X5 is an express service that links Loughton with Harlow to one side and Romford to the other side. The number of buses is limited and the stops are restricted (buses only use the stops mentioned below in the route’s timetable). As the route covers a long distance and the buses run every two and a half hours on average, the delays are expected during a rush hour and possible at any other time of the day.

It’s expected that attractability of the route X5 is going to grow because a simple travel to both Harlow and Romford has been long thought by the Loughton residents. Both of those towns have excellent shopping facilities (the huge shopping centres and large outdoor markets - something that we sometimes miss in Loughton and this fact has its positive as well as negative effects) as well as leisure centres, cinemas and hospitals. The parking in Harlow as well as Romford is not free and the petrol is expensive nowadays, so the bus ride may seem like a good idea if you’re not going to be put off by the ride fare or the probability to get delayed due to the large gaps between the buses.

I went from Loughton to Romford and back once and during the outward journey everything was fine but on the way back the bus has arrived 40 minutes late. This is not a fault of a driver but rather a consequence of the busy road traffic in Essex and the luck of local speedy routes in the triangle Harlow - Loughton - Romford. The cost of the return ticket was around 5 pounds.

Below is the X5 bus timetable as it is at the moment (August 2011) and it may change in the future. Considering how bus routes in Essex come and go and considering the economic situation and the cuts that Essex County Council faces, it’s always wise to check that a bus route still exists and the timetable is still valid before making any travel plans.

The timetable effective from September 2011 can be downloaded following the link below:

X5-bus-timetable-from-September-2011.

Below is the OLD timetable:

Romford - Debden - Harlow

Monday - Saturday only. No service on Sundays or Bank Holidays

Romford Waterloo Road (Stop S)      0810 1030 1300 1530 1815
Romford Station (Stop Z)            0815 1035 1305 1535 1820
Romford Western Road (Stop PP)      0817 1037 1307 1537 1822
Romford Market (Stop H)             0820 1040 1310 1540 1825
Chigwell Row Maypole                0840 1100 1330 1600 1845
Debden Broadway BP Garage           0850 1110 1340 1610 1855
Loughton Rectory Lane (Hillyfields) 0855 1115 1345 1615 1900
Epping Church                       0905 1125 1355 1625 1910
Harlow Bus Station                  0925 1145 1415 1645 1930

Harlow - Debden - Romford

Monday - Saturday only. No service on Sundays or Bank Holidays

Harlow Bus Station                  0700 0930 1200 1430 1700
Epping Church                       0720 0950 1220 1450 1725
Loughton Rectory Lane (Hillyfields) 0730 0958 1228 1458 1735
Debden Broadway BP Garage           0735 1005 1235 1505 1745
Chigwell Row Maypole                0745 1010 1240 1510 1750
Romford Market (Stop H)             0810 1030 1300 1530 1815
Romford Western Road (Stop PP)      0815 1035 1305 1535 1820
Romford Station (Stop Z)            0817 1037 1307 1537 1822
Romford Waterloo Road (Stop S)      0820 1040 1310 1540 1825

The route is operated by the company Travel with Hunny (01992 766799).