A1321 Broadmayne is upgraded to duel carriageway between the town centre Southernhay/Ghyllgrove junction and A132 South Mayne roundabout. Three pedestrian footbridges linking each side of Church Road, Fremnells and Hockley Green and Timberlog Close with Craylands were also constructed as part of the project as was a short stretch of Duel Carriageway at the northern end of Timberlog Lane between Timberlog Close and its Broadmayne Junction.

Two pedestrian footbridges crossing the A132 South Mayne and Pitsea Road at Barstable and Chalvedon are completed.

January

Essex House 7 storey office block in Cherrydown East, Basildon is finally let. The office block, built in the late 1960s within the grounds of South Essex Motors (SEM) Ford dealership, had remained empty since completion in the hope a single entity might take occupation. A large 'to let' banner had been displayed along the front facing windows. Among those to move in were Essex County Council for their Social Services area offices on two lower floors and Basildon Development Corporation, who made use of another floor.

25th February

Long Riding in Barstable West from its junction with Church Road in an easterly direction is closed off to through traffic. A short cul-de-sac for access to Fairhouse School is created from the closed off section along with a new 49 metre curve to Church Road restricted to buses and emergency vehicles. This new traffic Order drew a lot of controversy following its introduction, particularly from those tenant drivers most affected by the additional journey time now required to travel to and from Basildon town centre and beyond. This Order, which remained in place until 2020, had through the years been continually flouted by countless motorists. The draft traffic Order outlining the proposal was issued on 03/08/1973.
BASILDON URBAN DISTRICT COUNCIL
The Urban District of Basildon (Long Riding, Basildon) (Prohibition of Driving) Order 1973.
Source: The London Gazette, publication date: 03/08/1973, issue number: 46044, page: 9236.
Further details relating to the Order including the date of operation.
BASILDON URBAN DISTRICT COUNCIL
The Urban District of Basildon (Long Riding, Basildon) (Prohibition of Driving) Order 1973.
Source: The London Gazette, publication date: 15/02/1974, issue number: 46210, page: 2086.
From 12th February, 2020, a new Order, called the Essex County Council (Long Riding, Basildon) (Bus Gate) Order 2020, came into force. This Order, which revoked the previous 1973 Order, allowed the addition of taxis and motorcycles to travel through the restricted section of 7 metres.

28th February

Eric Moonman (33,499) elected to serve as Labour Member of Parliament for the new Basildon constituency including Billericay. He won back the seat, lost in 1970 to the Conservative candidate Robert McCrindle who stood down to stand for the new Brentwood and Ongar seat, with a majority of 10,667 over the 2nd place Conservative rival Dr. Ronald Denney. The general election produced a hung parliament with the Labour Party winning the most seats.

23rd March

Longwood Equestrian Centre at Dry Street, Langdon Hills opened. The British Horse Society approved riding school and competition centre was conceived by Philip Street. A special two day horse event was held to mark the occasion of the official opening. It is now leased from the Homes and Communities Agency, successor to English Partnerships.

31st March

Basildon Development Corporation's social house building programme, begun in 1951, totalled 17,814. 289 dwellings were also completed during the same period for private sale. Industrial development, either by the corporation or under their aegis, stood at 1,201.

April

Robert Mitchinson is appointed as the third Town Manager of Basildon District Council. He succeeds David H. Taylor who held the post from March 1966.

1st April

Basildon Urban District Council becomes Basildon District Council (Local Government Act 1972) (English Non-Metropolitan Districts (Definition) Order 1972). A new symbol to represent the council was also adopted in the form of an interpretation of the Mother and Child sculpture by Maurice Lambert, R.A., as seen in Town Square, Basildon. Council employee David McIntyre, aged 26 and a graphic designer, entered the design which had been conceived by fellow public relations officer Peter Lucas, into a council run competition where it beat 36 other entries earning him a £10 prize.

1st April

Anglia Water Authority formed following the Water Act 1973 which authorised the reorganisation of water, sewage and river management in England and Wales. As well as supplying water to parts of Basildon the authority also took over responsibility for the main sewage and sewage treatment works at Nevendon. These had previously been the responsibility of Basildon Development Corporation.

6th July - 7th July

The Wombles are the special guests at a two day Summer Family Fayre held at Markhams Chase Recreation Ground, Laindon. Day one featured a Roman Gladiator Battle, a trapeze artist, a motor cycle stunt team, George Roach (world famous falconer) and others including the Wombles characters, based on the tv series, who also guested on day two. Day two featured Blondini - the exploding man, a hot air balloon, falling stars sky divers and an American Civil War battle reinactment. Admission for adults was 50p and children 25p.

1st September

The Bryn County Primary School in Church Road, Fryerns opened. The new school for 320 children was created by amalgamating the former Bryn infant and junior school's, which had become uneconomic to run due to falling pupil numbers. The school was housed in the junior school buildings which enabled Essex County Council to establish an Education Office in the former infants school.

10th October

Eric Moonman (32,298) is re-elected to serve as Labour Member of Parliament for the Basildon constituency including Billericay. Majority 10,551. The Labour Party won the general election.

2nd November

Basildon Round Table hold their tenth annual Firework Fiesta and bonfire at Markhams Chase Recreation Ground, Laindon. £600 worth of fireworks were let off following the lighting of the fire by Basildon Council Chairman Cllr. Ron Austin. Entry prices were: Adults 20p and Children 10p. The cost of a programme was 10p.

25th November

Basildon railway station in Station Way opens. The new intermediate station between Pitsea and Laindon was constructed following a long campaign begun in the 1950s. Its construction necessitated a new roundabout and road - Station Way - linking Cherrydown, which was subsequently renamed to Cherrydown East and Cherrydown West, to a junction with Southernhay. The first train to stop was the 4:45am bound for Fenchurch Street. The original proposed site was further east at the junction of Clay Hill Road on land now occupied by a car park. The chosen site when completed included a new underline bridge (Bridge 85A) and pedestrian subway beneath Southernhay. A further subway beneath Cherrydown East linking with a Kingswood housing area was also constructed though this was later in-filled in 2017. W.C. French were among the contractors involved in the main construction.