Boat link for Southend to London mooted

River boats linking Southend to London, plus hospitals, schools and a customs-free zone form part of a new vision for the economic resurgence of south Essex.

According to the Daily Gazette councils are planning to join forces to drive forward an ambitious vision shaping the longterm future of the area.

The plan is to boost economic development by creating 100,000 jobs, more than 96,000 homes, and a raft of improvements to public transport, education and health.

Among the aspirations is a plan to overhaul public transport, including creating a passenger river boat service that will connect Southend to Tilbury and London.

But locals are already dismissing the idea.

“A boat service from Southend to London is a nice idea but it would have already happened if it was profitable,” says one commentator. “Let’s get the basics right first before pursuing these pipe dreams.”

“Where would it leave from, the end of the pier? So park up in Southend. Get to where ever it’s moored. Then a long boat trip to London, doesn’t make any commercial sense,” says another.

New businesses are also expected to be attracted to the region through plans to establish a “freeport” – an area with little to no tax to encourage economic development.

The freeport would operate outside of the usual tax rules and potentially allow businesses to avoid the usual tax requirements entirely, says the Daily Gazette.

Cycle routes and footpaths would also undergo a major transformation with the whole region becoming connected in order to reduce the need to travel by car.

The aim to reduce car use also ties in with future strategies to improve the health of residents, as well as go carbon neutral by 2040.