Cheaper ways to travel by bus

Cheaper ways to travel by bus

Making sense of the new fare structures in East Sussex.

The £2 fare cap was introduced in September 2022 to make bus travel more affordable and to encourage more people to travel by bus. It also helped to make bus travel less confusing. Most adult fares were £2 so we knew how much each journey would cost.

The difference between the true fare and the £2 cap was made up from national government funding with money set aside extended to the end of 2024. The fare cap has been successful in bringing more people back to buses, but real and lasting change doesn’t happen overnight and the new government sensibly decided to extend the fare cap into 2025. However, the maximum fare has increased from £2 to £3. Some local authorities and operators have taken this change as an opportunity to review tickets and see whether lower fares can be offered.

Will you pay £1, £2 or £3?

East Sussex County Council have worked with local bus operators to reduce the impact of the higher fare cap using Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) money, which is separate to the national fare cap funding. There are now three single fares for adults, £1, £2 and £3.

On January 1st, some fares went down to £1, some stayed at £2 and some went up to £3. The fare you pay depends on the actual fare set by the bus operator – what you would pay if there wasn’t a national cap.

The table below compares the uncapped fare with what you pay now.

Uncapped fare You Pay
Under £2
£1
£2 – £2.99
£2
£3 or more
£3

As we have got so used to paying £2 fares, it’s hard to know what the fares for trips would be without the cap.

The safest way to find out what your bus journey will cost before you travel, is to check the bus operator web pages or use their apps (see links to bus operators below.)

At the time of writing, the same journey can have different costs with different bus operators. For example, a journey from Willingdon Church Street to Polegate currently costs £2 on Stagecoach buses and £3 on Brighton & Hove buses. The good news from the East Sussex BSIP team is that bus operators are currently reviewing some of their fares and adjusting them to make them more consistent. Watch this space.

Children’s fares are not capped in East Sussex, but they start from 50p.

Read on to find out about ways to travel for less.

stickman style cartoon of man sitting on a bench at a bus stop looking confused

Find the deal for you ...

Are you travelling with children?

Adult fare payers or concessionary pass holders can bring up to four children under the age of 19, for 50 pence each. You must travel with all of the children for their whole journey.

For children travelling without an adult, see  ‘Are you under 19?’ below.

stickman style drawing of woman and three children waiting a a bus stop. the children all have 50p written on their t-shirts

Are you catching more than one bus?

Remember, the fare cap applies to a single bus journey. If your journey involves catching two buses, the total price could be anything between £2 and £6 each way. Better deals are available and we’ve highlighted some of the best deals below.

Return fares

Stagecoach no longer offer return tickets, but check what the return fare is with Brighton & Hove Buses, Compass or Cuckmere as this may save you money.

Day Rider ticket

If your journey involves more than one bus, then an East Sussex Day Rider ticket may be your best option. Bus operators offer their own day rider ticket for use on their buses only. You can also buy the East Sussex multi-operator Day Rider ticket for use on: Stagecoach, Brighton & Hove Buses, Metrobus, Compass, Cuckmere, Big Lemon and Wealden Community Transport services within East Sussex.

A multi-operator day ticket will cost you:

  • £3.75 if you are under 19
  • £4.75 if you are 19-29
  • £6.10 if you are 30 or over

You can buy an East Sussex multi-operator ticket from the bus operators: either use the app or buy from the driver on the bus. If you are buying from the driver, be very clear you want a multi-operator ticket – they often assume you want one just for their services.

You can use multi-operator tickets on bus services within the East Sussex County Council area. Note that this area does not include Brighton & Hove, but if your trip starts or ends in East Sussex, you can use your Day Rider ticket. For example, if you travel from Eastbourne to Brighton on the 12, or 28 bus, you can use your ticket. If you make a trip that starts in Brighton and ends in Brighton, you cannot use your ticket. Similarly, you can travel from Eastbourne to Tunbridge Wells in Kent and back again on Stagecoach bus 51, using a multi-operator ticket, but you cannot use an East Sussex ticket on a journey that starts and ends in Kent. 

