A touch of drama is sometimes experienced when attempting to board the No 7 buses at the open air southbound stop, across the way from the new Southend bus station building.

Since approximately six differently numbered routes jostle to pull in here, the No 7s frequently stop behind other buses well away from the designated point. This prompts a stampede as (mostly heavily laden) would-be passengers rush to board the bus.

But often the travelling public find they are actually engaged in a guessing game, since although passengers can alight there, most drivers will not allow a fresh contingent to board.

So steps are dejectedly re-traced and the queue re-forms in the proper place to wait patiently for the required bus to eventually move down to where it can be considered to have finally arrived!

It is not the fault of the drivers who only follow the rules and are not responsible for the somewhat chaotically arranged conditions.

If we lay blame on those who devised the entire layout we will almost certainly find, as time passes, they have astutely used forward planning knowing that, as ever, more bus routes are axed there will, eventually, be ample space for the remainder!

Gwen Neale
Station Road
Thorpe Bay