Transport from Billericay to Grammars!

[Louisa29]

Hi, We are in the process of making the decision about order of preference of schools.

It appears that the Consortium runs a bus that goes from Billericay Station to Chelmsford Girls. I can't see any transport options in place for Westcliff Girls or Southend Girls. Am I missing something?

I would appreciate any advice from anyone who has a daughter currently travelling from my area to any of the above three schools.

Thanks so much.

Louisa

[Guest]

hi Louisa,
My daughter is travelling from the Billericay area to Westcliff girls. The first bus service 502 stops in Queen's park and the 512 stops in Billericay High Street (and Mayflower School so I assume it goes past the station). The buses will stop at interim bus stops if you need them to. Check out the transport link on the CSSE website for the routes.

Southend Girls I'm not so sure about, we would have had to look at trains if she was going there.

Hope this helps.

[Louisa]

Thanks for your reply.

[visitor 1]

Bus service to Southend Girls has been discontinued this term so the train is the only option but lots do it.

[taxidad]

No too dissimilar to Louisa's question - Does anyone have a daughter at Westcliff who also travels by train on the Southend Victoria line. My daughter is hoping to go there next year and I know that there are plenty of CSSE buses, but if she has to stay late, or go in a bit late, she will occasionally have to catch the train and alight at Prittlewell or Southend Vic. I think my question is, how do you get from either of these stations to the school & how long does it take?

Any help would be great!!

[gad]

Transport out of CSSE bus times to and from Billericay/Westcliff is tricky to be honest, there don't seem to be any direct routes. My daughter started this year, there haven't been any times when she's had to get in early/late in the mornings but there are trips and after school clubs which have resulted in her missing her bus and the only option has been to get in the car and go fetch her! Prittlewell looks to be the nearest station but aged 11 my daughter is not streetwise enough to find her way there. If anyone does know of alternative transport I'd love to know!

[bystander]

To be honest, it is all very well for older girls to learn to be independent and get back from school if they miss the bus, accidentally or on purpose but bear in mind when applying for any school where a bus is required that 11 year old girls (or boys) should not really be walking to and from stations or hanging around bus stops on dark winter nights.

[mm25]

my daughter is hoping to go to southend high next year, and we are currently facing the same dilemma! i wonder if there were enough children they would run a bus, or at least extend the westcliff service?
I really don't like the idea of the train

[gad]

Stephensons used to run a service to SHSG but they cut it out because it was running at a loss. The current First bus services 502 & 512 terminate at Southend boys presumably because there isn't time to go on to Southend Girls. Both services are oversubsribed. It would be nice if they were to put on another bus then children wouldn't have to stand. My daughter would be happy to get to Westcliff a bit earlier on a bus that went through to Southend Girls if it meant she didn't have to stand, but I assume there can't be the demand since the bus was cut out, and the bus companies have to make money.
Sorry this isn't a very helpful answer!

[Silver29]

If my daughter were to get a place, I would definitely be prepared to look into minibus & driver hire. I have no idea of costs involved but if there were enough interested parents it may be worth giving it a go.

I really don't like the idea of a child having to stand. I used to get a bus to school, one time it had an accident and nearly tipped over - we were thrown from our seats, I dread to think what would have happened if people had been standing.