Lost something on public transport?

How to track down an item left on a bus, train, tram, or taxi by contacting the right transport operator.

Items left on buses, trains, trams, and taxis around Essex are usually handed in to the operator's lost property team — the trick is contacting the right one quickly.

Identify the operator. Note the route, line, or company and the rough time. Each operator runs its own lost property process.
Submit a lost property report. Use the operator's online form or phone line as soon as possible; recovered items are logged against your description.
For taxis and rideshare, contact the driver or company directly through your booking or app receipt.
Keep your reference. Save any report number so you can chase it up.
Post a listing. Add a listing for Essex in case a fellow passenger picked it up.

Check the local transport resources below for the operators serving Essex.

Helpful resources for Essex

National Rail lost property
Items lost on trains

Recent reports in Essex

lost A

Holiday decorations lost in town centre

I was tidying up the Essex town centre's Christmas display outside the library on High Street around 5:45 p.m. on Sunday when a gust whipped through and I realized I had lost the box of decorations. The lights toppled and tangled on a railing, and a shiny foil star rolled toward the gutter by the shopfronts. Those ornaments—the baubles, tinsel, and a battered reindeer—mean a lot to me, and losing them felt like letting holiday magic slip away. I’m hoping whoever picked them up looked after them; these decorations carry years of family memories, and I’d be grateful to see them returned through the site.

outside the Essex Library on High Street 9 days ago

lost I

I lost my Breeds notebook near Colchester High Street.

Last Friday, just before 7 pm, I stepped out of the Mercury Theatre on Colchester High Street and realized my Breeds notebook wasn't in my bag anymore. It's a small blue-bound reference with handwritten notes about dog breeds, and the word Breeds is on the cover. The street was busy with shoppers and the glow of shop windows; I must have dropped it somewhere between the theatre and the big Co-op. It's important for my work with a local rescue group, so I'm anxious to find it. If someone has picked it up, I would be grateful for its safe return.

outside the Mercury Theatre, Colchester 12 days ago

lost A

Lost drones in Essex

Last Saturday around 7:15 PM I was filming with my two drones over Colchester Castle Park, near the High Street in Colchester, when the battery warning flashed and both drones drifted out of sight behind a row of trees. I retraced the fly path along North Hill and the riverside, but I couldn't recover them. The drones are different: one is black and compact, the other is slightly larger with a white frame and a red sticker on the bottom. They hold a lot of recent footage from trips with friends, which I miss more than the gadgets themselves. If you saw them anywhere around Colchester's town center or near the park, please keep an eye out; they belong to someone who would really appreciate their return.

Near Colchester Castle Park 12 days ago

lost A

Lost Trading Cards near Chelmsford High Street

I last had them at 6:45 PM on Friday, 13 June, waiting outside the Chelmsford Market on High Street. It’s a blue binder full of trading cards—mostly football legends and a few manga panels—with a red sticker that reads 'Season 98.' They hold quiet memories of my late uncle, and I’m terrified they’ve slipped away somewhere between the stalls and the bus lane. I’ve retraced every step, checked the bin by the phone box, and asked the stallholders, but I can’t shake the thought of them being gone forever.

Outside the Market Square, Chelmsford. 18 days ago

lost O

Lost: Sports equipment bag near Chelmsford Station

I was finishing a training session at Chelmsford Sports Centre and, around 7:15 p.m. last Friday, I must have left my Equipment for Various Sports in a black duffel bag on the forecourt by the station's main entrance. Inside are football boots, a cricket bat, a few tennis balls, and a damp towel that smells of rain. The bag has a blue strap and a small white initials patch. I'm anxious about the upcoming season and the thought of replacing everything. If you found it, please note it on the site so I can arrange collection from Chelmsford. It would mean a lot.

Outside Chelmsford Station 28 days ago

lost P

Seiko 5 Sports steel watch, black dial

I lost my Seiko 5 Sports stainless steel watch with a black dial yesterday around 3pm, probably outside Costa Coffee on High Street in Colchester, Essex. It's a 40mm watch with a red second hand, and there’s a small scratch on the bezel plus an engraving 'CP' on the inside of the clasp. It’s in decent working order and was a gift from my grandfather, so it’s really sentimental to me. If anyone found it, please message me—I’d be incredibly grateful to get it back.

Essex about 2 months ago