Eastbourne Borough Bus Service Changes
Changes to services in Eastbourne Borough: March 2025 update
Area Summary (changes from 30 March unless otherwise stated)
Please note that some service numbers have changed.
· Langney and Seaside
- Route 1X (Eastbourne town centre-Seaside-Langney-Stone Cross-Hailsham-Roebuck Park). Renumbered 1B. Monday to Saturday daytime frequency reduced to hourly (formerly half-hourly).
- Revised timetables on other routes.
· Sovereign Harbour, Langney Point and Bridgemere
- Revised routes and timetables. Route 5A changed to run via the full length of Prince William Parade instead of via Ramsey Way and Beatty Road. New bus stops will be installed on Prince William Parade. Journeys serving both Sovereign Harbour North and South Harbour South are renumbered 5B. 5B journeys will also follow the revised routing via the full length of Prince William Parade. The 5B will run early mornings, evenings and Sundays to provide an improved service to and from both sides of Sovereign Harbour at these times. Some hourly service 5B journeys will also run weekday afternoons on schooldays in place of the current 5 and 5A combined half-hourly service. The 5 and 5A will continue to run hourly on each route at other times, Monday to Saturday daytime.
- Some changes to the Loop timings.
· Seafront (east) – Route 99 (Hastings-Bexhill-Pevensey Bay-Sovereign Centre-Seaside-Eastbourne) – No change.
· Meads
- Monday to Saturday route 3/3A daytime frequency between Meads and the town centre reduced from 4 buses per hour to 3 per hour. On route 3 there will continue to be 2 buses per hour in the morning peak and throughout the day. The 3A will run once per hour between approximately 10:00 to 13:30, plus some journeys in the afternoon peak on weekdays. The section of route between the town centre and Birch Road is withdrawn. The Monday to Saturday evening service remains hourly, to a revised timetable. The hourly Sunday timetable is revised and improved with two extra journeys extending the service into the early evening.
· Cherry Gardens and Hill Road – Minor timing changes to route 4. In addition, one afternoon journey on schooldays will terminate at Central Avenue instead of running back to the town centre.
· Old Town and Victoria Drive – Minor timing changes to route 1/1A.
· Carew Road, Mill Road, Willingdon Park Drive – Timing changes to route 6.
· Upperton Road – Timetable changes to routes 51, 53 and 54. The 51 Monday to Saturday daytime frequency is reduced to hourly throughout, although new hourly route 52 will maintain a similar overall service frequency between Eastbourne town centre, Upperton Road, District General Hospital, Polegate and Hailsham. The 52 will serve Willingdon Farmlands Way instead of the 51. The Sunday services on routes 53 and 54 are renumbered 53A and 54A to indicate these journeys serve Farmlands Way and Dittons Wood. No change to route 28.
· District General Hospital.
- Timetable changes to routes 51, 53 and 54. The 51 Monday to Saturday daytime frequency is reduced to hourly throughout, although new hourly route 52 will maintain a similar overall service frequency between Eastbourne town centre, Upperton Road, District General Hospital, Polegate and Hailsham. The 52 will serve Willingdon Farmlands Way instead of the 51. The 52 will also serve Dittons Wood in place of route 54 (the 54 on Mondays to Saturdays will instead take the more direct route between Hailsham, Polegate, District General Hospital and Eastbourne). The Sunday services on routes 53 and 54 are renumbered 53A and 54A to indicate these journeys serve Farmlands Way and Dittons Wood. No change to route 28.
- Timetable changes to routes 1A, 6, 8 and the Loop. No change to route 28.
· Hampden Park and Winkney Farm.
- Timetable changes to routes 1,1A,8 and the Loop.
- The two Monday to Friday morning route 3A journeys from Winkney Farm to the town centre via Birch Road are replaced by a single journey numbered route 7.
· Eastbourne longer distance services (all serving Eastbourne town centre)
- Timetable changes to routes 51, 53 and 54. The 51 Monday to Saturday daytime frequency is reduced to hourly throughout, although new hourly route 52 will allow a similar overall service frequency between Eastbourne town centre, Upperton Road, District General Hospital, Polegate and Hailsham to be maintained. The 52 will serve Willingdon Farmlands Way instead of the 51. The 52 will also serve Dittons Wood in place of route 54 (the 54 on Mondays to Saturdays will instead take the more direct route between Hailsham, Polegate, District General Hospital and Eastbourne). The Sunday services on routes 53 and 54 are renumbered 53A and 54A to indicate these journeys serve Farmlands Way and Dittons Wood. No change to routes 12/12A/12X, 28 and 99.
