IT’S easy to forget how important buses are to so many within our community.

Many of us are up in the morning, in our cars off to work. While others walk to the station, jump on a train and commute into town.

Some people never have to take a bus anywhere.

But for others, like the older and often more vulnerable ones among us, a bus service can be their connection between home and the real world.

Today, we tell the story of residents who have come to us expressing their fears  about more routes going.

We’ve spoken with people with genuine concerns about a service they to rely on.

Residents like Joyce Whitelock, 88, believe any cuts are simply short-sighted and would leave people in a real state and Thurrock Council should rethink and  prioritise these services.

A council spokesman told us “bus services are not a statutory service that has to be supplied by the council”. 

Yes, that’s true, but the authority must look long and hard at funds available and do all it can to maybe broker deals with outside firms in order to prolong these lifelines.