If you are under 30 and want to buy a  discounted ticket, you can use the ESCC Age Verification app. 3-ID cards can also be used as proof of age, along with official documents such as a passport or driving license, but you may not want to carry these official documents around with you.

line drawing of two buses next to each other

Are you under 19? (deals for school age children)

 These fares are for unaccompanied children:
  • The East Sussex weekly Freedom Pass for under 19s is still £15. With this bus pass, you can have unlimited travel (on as many bus services as you like with as many operators as you like) on any bus in the East Sussex area for seven days in a row, at all times and days of the year. (This price may be changed at end of July 2025.) The Freedom Pass is a paper ticket which you must buy on the bus. Use the ESCC Age Verification app to prove your age.
  • Off-peak travel (after 6pm on school days and anytime on weekends, bank holidays and school holidays) Unaccompanied children (under 19s) pay £1 for a single fare during off-peak hours.
  • If you travel to and from school within the Eastbourne and Hailsham travel zone (see below), Stagecoach offer a 7 day ‘Eastbourne child weekly ticket’ for £13.50. This is a paper ticket sold on the bus. It is not available from their app. To buy this ticket you will need to be in school uniform, or carry a valid 3iD card. See  Stagecoach information on fare deals for travelling to school, (also covers the annual Student Rider bus pass). 
stickman drawing of three children waiting at a bus stop

If you don’t travel every day

Stagecoach Flexi tickets with Stagecoach app

Flexi tickets are designed for people who have different travel patterns, for example hybrid workers who don’t have to travel to work every day. You can buy

  • Flexi5 – 5 Day Rider tickets for the price of 4, or
  • Flexi10 – 10 Day Rider tickets for the price of 7

Flexi tickets allow you to travel any time of day within specific zones. You can choose which days you want to travel on, as long as you use all tickets within 12 months of purchasing them.
You can buy Flexi tickets for the Eastbourne network zone, or for the Southeast network.

The Eastbourne network zone covers Eastbourne, Willingdon, Polegate, Hailsham, Upper Horsebridge, Roebuck Park, Stone Cross, Pevensey, Westham and everything in between.

The Southeast network zone covers bus services across Kent and East Sussex. (for example Canterbury, Ashford, Ramsgate, Margate, Folkestone, Dover, New Romney, Lydd, Rye, Tenterden, Northiam, Hawkhurst, Hastings, Bexhill-on-Sea, Pevensey, and Eastbourne network.)
You need a mobile phone and the Stagecoach app to buy and use Flexi tickets.

See also Stagecoach MegaRider 7 day and 30 day tickets.

advert for a stagecoach shows hand holding mobile with a flexi5 ticket on screen. Above the phone are the words 'Flexi5 - a bus ticket designed for flexible and part-time workers. Flexi5 - 5 DayRider tickets for the price of 4. Use them anytime in the same year.'
Eastbourne Area Bus Zone - click on the image to go to original document.

Going out for the evening? (from 6pm)

With the Stagecoach South East EveningRider you can have unlimited travel for one evening on all Stagecoach buses in the South East region until 04:00 the following day – adult fare £4.50

EveningRider group fares

The Stagecoach South East Group EveningRider is a new offer for up to five people travelling together in the evening. Five adults can travel together for one evening for £10.

Other group tickets from Stagecoach include East Sussex Group Day Rider, South East Group DayRider – see Stagecoach Group tickets

Bus Into The Future !

New (almost!) double decker buses have appeared on the Stagecoach Eastbourne route 1A in recent weeks, featuring audio announcements of next stops. This is very important for anyone with sight impairment, but reassuring for everyone on the bus – especially those new to bus travel or unfamiliar with the area. In due course, all buses will be required to install this facility giving us a ’step change’ in the quality of bus travel. The display on the front of these buses is in clear ‘white on black’ type, a departure from the current coloured type. Seating is comfortable and charging points standard.

