What is sert
sert will be an innovative form of public transport that delivers most of the features of a tram at a lower cost. Such systems are already a big success in many countries and are beginning to be seen in the UK too. Providing a first-rate system and a step-change in public transport in Essex is essential to ensure people have a realistic alternative to the car.
sert will be an innovative form of high quality public transport that utilises a package of congestion-beating measures - it will be fast, frequent, reliable and easy to use. sert will use modern, high quality, environmentally friendly vehicles, with level boarding, GIS and CCTV and, where necessary, will run on its own dedicated lanes. Vehicles will also have technology which sends a signal to traffic lights to change to green when sert approaches to ensure fast and reliable journey times. Services will be frequent so that passengers can just "turn up and go". There will be high quality, easily-identifiable sert stops, with real time information displays. Tickets will be purchased in advance to minimise delays at sert stops.
sert will have a control centre which will allow constant monitoring of the position of the vehicles and ensure they keep to schedule. It will also mean that adjustments can be made to the services in order to bring them back to schedule over the whole network, should any delays occur.
The sert network will essentially comprise a series of high quality corridors, which will be developed to a common level of service and marketed as a single entity and brand. A combination of regulation, partnerships and commercial ventures will provide rapid transit services that meet local needs and requirements and deliver consistently high service levels.
sert has the flexibility of being a permanent system, but is still able to adapt to serve changing circumstances like new developments, jobs, health or leisure services, offering a frequent service throughout the whole day and not just in peak periods. The partnership between Essex County Council, Thurrock Council & Southend-on-sea Borough Council in South Essex and the bus companies to run sert will mean a longer-lasting commitment to keep the service running.
Reflecting the character of the area in Thames Gateway South Essex that it will serve, sert will be developed on a 'hub and spoke' basis. This means that, initially at least, sert will focus on serving centres within three key areas:
- Southend-on-Sea; and
- Thurrock
The first sert services will improve access to and from these areas. Later phases will link to other areas. The sert network will serve key existing rail and bus interchanges, so it is fully integrated with other public transport in South Essex.
