A new hourly bus service now links Hadleigh to Southend Hospital and Shoeburyness following changes to the South Essex network that began on Sunday 31 May 2026. First Bus has combined Services 26 and 3A into a single through-route, funded by Southend-on-Sea City Council, to give residents a direct connection they previously lacked.
Buses run on weekdays and Saturdays and now travel via Southchurch Road, calling at the front of the hospital from Prittlewell Chase instead of the old stop on Carlton Avenue. The route passes through Leigh and on to Shoeburyness, removing the need for separate journeys that many passengers used to reach the hospital. Julian Elliott, Head of Network for First Bus in the East of England, said the overhaul followed a thorough review of passenger data to simplify the network and improve reliability.
The council has put £8.5 million over three years into bus improvements through the government’s Bus Service Improvement Plan. Alongside the new Service 26, the May changes brought a second 24-hour route on the 28 corridor between Southend and Basildon and turned the X30 Airlink into a stopping service between the hospital and Rayleigh.
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