See below for route by route summary of changes
|
Service number |
Route |
Changes to current service |
Service provided by |
Date of change |
|
The Loop |
Eastbourne town centre-Lewes Road-District General Hospital-Hampden Park-Winkney Farm-Langney-Asda-Sovereign Centre-Town Centre |
Some changes to the timetable on all days of the week, including revised timings to weekday afternoon journeys to help improve punctuality. Some later evening journeys will no longer additionally serve Shinewater. |
Commercial service provided by Stagecoach. The improved frequency is funded by UK Government until March 2026, following ESCC’s successful bid for Bus Service Improvement Plan funding. |
30 March 2025 |
|
1,1A |
Shinewater-Langney- town centre-Old Town/District General Hospital–Hamlands |
Minor timetable changes to improve punctuality with adjustments to Sunday evening timetable including a later service 1A journey in both directions. |
Commercial service provided by Stagecoach. |
30 March 2025 |
|
1B |
Roebuck Park-Hailsham-Stone Cross-Langney-Eastbourne town centre |
Service 1X is renumbered 1B with the Monday to Saturday daytime frequency reduced to hourly (formerly half-hourly). Stagecoach can no longer provide the half-hourly Monday to Saturday frequency of service as there is insufficient income to cover its cost of operation. Route altered to additionally serve Bulrush Lane in Hellingly, except at primary school start/finish times when this road is very congested. The new evening and Sunday service, introduced in July 2023, is also renumbered 1B. It has a revised timetable though remains hourly. |
Commercial service provided by Stagecoach. The evening and Sunday service introduced in July 2023 is funded by UK Government until March 2026, following ESCC’s successful bid for Bus Service Improvement Plan funding. |
30 March 2025 |
|
1X |
Roebuck Park-Hailsham-Stone Cross-Langney-Eastbourne town centre |
Renumbered 1B. See above for timetable changes.
|
Commercial service provided by Stagecoach. The evening and Sunday service introduced in July 2023 is funded by UK Government until March 2026, following ESCC’s successful bid for Bus Service Improvement Plan funding. |
30 March 2025 |
|
3,3A |
Foot of Beachy Head-Meads-University of Brighton-Compton Street Congress Theatre Complex (3) /Meads Road (3A)-town centre-Eastbourne Pier-Sovereign Centre-Birch Road |
Stagecoach’s changes to this service are to match levels of use and there being insufficient income currently to cover the cost of operation. The section of route between the town centre and Birch Road is withdrawn due to low use. The two Monday to Friday morning journeys from Winkney Farm via Birch Road are replaced by a single journey numbered service 7 (see below). Monday to Saturday daytime frequency between Meads and the town centre reduced from 4 buses per hour to up to 3 per hour. On route 3 there will continue to be 2 buses per hour in the morning peak and throughout the day. The 3A will run once per hour between approximately 10:00 and 13:30, plus some journeys in the afternoon peak on weekdays. The Monday to Saturday evening service remains hourly, to a revised timetable. The hourly Sunday timetable is revised and improved with two extra journeys extending the service into the early evening. There are earlier morning journeys on Mondays to Fridays and on Sundays. |
Mostly provided by Stagecoach on a commercial basis. The evening service (introduced in July 2023), along with one return per hour during the middle part of the day on Mondays to Saturdays, are funded by UK Government until March 2026, following ESCC’s successful bid for Bus Service Improvement Plan funding. |
30 March 2025 |
|
4 |
Eastbourne town centre-Old Town-Cherry Garden Road-Hill Road (most journeys continue from/to town centre as route 8 serving the District General Hospital) |
Minor timing changes. In addition, one afternoon journey on schooldays will terminate at Central Avenue instead of running back to the town centre. |
Run by Stagecoach with funding from ESCC. |
30 March 2025 |
|
5,5A,5B |
5: Sovereign Harbour North -Bridgemere-town centre. 5A: Sovereign Harbour South-Bridgemere-town centre. 5B Sovereign Harbour North -Sovereign Harbour South- Bridgemere-town centre.
|
Route 5A changed to run via the full length of Prince William Parade instead of via Ramsey Way and Beatty Road. New bus stops will be installed on Prince William Parade. Journeys serving both Sovereign Harbour North and Sovereign Harbour South are renumbered 5B. 5B journeys between Sovereign Harbour South and the town centre will also follow the revised routing via the full length of Prince William Parade.