New Improvements

ESCC EVENT- DISPLAYS ON SHOW:
ESCC EVENT- DISPLAYS ON SHOW:

Other improvements are to follow in due course including those unveiled at County Hall in mid-January. An invited audience of groups and individuals saw examples of bus stop information displays designed to help those with sight impairment, while benefiting all users. A large number of bus stops in East Sussex, Brighton and Hove (220) will see these installed, including an audio version with instructions in braille.

Maintaining and Improving Reliability of our Buses

Services restored and increased though the Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) over the last year have added journey opportunities and attracted new passengers. Their voices are now heard through bus user groups set up in Eastbourne and Hastings areas where concerns are aired and opportunities for improvements discussed with local authorities and bus operators. Improvements there certainly have been and more are in the pipeline with bus priority measures coming for Eastbourne to benefit bus services on the Hailsham – Stone Cross – North Langney – Seaside corridor as well as the Hailsham – Polegate – Willingdon – DGH – Eastbourne corridor. These are congestion busters!

BRIGHTON. AND HOVE ‘COASTER’ SERVICE 12 PASSING EXCEAT - SEVEN SISTERS COUNTRY PARK
BRIGHTON. AND HOVE ‘COASTER’ SERVICE 12 PASSING EXCEAT – SEVEN SISTERS COUNTRY PARK

To the west, the success of the popular Brighton and Hove 12/12X13X routes is worthy of note. The proposals between Eastbourne and Brighton are key to its continuing success and development against a backdrop of congestion hotspots, so we strongly support those measures proposed for: A259 Upperton Road – Station Parade, Eastbourne; A259 Newhaven, The Drove – Denton Roundabout; A259 Telscombe Cliffs – Peacehaven.

Conclusion

Buses are certainly getting better: wi-fi is now standard along with the ‘kneeling’ function to allow easy access for all.

Derrick Coffee

EEAN Transport Group

Franchising or Enhanced Partnerships?

Deregulation

By the 1980’s bus services in England were in decline, with rising costs, increasing subsidies and so in order to address this problem the government of the time decided to deregulate bus services. This meant that private bus operators were allowed to set up bus routes, timetables, services and fares. This process was not a disaster, but the ever-increasing popularity of the private car weakened the need for buses. What we have now is a patchwork of bus operators who prioritised the most profitable routes at the cost of reducing services on less attractive routes such as those in rural areas.
Bus companies do not have to make all their bus routes profitable and to their credit they do run some routes at a loss paid for by more profitable routes.
Currently most bus routes in the Eastbourne and South Wealden area are operated by Stagecoach but East Sussex County Council (ESCC) subsidise some non-commercial bus routes mainly in rural areas, additionally ESCC also operate the free bus pass scheme for older people.

Bus Back Better

Buses are the most important form of public transport in England accounting for 53% of public transport journeys. But the number of bus users and bus miles is falling. In 2023 bus passenger numbers fell to 3.4 billion from 4.6 billion in 2009.
In March 2021 the Department for Transport announced their plans to improve bus services in England via ‘Bus Back Better’. This resulted in roll out of Bus Service Improvement Plans including Enhanced Partnerships (EP) and franchising options, but very few bus franchising schemes have been introduced.

What is an Enhanced Partnership (EP)?

An EP is a model through which the local transport authority and bus operators jointly agree a plan to improve bus services. The plan is a voluntary arrangement and attracts funding from government.
East Sussex County Council currently operate an EP with declared aims such as:
• Improving fares and ticketing
• Improving bus infrastructure
• Introducing bus priority measures
• Reduce harmful emissions
• Improve digital accessibility
• Improve public transport information

Inside of Bus
Inside of Bus

What is Franchising?

