Autonomous shuttle bus showcased at the Southend Civic Centre

Southend hosted the Transport East Board meeting

Southend City Council - Ohmio LIFT Shuttle - Transport East Board
Author: Harrison CablePublished 22nd Sep 2025

An autonomous shuttle bus has been showcased in Southend.

The zero-emission shuttle bus was demonstrated outside of the Civic Centre, as Southend hosted the Transport East Board meeting.

The meeting was to discuss travel needs, investment, and sustainable travel across the East of England.

The Ohmio LIFT autonomous shuttle bus was brought to the Civic Centre for live demonstration by Suffolk County Council. The goal of the vehicle is to fill gaps in existing public transport.

The vehicle also has a safety feature, which stops the shuttle if a person walks into it's path.

Southend City Council - Ohmio LIFT Shuttle - Transport East Board

Councillor Dan Cowan, Leader of Southend-on-Sea City Council, said:

“We need transport that works for people – easy, clean, and connected. Seeing the autonomous shuttle here in Southend shows what is possible.

“This is about exploring new ways to fill in the missing links in our transport network, and we’ll now work with partners and residents to see how technology like this could fit into the City’s future.”

Dan Cowan - Southend City Council - Ohmio LIFT Shuttle - Transport East Board

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