The timetable is completely changed with 5B journeys running early mornings and evenings Mondays to Saturdays and all day on Sundays to provide an improved service to and from both sides of Sovereign Harbour at these times. Some hourly service 5B journeys will also run weekday afternoons on schooldays. The 5 and 5A will continue to run hourly on each route at other times, Monday to Saturday daytime.
The Monday to Saturday evening service will comprise service 5B journeys operating hourly. The last journey from the town centre will be at 22:45 and will extend to Pevensey Bay. The Monday to Saturday service from the town centre starts almost an hour earlier than at present.
The Monday to Saturday evening service will comprise service 5B journeys operating hourly.
The morning journey on service 5 that currently continues beyond the town centre as service 51 to serve Cavendish School will leave Sovereign Harbour North earlier than at present and operate on schooldays only as a 5B throughout, therefore additionally serving Sovereign Harbour South. The corresponding afternoon journey, currently operated throughout as service 5, will become a 5B as well.
|
Commercial service provided by Stagecoach. The evening service introduced in July 2023 is funded by UK Government until March 2026, following ESCC’s successful bid for Bus Service Improvement Plan funding. |
30 March 2025 |
|
6,6A |
Langney Shopping Centre-Westham-Stone Cross-Dittons Wood-Polegate-Wannock-Willingdon-District General Hospital-Carew Road-Eastbourne town centre |
Some timetable changes. |
Run by Stagecoach with funding from ESCC. The evening service introduced in July 2023 is funded by UK Government until March 2026, following ESCC’s successful bid for Bus Service Improvement Plan funding. The Sunday service is funded from Development Contributions. |
30 March 2025 |
|
7 |
Winkney Farm- Lottbridge Drove- Sovereign Centre-Pier- town centre |
The two morning peak service 3A journeys from Winkney Farm are replaced by a single journey, renumbered to 7. This journey starts from the Lottbridge Drive Mountfield Road bus stop at 07:12 and follows the same route as service 3A to the town centre. |
Commercial service provided by Stagecoach. |
30 March 2025 |
|
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 |
Some timetable changes, with most journeys toward Eastbourne town centre running a little earlier than at present and some significant changes to journeys in both directions in the late afternoon/early evening. |
Run by Stagecoach with funding from ESCC. The evening service introduced in July 2023 is funded by UK Government until March 2026, following ESCC’s successful bid for Bus Service Improvement Plan funding. |
30 March 2025 |
|
11X (Sundays and Bank Holidays Seasonal Service) |
Brighton-Saltdean-Peacehaven-Newhaven- Firle turning-Drusillas Zoo-Wilmington-Polegate-District General Hospital-Eastbourne |
This limited stop seasonal service on Sundays and public holidays is expected to resume again from June 2025 |
Commercial service provided by Brighton & Hove Buses. |
|
|
12,12A,12X, N12 |
Brighton-Saltdean-Peacehaven-Newhaven-Seaford-Eastbourne |
No change. |
Commercial service provided by Brighton & Hove Buses. |
|
|
13X
|
Brighton-Saltdean-Peacehaven-Newhaven-Seaford-Beachy Head-Eastbourne |
An approximately half-hourly service will operate on Good Friday, Easter Day and Easter Monday (18/20/21 April). A half-hourly Sunday service will run on Sundays from 27 April. Weekday and Saturday journeys are expected to be introduced from 8 June for the Summer. |
Commercial service provided by Brighton & Hove Buses.
|
18 April |
|
24 (Tuesday and Thursday) |
Eastbourne-District General Hospital-Polegate-Wilmington-Drusillas Zoo |
New service running on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Departures from Eastbourne Gildredge Road to Drusillas Zoo at 10:10, 12:00 and 16:00, plus a departure to Berwick rail station at 17:00. Buses return from Drusillas Zoo grounds at 13:30, 15:10 and 16:30. |
Provided by Cuckmere Buses with funding from ESCC.
