A £2.1MILLION plan is hoped to get more people using buses in Southend.

The council has asked the Government to stump up the cash to pay for a string of improvements across the town.

A smart card, a localised equivalent of London’s Oyster card, is among the ideas, which also include revamped bus stops and road alterations to give buses priority.

Tony Cox, the Tory councillor responsible for transport, said: “The Oyster-style system would be much more convenient.

“At the moment, we have people who might use the buses to get to a railway station, but they have to travel to Upminster before they can use an Oyster card. This would be much easier for them.”

The council has applied for £1.6million from the Department for Transport’s Better Bus Area fund, a £50million cash pot set aside to fund schemes to encourage more people to use public transport.

If it is successful, it will make up the remaining £500,000 with money from its own coffers and contributions from Arriva and First Buses, the main bus companies operating in the town.

Mr Cox said the Oyster-style card could be used as payment for other council services, such as libraries and school buses.

It may even be linked to the authority’s plans for a “metro” train ticket, allowing rail passengers to hop on and off the c2c line throughout the day.

Other measures include sprucing up bus stops by introducing new shelters and electronic information displays at key sites, including Southend Hospital, the Cliffs Pavilion, the bus centre in Chichester Road and Leigh railway station.

The council is also considering removing parking bays which can block buses’ routes, and redesigning roads and junctions to give buses priority.

Richard Lewis, regional marketing manager for Arriva, said his company fully supported the council’s bid.

He added: “We know our customers value reliable services and we are sure measures that help to speed up bus services will be welcomed.”

The Government will announce which councils have been awarded funding by the end of the month.