Arriva Southend has been criticised by users and the Southend Area Bus Users' Group for withdrawing services which it considered no longer economically viable due to low passenger numbers (even when parts of the route were profitable) when Southend Borough Council withdrew bus subsidies of up to £6 per passenger in 2005.
Arriva Southend has faced criticism from passengers and a local bus user group for withdrawing routes that it deemed unprofitable due to low ridership, even when some sections of the route were profitable, after Southend Borough Council stopped providing subsidies of up to £6 per passenger in 2005.