|
30 March 2025 |
|
25 (Saturday) |
Lewes-Glynde-Firle-Charleston Farmhouse- Selmeston-Alfriston-Wilmington-Polegate-Wannock-Willingdon village-District General Hospital-Eastbourne |
No change. |
Provided by Cuckmere Buses without funding from ESCC. |
|
|
26 (Sundays and Bank Holidays) |
Seaford-Alfriston-Drusillas Zoo-Wilmington-Polegate-Wannock-Willingdon village-District General Hospital-Eastbourne |
Usual seasonal timetable adjustments for Summer period until 26 October: 16:50 from Seaford to run to Eastbourne and 18:00 from Eastbourne reinstated. |
Provided by Cuckmere Buses without funding from ESCC. |
30 March 2025 |
|
28 |
Brighton-Lewes-Ringmer-Broyle Estate-Laughton-Golden Cross-Hailsham-District General Hospital-Eastbourne |
No change. |
Commercial service provided by Brighton & Hove Buses. The extended route between Broyle Estate and Eastbourne (except the evening and Sunday journeys between Hailsham and Eastbourne) is funded by UK Government until March 2026, following ESCC’s successful bid for Bus Service Improvement Plan funding. |
|
|
36 (Saturday) |
Berwick Station-Polegate-Westham–Langney- Beachlands |
No change. |
Provided by Cuckmere Buses without funding from ESCC. |
|
|
37 (Saturday) |
Beachlands–Langney–Westham- Hailsham
|
No change. |
Provided by Cuckmere Buses without funding from ESCC. |
|
|
39 (Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Bank Holiday Mondays only) |
Eastbourne Towner- East Dean-Seven Sister Park -Litlington-Alfriston- Charleston in Firle-Charleston in Lewes |
The Art Shuttle provides four return journeys, stopping only at the places shown on the route timetable. Note the service has a maximum capacity of 16 people so cannot accommodate larger groups travelling together. |
Provided by Cuckmere Buses with funding from a consortium of local arts organisations led by Charleston. |
|
|
41 (Tuesday & Thursday) |
Eastbourne-Wannock-Jevington-Friston-East Dean-Eastbourne |
No change. |
Provided by Cuckmere Buses without funding from ESCC. |
|
|
43 (Monday) |
Berwick-Chalvington-Selmeston-Upper Dicker-Hailsham-Polegate- Stone Cross-Langney-Eastbourne |
No change. |
Provided by Cuckmere Buses without funding from ESCC. |
|
|
44,44A,44B (Tuesday & Thursday) |
Berwick-Wilmington-Polegate-Stone Cross-Langney-Eastbourne |
No change. |
Provided by Cuckmere Buses without funding from ESCC. |
|
|
48 (Tuesday and Thursday) |
Eastbourne–Polegate– Hailsham–Knockhatch Park – Michelham Priory- Deanland Wood Park |
The route will no longer serve Knockhatch Adventure Park and Michelham Priory due to lack of use. A revised timetable is being introduced. |
Provided by Cuckmere Buses with funding from ESCC.
|
30 March 2025 |
|
49 (Wednesday Seasonal Service) |
Eastbourne-Langney-Westham-Pevensey-Wartling-Science Centre, Herstmonceux Castle |
This seasonal service resumes 2025 service on Wednesdays from 30 March and is expected to run until 22 October. |
Provided by Cuckmere Buses without funding from ESCC.
|
30 March 2025 |
|
51 |
Eastbourne-District General Hospital-Willingdon-Polegate-Hailsham-Horam-Heathfield-Mayfield-Rotherfield-Town Row- Tunbridge Wells |
Stagecoach’s changes are to match service levels with demand for travel. They are unable to continue running services where there is insufficient income to cover their cost of operation.
The Monday to Saturday daytime frequency reduced to hourly (formerly half-hourly). All journeys will run via Rotherfield, thereby maintaining the same frequency of service to this community.
In Willingdon all journeys will run via the A2270 instead of Coppice Avenue and Farmlands Way. Route number 51X will no longer be used. See new route 52 below for a replacement Monday to Saturday hourly service for these areas.
Monday to Saturday evening journeys that run between Eastbourne and Hailsham are renumbered route 52 whilst evening journeys on the 51 will be significantly retimed with the last journeys running later.
Sunday service remains hourly with an improved service in the early evening also including last journeys running later.