Franchising is a model of providing bus services where Local Transport Authorities (LTAs) such as county councils take control of how buses are run, this could be on a specific route or a particular area and ask bus operators to bid to operate these routes.
The LTA would specify the route, frequency of service, timetable and fares. The current government is keen to further improve bus services and so is encouraging LTA’s to introduce franchising schemes.
Franchising is not a new idea and is the model currently used in London, the Channel Islands and in many regions and cities in Europe. Greater Manchester has, this month, just finalised the third tranche of their franchise network and Liverpool are well underway in their planning.

Why we need good bus services?

Bus Stop
Bus Stop

• There are many people in society that do not have the luxury of having their own car or motorcycle and to them good bus services are vital.
• There are those that are unable to drive or are too young to drive, they too need good bus services.
• Buses connect our communities and allow access for many to health, leisure and education services.
• Good bus services can also get people out of their cars and so free up road space which will assist in making buses more reliable.
• Using buses will help us reach our carbon reduction targets.
• Less traffic on our roads will lead to less pollution.
• If bus services become more profitable through greater passenger numbers, then funding can be invested in electric buses.

Cambridge and Peterborough consultation document

Some thoughts:

• Analysis seems to show that franchising brings more benefits.
• Enhanced partnerships will mean less financial risk to transport authorities.
• In a shrinking economy can we afford to place a greater financial burden on local authorities?
• The main opposition to bus services is the private car, which is just too convenient, this will not change without a huge shift in public values which is not going to happen soon, if at all.
• Do local transport authorities have the expertise to operate bus ticket strategies, bus fare policy, network design, bus timetables etc?
• The setting up of a franchise scheme would have very large set up costs.
• Perhaps a compromise position could be reached whereby some areas have a franchise scheme while neighbouring areas have an Enhanced Partnership?
• Most franchising schemes that are currently in place or are being planned are in locations with high population densities such as Manchester and Liverpool. East Sussex is very much a rural area and hence will be more costly to operate a bus service.

Unitary Authorities

In January 2025 East Sussex County Council applied with West Sussex County Council and Brighton City Council to become a Mayoral Strategic Authority. It is reported that this could unlock significant power and resources to these areas. Transport could be one area to benefit if more funding becomes available as the authority could potentially introduce franchising schemes.

Conclusion 

At the end of the day either the Franchise or the current Enhanced Partnership model will improve bus services in the area.

David Everson
Eastbourne ECO Action Network
Jan 2025

Transport/ Planning Integration

Transport and Planning integration is the key to a sustainable, healthy future.

In the big battle against climate change, the one missing yet key weapon in the armoury, accepted by all policy makers for decades but infuriatingly absent in practice, is the full integration of ’transport’ and ‘planning’.

We must abandon ‘silo thinking’ around ‘transport’ and ‘planning’. They should be integrated to avoid the procession of car based developments being delivered across the UK. Until that happens, we won’t increase the take-up of shared transport (bus/train/tram) and increase levels of walking and cycling necessary to meet targets. At the same time it will improve the nation’s physical and mental health.

Fewer cars will free up space for nature, housing, business and children’s play and reduce congestion. Policy documents have recognised this over 50 years: delivery on the ground is sadly the exception. The new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) must deliver such integration if it is to be fit for purpose. Failure to do so would be unfair both to current and future generations.

Based on a letter published Jan 2025  in iNews  

Derrick Coffee

20 MPH Reducing Injuries

What would make the biggest difference to reducing the ‘Killed and Seriously Injured’ (KSIs) on the roads in East Sussex ? The answer looks like 20mph. This has been shown to be true in Europe and the UK. So why is East Sussex failing to understand this and will the May 2025 County elections make a difference to the approach?

ESCC Current Policy

One of the ongoing issues within East Sussex County Council (ESCC) is their determination to stick to their current policy PS05/02 towards  20 mph zones and limits. There have been numerous motions, from opposition councillors, to change their approach but all have failed. This has also meant that in the latest list of planned improvements there are none around 20mph.

Elsewhere in UK

So what would a lower limit of 20 mph do? Remembering that most higher speed limits, such as 40, 50 and 70 mph would stay the same.

