Clacton resident left stranded in Colchester Head Street

The 42-year-old Clacton resident regularly travels from the seaside town to Colchester to visit the Castlegate Day Centre in George Street.

He always uses buses laid on by Hedingham and Chambers to make the journey but last Thursday was left stranded in Colchester Head Street.

According to the firm, no buses served the stop due to road maintenance works but given other buses were seen travelling down the street, the man did not assume his one had been cancelled. 

“I felt let down by the bad service because they didn’t show up and I had to wait until 6pm," he said.

“My alarm bells would’ve gone off if there were no buses going down the street. 

“I rely on those buses and it is frustrating no one wants to take responsibility for this poor communication. 

“I got in touch with Hedingham buses and they said is not their responsibility to put up signs.” 

After waiting for hours, the man eventually took a train back to Clacton, which he says made the situation much more distressing. 

When he called the Hedingham and Chambers office to find out about the service, he was reportedly told the information had been published on their website. 

He added: “I find it very difficult, I have a learning disability and I am hard of hearing. 

“No vulnerable person should have to go through this. Not everyone is able to use the internet to find out or has someone they can call to help.” 

A spokesman of Go East Anglia, which runs Hedingham and Chambers buses, said: “We can confirm the service was cancelled due to temporary traffic lights in Head Street which was causing significant delays to our services. 

“We are not always made aware by Essex County Council these temporary roadworks are taking place or informed at short notice and as such rely on our website and app to keep our passengers updated off last minute changes to our services.”