Radio Stations in Essex
20 radio stations broadcast on FM or AM from transmitters in Essex: 4 from the BBC, 9 commercial and 7 community stations.
11 local DAB multiplexes also serve the area, carrying 108 stations between them.
UK-wide stations such as BBC Radio 2 and Classic FM are on air everywhere, so they are listed separately.
Stations from transmitters just outside Essex often reach it too – the town pages below estimate what you can actually receive.
Town guides
Every station you can pick up in each town, with signal estimates.
150 stations Braintree
102 stations Brentwood
164 stations Chelmsford
151 stations Clacton-on-Sea
99 stations Colchester
99 stations Harlow
161 stations Loughton
206 stations South Ockendon
187 stations Southend-on-Sea
173 stations Witham
99 stations
Local and regional stations in Essex
| Station | Frequency | Areas | Transmitters |
|---|---|---|---|
| BBC (4) | |||
| BBC Radio London | 94.9 FM | Dartford Tunnel | 1 |
| BBC Radio Kent | 96.7 FM | Dartford Tunnel | 1 |
| BBC Essex | 103.5 FM / 95.3 FM | Essex, Dartford Tunnel | 3 |
| BBC Radio Suffolk | 103.9 FM | Colchester and Ipswich | 1 |
| Commercial stations (9) | |||
| Capital London | 95.8 FM | Dartford Tunnel | 1 |
| Greatest Hits Radio (Essex) | 100.2 FM | Tendring | 1 |
| Heart Essex - Chelmsford | 102.6 FM / 96.3 FM / 96.1 FM … | Chelmsford, Southend, Harlow … | 5 |
| Radio Essex | 105.1 FM / 107.7 FM | Chelmsford, Southend | 2 |
| Magic Radio | 105.4 FM | Dartford Tunnel | 1 |
| Greatest Hits Radio London | 105.8 FM | Dartford Tunnel | 1 |
| Heart London | 106.2 FM | Dartford Tunnel | 1 |
| Hits Radio (Cambridgeshire) | 107.3 FM | Saffron Walden | 1 |
| Premier Christian Radio | 1305 AM / 1413 AM | London | 1 |
| Community radio (7) | |||
| Caroline Coastal FM | 94.7 FM / 104.7 FM | Maldon | 2 |
| Gateway 97.8 | 97.8 FM | Basildon | 1 |
| Phoenix FM (Brentwood) | 98.0 FM | Brentwood | 1 |
| Digital City Radio | 103.7 FM | Southend | 1 |
| Chelmsford Community Radio | 104.4 FM | Chelmsford | 1 |
| Colne Radio | 106.6 FM | Wivenhoe | 1 |
| BFBS (Colchester Garrison) | 107.0 FM | Colchester Garrison | 1 |
Frequency shown is the strongest transmitter inside Essex; some stations use other frequencies in other parts of the area. Source: Ofcom technical parameters, 15 September 2026.
Local DAB multiplexes
National multiplexes (BBC National DAB, D1 National and SDL National) reach most of Essex too.