Similar reductions have been seen in parts of Scotland and councils such as Oxford.  It would appear that across the UK nothing has made as much of a difference to reducing KSI figures as 20mph .

One of the concerns is that drivers will not accept the 20mph. However research from DfT shows poor compliance at higher speeds. Plus having some vehicles been driven at 20mph may well affect the behaviour of others

 

 

Even if the number of incidents stayed the same the severity of injury is less, if the speed limit is reduced.

ESCC overall approach

So now it is  worth examining neighbours, where East Sussex is  worse than equivalent councils

Source West Sussex

So one view, might be that ESCC are trapped by their own bureaucracy, in reducing all their interventions to very small scale schemes. This does not have a major effect on the overall KSIs and keeps East Sussex at 150% (See above) of the  England KSI average per mile. Currently large sums are spent on consultation, Traffic regulation orders, match funding, sifting, rejecting, reviews and very little on delivery and construction. This is not the most cost-effective option.

The main arguments put forward by ESCC are:-

    • 20 mph limits only reduce speeds by 1 or 2 mph
    • There will be a greater burden of the Police
    • The ESCC targeted approach is better
    • To be effective, speed limits need to be set at a level which appears reasonable to a driver
    • They do not have sufficient funds to meet all the 20mph requests.

Item 4. Above should be re-worded to read, ‘where it is reasonable to a pedestrian’, who is after all the most vulnerable road user.

For more background  it is worth reading the full ESCC Scrutiny Review of 20mph You can follow their logic. But the key question is, ‘Has their existing policy made a difference?’  Yes, perhaps safety is increased in very small, selected areas but overall on a county wide basis the numbers are still poor when compared to other counties.

RoSPA

Now let us look at the evidence of how 20 mph limits and zones do make a significant difference. This is an excellent review by the Royal Society of Prevention of Accidents and gives a good analysis of where they have been implemented.

20 mph limits have been shown to reduce traffic speed, although not as much as 20mph zones with traffic calming. However, they are considerably less expensive to implement, which means that wider areas can be covered. They also provide additional benefits, such as encouraging more physical activity, such as walking and cycling. They can also greatly improve the character of a residential area and quality of life of the residents. 20mph limits are most appropriate for roads where average speeds are already low… and use of the road also gives the clear impression that a 20mph speed or below is the most appropriate.

RoSPA’s guide to 20 mph

Local Transport Plan

So is there hope for the future in the Local Transport Plan 4 (LTP4)? Covering up to 2050. The answer is not encouraging, with ESCC sticking to the same mantras:
The delivery of lower speed limits including 20mph speed limits and zones in the County is done in accordance with East Sussex County Council adopted Policy PS05/02. This policy reflects national guidance and best practice for setting speed limits.”and “The LTP4 policies clearly highlighted that the adopted ESCC Policy PS05/02 is the determinant for setting lower speed limits in the county”

Other links

For further reading There is plenty of evidence and examples at

20splenty.org

Wales and default 20mph

Conclusion

• East Sussex has a much higher than average number of KSIs
• The current approach of small piecemeal interventions, of all  types of schemes,  is not making enough difference to overall road safety. Spending large amounts resisting and rejecting schemes rather than implementing.
• Higher speed limits do not make for good ‘placemaking’, a requirement of LTP4

It is hoped that the May 2025 Council elections will change the balance of power and result in a different direction.

Paul Humphreys – EEAN Transport Group

Bus lane in Eastbourne gets a step closer to reality

Eastbourne Eco Action Network (EEAN) welcomes the decision to approve the new bus lanes. The East Sussex County Council (ESCC) Lead Member for Transport and Environment now supports the revised plans for bus priority measures along Seaside and St Anthony’s Avenue. This being part of the county council’s Bus Service Improvement Plan.

The second public consultation showed that the majority (56%) of replies supported the new plans. Following concerns from local residents and businesses, changes have been made to the original proposal with the result that there will be more parking places than originally planned along the route.

