£41 million Government investment sees improvements to local bus services

bus services

Last year, East Sussex County Council (ESCC) was awarded £41 million by the Government to implement its Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP). The BSIP set out proposals to help the council and bus operators improve services and get more people back on the buses. ESCC received one of the highest funding allocations of any local transport authority in the country.

Providing residents in rural areas with access to a bus service, enabling more people to access health, education, retail, or to connect with the wider bus or rail network is a key objective of East Sussex’s BSIP. This is important for our local area, where many people live in rural locations.

Improvements to many bus service timetables came into effect on 23 July, and I have detailed some of the ones that we have seen in the Bexhill and Battle constituency. 

Improvement to bus services in Rother

Route 29: Hastings-St Helen’s-Conquest Hospital-Westfield-Broad Oak-Northiam-Tenterden

  • New Monday to Saturday evening journeys between Northiam and Hastings.                                                 
  • New 2 hourly Sunday daytime service between Hastings and Tenterden

(Commercial service provided by Stagecoach. Additional journeys between Hastings and Northiam funded by ESCC following successful bid for Bus Service Improvement Plan funding.)

Route 95: Little Common (school journeys)-Bexhill-Battle-Conquest Hospital

  • The Saturday service is extended to/from Conquest Hospital on a revised 2 hourly timetable, to match the Monday to Friday service.

(Run by Stagecoach with funding from ESCC.)

Routes 98 and 98A: Hastings-Pebsham-Bexhill-Sidley, then either Ninfield-Herstmonceux-Hailsham-Polegate-Eastbourne or via Combe Valley Way to Hollington and Conquest Hospital

  • Improved 20 minute Monday to Saturday daytime frequency between Hastings and Bexhill (was 30 minutes).
  • New hourly Monday to Saturday evening service between Hastings and Sidley, plus 2 hourly beyond Sidley to Eastbourne.
  • New 2 hourly Sunday daytime service between Bexhill and Eastbourne, which will additionally serve Dittons Wood.

(Commercial service provided by Stagecoach. The service improvements are funded by UK Government following ESCC’s successful bid for Bus Service Improvement Plan funding.)

Route 99: Hastings-Bexhill-Pevensey-Eastbourne

  • Sunday daytime frequency doubled to 30 minutes.

(Commercial service provided by Stagecoach. No ESCC funding.)

Routes 231 and 331: Uckfield-Framfield-Blackboys-Heathfield-Etchingham-(Hurst Green– 331 schooldays only)

  • Section of route between Heathfield and Uckfield replaced by an improved hourly service, including new evening and Sunday provision (see Brighton & Hove service 29B).
  • Service 231 revised to run between Heathfield and Etchingham as a 2 hourly route, including a new Saturday service.
  • Passengers boarding at Burwash Strand Meadow, except on journeys towards Heathfield before 10:00 on weekdays, will need to pre-book their journey by calling 01273 078203.
  • Through this new arrangement more 231 journeys will be able to serve Strand Meadow when requested. It will also save time and fuel by making this diversion when there are no passengers to pick up.
  • The route wall additionally serve Burwash Bateman’s during opening times, on a pre-booked basis, by calling 01273 078203.  

(The service improvements are funded by UK Government following ESCC’s successful bid for Bus Service Improvement Plan funding.)

Route 313: Rye Harbour-Rye-Playden-Peasmarsh-Beckley-Northiam

  • Afternoon journey used by Rye College pupils to Rye Harbour retimed to cater for new school session times.
  • New Monday to Saturday evening journeys.
  • New 2 hourly Sunday daytime service.

(Service run by Stagecoach with funding from ESCC. The service improvements are funded by UK Government following ESCC’s successful bid for Bus Service Improvement Plan funding.)

Route 342: Hastings-Westfield-Broad Oak-Udimore-Rye-Rye Harbour-Playden-Peasmarsh-Beckley-Northiam

  • ESCC arranged for Stagecoach to take over the journeys previously operated by Rambler Coaches from 2 May.
  • Revised afternoon timetable to cater for changes to Rye College session times.

(This service is run by Stagecoach with funding from ESCC.)

Route 1066: Hastings-Battle-Mountfield or Whatlington-Robertsbridge-Hurst Green-Hawkhurst-Flimwell-Ticehurst-Wadhurst-Frant-Tunbridge Wells

  • Services 254, 304, 305 to be renumbered 1066.
  • Revised Monday to Saturday daytime timetable including a morning peak journey extended beyond Hastings to Bexhill College on college days.
  • New Monday to Saturday evening journeys. New 2 hourly Sunday service.

(Service run by Stagecoach with funding from ESCC and a contribution from Kent County Council. The service improvements are funded by UK Government following ESCC’s successful bid for Bus Service Improvement Plan funding.)

