Tilbury - Transportation and Industry

Transportation and Industry

The Port of Tilbury handles a variety of bulk cargo, timber, cars and container traffic and remains, along with Southampton and Felixstowe, one of Britain's three major container ports. It is the main UK port for importing paper, including newsprint. The one-time passenger landing stage was reopened by the Port of Tilbury group as the London Cruise Terminal, though it is no longer served by the railway.

Until the introduction of standardised containers, the majority of the town’s inhabitants were employed in the docks. The resulting loss of jobs has never been made up, and Tilbury today has high unemployment, and education and employment prospects are widely perceived as poor.

Thurrock Council, together with Kent County Council, subsidises the ferry between Tilbury and Gravesend, which is currently operated by the Lower Thames & Medway Passenger Boat Company. Tilbury Town railway station is on the c2c (London, Tilbury and Southend) rail route. Tilbury Riverside railway station was closed on 29 November 1992, although the railway still serves the nearby container depot. Bus route 99 (operated by Clintona Minicoaches). now connects Tilbury Town railway station and the ferry. Ensignbus services 66 and 73/73C serve Tilbury, connecting to Grays and Lakeside Shopping Centre. National Cycle Route 13 from London to Norfolk passes through the town.