The new plans are predicted to have little or no detrimental effect to journey times along the two roads but would reduce bus journey times, greatly improve reliability and make the bus an attractive alternative for short, local and cross-town trips.

Local councils want to support public transport, walking, cycling and wheeling. ESCC have received £41 million from the government to support better bus services. Bus priority is important for Eastbourne to be able to move to a more sustainable transport system in the future. Buses provide transport for all members of the population including the old, young, disabled and those unable to afford cars.

EEAN are confident that the bus priority measures will be successfully introduced and that local businesses will continue to thrive.

https://www.sussexexpress.co.uk/news/opinion/bus-lane-in-eastbourne-gets-a-step-closer-to-reality-4879544

David Everson

Chair EEAN Transport Group

Let’s try and agree on new transport schemes

There has to be a better way to implement new transport schemes, than making two sets of campaigners, fight it out.

Seaside

The contentious Eastbourne Seaside bus lanes, which have now been agreed by East Sussex County Council (ESCC), still have to be redrawn and then go back to the Department for Transport , for a third time, for final sign off. Large amounts of money have already been spent on redesigning, two consultations, micro modelling traffic flows, health and safety and equality assessments . All this while nothing has been built and a year has gone by.

Non Bus Lane Options

However is seems that outside of the formal process it is possible for the various campaigning sides to agree what they think would work.

In terms of the £41M Bus Service Improvement Programme (BSIP) measures this includes:-

A scheme, proposed in the BSIP consultation, of a 100m ‘bus gate’ at then end of Atlantic Drive and the Crumbles, that would join the North and South harbours for buses. Perhaps a modified version of the 5 and 5A could then run along the seafront and through the harbour. This could lead to a faster and more regular service for the new housing developments.

Priority Traffic Lights for buses, where they actively change the lights, to let them through. You can see the idea at Huggetts Lane in Willingdon , where lights miss a phase if nobody wants to turn right or the green light stays longer if more traffic is on one direction. This makes the traffic flow better. Now add in the detection of buses and perhaps have longer, or earlier green phases. Of course the other vehicles on the same carriageway would also benefit. ESCC have £1.5M for 34 locations where there will be priority lights. Let us make the most of these time savings.

These are both examples of widespread support. There is then less likelihood of campaigners disagreeing and more of the tight budget will be spent on actually building schemes.

Cycling

The same idea should also be used for cycle routes, where there is a often a consensus, that off-road routes do not cause issues for motor vehicles. Such successful schemes include Horsey Sewer, Cuckoo Trail and the A27 shared path to Firle. So let us prioritise these where possible, instead of contentious and poorly configured solutions that are ‘shoehorned’ into narrow spaces on roads and footways.

Based on letter in Eastbourne Herald and Sussex Express ( on line)

Paul Humphreys – EEAN Transport Group

New Bus User Group for South Wealden and Eastbourne

Guest Blog by David Everson

The importance of bus services in and around Eastbourne was a major topic at the initial meeting of the Eastbourne Area Bus Users Group (EABUG). This event took place in Eastbourne Town Hall on 16th October 2024. The group is an initiative of the Eastbourne Eco Action Network (EEAN). It aims to provide an interface between bus users, bus companies and local authorities. EABUG plans to meet three times a year.

Prominent among those present were representatives of local bus companies, Stagecoach, Brighton & Hove and Cuckmere buses. Also present were representatives of local disability groups, local and county councillors plus members of the public.

Jill Shacklock and David Everson (EEAN) both highlighted the need for good bus services. This was for those who could not drive or afford to drive, school children, those with disabilities or the elderly. They also emphasised the need to develop good sustainable transport systems.

East Sussex CC

A member of the East Sussex  Bus Team, Donnalyn Morris, gave an update on a variety of infrastructure projects that had been taking place in Eastbourne and Friston. Work on the Hailsham Mobility Hub was yet to start, with discussions currently taking place with Tesco about the project. The consultation about the proposed Bus Priority measures along Seaside and St Anthony’s in Eastbourne had now completed and a decision would be made in November.