Improvement to bus services in Wealden

Route 1X: Roebuck Park-Hailsham-Stone Cross-Langney-Eastbourne town centre

  • New hourly evening and Sunday daytime service.
  • Some evening service 51 journeys will also continue to serve Roebuck Park.

(Commercial service provided by Stagecoach. The new evening and Sunday service is funded by UK Government following ESCC’s successful bid for Bus Service Improvement Plan funding.)

Routes 6 and 6A: Langney Shopping Centre-Westham-Stone Cross-Dittons Wood-Polegate-Wannock-Willingdon-District General Hospital-Carew Road-Eastbourne Town Centre

  • Two new Monday to Saturday evening journeys in each direction.
  • New 2 hourly Sunday daytime service, replacing service 54A. See also new Sunday service on routes 54 and 98, which will provide an hourly frequency between Dittons Corner and Eastbourne town centre.

(Run by Stagecoach with funding from ESCC. The new evening service is funded by UK Government following ESCC’s successful bid for Bus Service Improvement Plan funding. The new Sunday service is funded from Development Contributions.)

Route 8: Eastbourne town centre-Lewes Road-District General Hospital grounds-Sainsbury’s Cross Levels Way-Winkney Farm-Langney-Pennine Way-Stone Cross-Westham-Pevensey-Beachlands

  • Two new Monday to Saturday evening journeys in each direction (these additional journeys will not serve Winkney Farm).

(Run by Stagecoach with funding from ESCC. The new evening service is funded by UK Government following ESCC’s successful bid for Bus Service Improvement Plan funding.)

Route 28: Brighton-Lewes-Ringmer-Broyle Estate-Laughton-Hailsham-District General Hospital-Eastbourne

  • Route extended from Ringmer to/from Hailsham and Eastbourne Monday-Saturday peak and daytime (every 30 mins), and to/from Hailsham evenings and Sunday daytime (hourly).

(Commercial service provided by the Brighton & Hove Bus Company. The extended route between Broyle Estate and Eastbourne is funded by UK Government following ESCC’s successful bid for Bus Service Improvement Plan.)

Routes 51 and 51X: Eastbourne-District General Hospital-Polegate-Hailsham-Horam-Heathfield- Rotherfield-Mayfield- Tunbridge Wells

  • New hourly Monday to Saturday evening journeys between Tunbridge Wells and Eastbourne, plus new Sunday early evening journeys.
  • Improved hourly Sunday daytime service between Tunbridge Wells and Eastbourne (currently 2 hourly north of Heathfield).

(Commercial service provided by Stagecoach. The service improvements are funded by UK Government following ESCC’s successful bid for Bus Service Improvement Plan.)

225 (Tuesday, Thursday & Saturday): Crowborough-Rotherfield-Heathfield-Rushlake Green-Brightling-Netherfield-Battle

  • New journeys on Saturdays providing 4 return journeys between Heathfield and Rushlake Green.
  • No change to the Tuesdays and Thursdays service.

(Tuesday and Thursday service run by North Wealden Community Transport Partnership with funding from ESCC. Saturday service run by Compass Travel. The service improvement is funded by UK Government following ESCC’s successful bid for Bus Service Improvement Plan funding.)

FlexiBus

One of the ways the BSIP has attempted to reach those living in rural locations is through the new on-demand FlexiBus which operates exclusively for places not served by a regular bus service. East Sussex has been divided into 10 zones, and journeys on the FlexiBus can be made:

  • To and from anywhere within a zone
  • To and from key destinations outside a zone, such as towns, hospitals, or train stations.

When do FlexiBus services run?

FlexiBus services run 7am to 7pm, Monday to Saturday and rides can be booked up to 30 minutes before you want to travel, and up to 7 days in advance.

How do I book a ride?

To book a ride, all you have to do is call 01273 078203 - 6.30am to 7.30pm, Monday to Saturday. At busy times, you can leave a voicemail message and someone will call you back.

Alternatively, you can download the Ride Pingo App through the App Store or Google Play.

What zone am I in?

7 of the 10 zones cover our constituency:

  • Zone 4 - Crowborough, Heathfield, Hailsham, Uckfield
  • Zone 5 - Tunbridge Wells, Mayfield, Crowborough
  • Zone 6 - Hawkhurst, Heathfield, Mayfield, Etchingham
  • Zone 7 - Battle, Ninfield, Robertsbridge, Heathfield
  • Zone 8 - Bexhill, Herstmonceux, Ninfield, Battle
  • Zone 9 - Hawkhurst, Northiam, Hastings, Robertsbridge
  • Zone 10 - Hastings, Rye, Northiam

For further information about the FlexiBus, click here.

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Statement from Huw Merriman MP

After 9 years as the Member of Parliament for Bexhill and Battle, I have made the decision not to stand as a candidate at the next election. This means I will also leave my job as Rail Minister on 4 July. I have loved being an MP and I leave with a heavy heart.