THURROCK Council has arranged a free hourly bus service with Arriva to take passengers between Tilbury and Gravesend when the ferry service is forced to stop next month.

Extra-large cruise ships docking at the London Cruise Terminal will make it impossible for the usual Tilbury-Gravesend ferry to moor at the Tilbury ferry terminal.

The bus service will run on Thursday, Friday, Saturday 11, 12, 13, December, Monday, 15 December and Thursday and Friday 18 and 19 December.

The bus is expected to take 40 minutes to travel between the two towns – without stopping inbetween – but the service will be subject to congestion.

Buses are expected to leave both Tilbury ferry terminal and Gravesend, West Street, Town Pier on the hour from 6am with the last tip starting at 5pm.

In addition the council has been able to find an alternative local bus service for the 265 that Amber will be stopping at the end of November because it became financially unviable.

Trans-Vol won a competition to run the reduced service allowing residents of Bulphan and West Horndon access to Orsett Hospital and Grays town centre.

The service will operate until the end of March next year when it will be reviewed.

The new service will run between Monday, 1 December until Tuesday, 31 March from Monday to Saturdays - excluding Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.

Start times from West Horndon station are 9am, noon and 3pm, and return journeys from Grays - bus station bay 8 – at 11.30am, 2.30pm and 4.30pm.

All pass holders will still be able to travel free of charge.