One of our readers highlighted changes to Baddow bus services:

Whilst not a resident of Great Baddow I have family who are.

With the revised service 31X to Burnham the new timetable, effective September, shows the daytime Service 31 via Great Baddow to Maldon being virtually withdrawn. There are only some token early morning and late evening journeys weekdays but the Sunday service to Maylandsea remains unchanged.

Passengers along Baddow Road will have to catch the 36 to reach the Danbury Road then wait for a following 31X to Maldon.

For bus pass users this is little inconvenience but for paying passengers two fares will presumably have to be purchased unless a day ticket works out cheaper.

As someone who has been interested in transport all my life I can only express amazement that First Bus have virtually withdrawn service 31 which has linked Great Baddow to Maldon for at least 60 years.

There has been very little publicity and the purpose of my writing to you was to alert your residents to this change. I am therefore quite happy for you to publish my letter on your community website.

Whilst personally benefiting from the improved service 31X to Burnham, where I live, I am unhappy that this has been achieved at Great Baddow’s cost.

Regards

Richard Herriott

Many thanks to Richard for highlighting this change. I have looked up the forthcoming timetable on the First Group website and it for the period 31/08/2014 to 20/12/2014 the 31X service runs throughout the day from Molrams Lane to Maldon, with buses from 6.01am until 8.22pm, running approximately every 30 minutes.

So although the 31 service may now no longer be available for Baddow residents, the 31X continues to run through the village from the bus stop close to the Manor Farm Shop and also the one at the end of Molrams Lane.