South Essex Rapid Transit (sert) is a bus-based system being developed in partnership by Essex County Council, Southend-on-Sea Borough Council and Thurrock Council. It will connect the main housing and employment development sites within South Essex, in the form of two routes. 

Route 1 will run between Lakeside Shopping Centre and Basildon Town Centre via Grays, and route 2 will run between Southend seafront and Southend Airport, providing a public transport alternative to car use that is efficient, reliable and convenient. The scheme will bring significant benefits to an area in need of regeneration and will help promote higher levels of inward investment.

On 9 September 2011, the scheme promoters submitted a bid to the government known as the Best and Final Bid to secure funding for the sert project. Over 80% of the £32 million cost of sert will be provided by the government, with the rest coming from the local councils and contributions from developers. 

The bid, together with the supporting evidence provided to the government, can be found on the sert website. The government will announce will announce whether or not funding will be provided in Spring 2012.

It is proposed that sert bus services will have a mixture of dedicated lanes and priority measures to minimise congestion, and will make use of technology to ensure services are efficient and regular.

Essex County Council has been developing robust options for the first stage of sert, including engineering feasibility, cost estimates, demand modelling, scheme appraisal and route prioritisation.

Public consultation events originally took place in Thurrock, Basildon and Southend in summer 2009, and the latest bid for funding will, if successful, bring significant benefits for Essex.