Stagecoach

Matthew Arnold, Commercial Director, Stagecoach South East expressed concern over the detrimental effect that congestion had on bus punctuality and highlighted problems in Eastbourne. He described  these as the worst in the south east. He stated that car traffic was up 15% on pre Covid levels whilst bus passenger numbers had only risen to 94% of pre-Covid usage.

In addition, he also stated that buses were hindered by lack of co-ordination in the planning of roadworks. There needed to be more advance information sharing between ESCC and utility companies.

Brighton & Hove

Ben Garcia, from Brighton and Hove Buses, informed the meeting of recent improvements to their bus services. They are now a UK lead when it comes to inclusivity on their buses. They have dementia friendly seating and their drivers are trained to be ‘Dementia Friends’. All their buses are ‘talking buses’.

Cuckmere

Nick Price from Cuckmere Buses informed the meeting that their operation of eight, 16 seater buses were all driven by volunteers and that their new timetables would be published soon.

The main body of the meeting involved presentations, discussions and workshops about ‘Accessible Information’ on buses. New legislation requires most buses to provide information to passengers about the bus number and route and next stop information. Importantly the information must be given both visually and aurally. The new legislation came into force on 1st October 2024 for buses registered after October 2019. Older buses that need to be retrofitted with display boards and sound systems must be accessible by October 2026.

Using Apps

During the meeting there was a short presentation on how to use both Stagecoach and Brighton & Hove Bus Apps. QR codes were also highlighted as a quick means of accessing information at bus stops. A limiting factor for both of these sources of information is the necessity to have a Smart phone to access it.

Next Meeting

The next meeting of EABUG is planned for February 2025.

For further details please visit – Eastbourne ECO Action Network.

https://ecoactioneb.co.uk/about/eastbourne-area-bus-user-group

Email : bususereastbourne@gmail.com

David Everson

(Chair EEAN Transport Group)

Bus Lane Consultation – Seaside and St Anthony’s

Introduction

Guest Blog by David Everson – Chair of the EEAN Transport Group

Information for those wishing to complete the ESCC Bus Priority Measures consultation for Seaside and St Anthony’s, Eastbourne, which closes on 18th August 2024.

The consultation documentation can be found by following the link below.
Bus Priority Consultation

The EEAN Transport Group support the revised proposals for Bus Priority Measures and would encourage as many people as possible to support the plans in a positive way.

As we look to the future, we need to encourage the use of mass transport systems such as buses to reduce congestion on our roads. Bus can be used by most people including the young and old who are not able to drive a car, or other sections of the community who cannot afford to drive.

Key points 

  • The plan to spend £3 million is a significant investment for Eastbourne and will help the town move towards sustainable transport in the long term.
  • The plan will reduce bus journey times through the proposed bus lane area particularly at peak times making bus use a more attractive option for travellers.
  • The introduction of several pedestrian crossings will improve pedestrian safety and assist those who walk to bus stops.
  • The bus lanes will take up some road space and the amount of parking along Seaside will be reduced. However, surveys carried out by ESCC indicate that sufficient parking will remain for both residents and local businesses.
  • Traffic flow through the project area will be eased and so reduce congestion along Seaside and St Anthony’s. This will make buses more reliable.
  • If passenger numbers increase due to the bus priority measures, then bus companies will be more likely to invest in more buses on routes.
  • If buses are not hindered by congestion, then it is much more likely that bus companies will invest in electric buses which will assist in efforts to decarbonise our transport and improve air quality.
  • There is no evidence that the introduction of a bus lane will damage the viability of local businesses, in fact studies have shown that bus lanes can increase footfall for businesses along routes.
  • Eastbourne is one of the most car dependant towns in the South East of England and the provision of bus lanes will encourage people on to the buses.

ecotransportgp@gmail.com
August 2024