County council steps in to save vital bus services
East Sussex County Council (ESCC) has agreed to subsidise several services that would otherwise cease from 30 October, when changes made by Stagecoach come into effect.
With bus use not recovering to pre-Covid levels and significant increases in operating costs, some operators are having to make changes to loss-making routes. Most changes involve reducing the frequency of bus services.
From the end of the month, ESCC will subsidise seven services operating across Eastbourne, Hastings, parts of Rother and Wealden and into Kent, which otherwise would have to be removed. The funding will initially be in place until March 2023.
Cllr Claire Dowling, lead member for transport and environment, said: “While we are completely understanding of the position bus operators find themselves in, which is reflected across the country, it
is vital that communities are not cut off as a result of these changes.”
Following the outcome of competitive bids, Stagecoach will continue to run the services which would have been withdrawn.
Stagecoach South East managing director, Joel Mitchell, said: “The more people who switch to using the bus, the stronger our networks will be. It can generate vital investment for newer buses, help keep fares low and ultimately help expand the bus network to meet new demand.”
Cllr Dowling added: “We are set to introduce a range of further measures to support and improve bus services and bus infrastructure across the county with the Government funding of our Bus Service Improvement Plan. One of the limitations of the funding is that it cannot be used to replace services withdrawn by bus operators.”
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