelmsford | OVERNIGHT road closures
Great Leighs Bypass Roundabout South, Chelmsford is closed for overnight roadworks from Monday 24th March to Thursday 27th March 2025.
The road is to be closed from 21:00hrs each evening and is to re-open from 05:00hrs each morning.
Due to the location of the road closure the 170 and 370 services will be placed on diversion:
Towards Braintree
The 170 and 370 services will divert via Great Leighs Bypass before returning to normal line of route on London Road.
The following bus stop(s) will be not be served:
- Dog & Partridge
- Shimbrooks
- Main Road
- St Annes Castle
- Rochester Farm
- Deres Bridge
Towards Chelmsford
Normal line of route - No diversion - All bus stops served.
We apologise for the disruption to your bus journey.