There will no longer be a diversion of a morning journey via Old Town and Eldon Road to serve Cavendish School as a through journey from service 5. A revised journey will be provided as service 5B instead (see above).
|
Commercial service provided by Stagecoach. The evening and Sunday service introduced in July 2023 is funded by UK Government until March 2026, following ESCC’s successful bid for Bus Service Improvement Plan funding. |
30 March 2025 |
|
52 |
Eastbourne-District General Hospital-Willingdon-Farmlands Way-Polegate-Dittons Wood-Hailsham (early morning and evening journeys run to/from Roebuck Park via Anglesey Avenue) |
New hourly Monday to Saturday daytime and daily evening service running between Eastbourne and Hailsham. In Willingdon service 52 runs via Coppice Avenue and Farmlands Way, where it replaces service 51. Between Polegate and Hailsham service 52 runs via Dittons Wood, where it replaces service 54 (see below). The former early morning and evening route 51 journeys between Eastbourne, Hailsham and Roebuck Park are renumbered 52. These journeys will also serve the bus stop in Bulrush Lane. |
Commercial service provided by Stagecoach. |
30 March 2025 |
|
53, 53A |
Eastbourne-District General Hospital-Willingdon (route 53A via Farmlands Way)-Polegate (route 53A via Dittons Wood)-Hailsham-Herstmonceux-Ninfield-Sidley-Bexhill Hospital-Bexhill |
Revised timetable with most existing journeys operating up to 18 minutes earlier/later than at present and the first bus on Saturdays to Bexhill starting 35 minutes earlier.
The first weekday morning journey to Eastbourne will now start from Windmill Hill Post Office at 07:06, instead of from Herstmonceux. There are improvements in the service early evening toward Eastbourne on Mondays to Saturdays and a new earlier journey on Saturday mornings timed to arrive in Eastbourne before 09:00.
The first journey to Bexhill on school and college days will serve Bexhill Sixth Form College, instead of Bexhill Hospital (it will continue to serve Dorset Road for St Richard’s College).
Sunday journeys are renumbered 53A (these serve Coppice Avenue and Farmlands Way in Willingdon and Dittons Wood). |
Commercial service provided by Stagecoach. The evening and Sunday service improvements are funded by UK Government until March 2026, following ESCC’s successful bid for Bus Service Improvement Plan funding. |
30 March 2025 |
|
54, 54A |
Eastbourne-District General Hospital-Willingdon (route 54A via Farmlands Way)-Polegate (route 54A via Dittons Wood)-Hailsham-Golden Cross-East Hoathly-Uckfield-Manor Park |
Revised route and timetable. The service on Mondays to Saturdays, except two morning journeys from Eastbourne, will no longer serve Dittons Wood. In Uckfield buses will now return from Manor Park via the Bus Station.
Heading toward Uckfield, there will be more early morning journeys on Mondays to Fridays including a significantly earlier first journey. On Mondays to Saturdays, late afternoon/early evening journeys from Eastbourne will follow a regular hourly pattern whilst the mid-late evening journeys will run earlier, departing Eastbourne at 20:30 and 22:30 rather than 20:55 and 22:40. These changes mean that the last bus from Uckfield Bus Station to Manor Park runs at 17:45 rather than 18:08.
To Eastbourne there will be a new early morning journey at 06:30 from Uckfield on Mondays to Fridays. On Mondays to Saturdays, most journeys during the main part of the day will operate a little later than at present and there are more significant changes in the evening, including the last journey departing Uckfield Bus Station at 21:45 rather than 22:00.
Sunday journeys are renumbered 54A (these serve Coppice Avenue and Farmlands Way in Willingdon and Dittons Wood). Most journeys run a little later than at present. |
Commercial service provided by Stagecoach. ESCC provides some funding for the extension of daytime journeys to serve the Nevill Road area of Uckfield. The service improvements are funded by UK Government until March 2026, following ESCC’s successful bid for Bus Service Improvement Plan funding. |
30 March 2025 |
|
57, 58 (Schooldays) |
Asda-Beachlands-Pevensey Bay-Westham-Stone Cross-Dittons Wood-Polegate-Willingdon School |
The morning journeys are revised to run up to 8 minutes earlier to help pupils arrive promptly at school. |
Service 57 is a commercial service provided by Stagecoach. Service 58 is run by Stagecoach with funding from ESCC. |
30 March 2025 |
|
59 (Schooldays) |
Shinewater-Langney-Seaside-town centre- Ratton School |
Service 501 is renumbered 59. The morning journey is revised to run 5 minutes earlier to help pupils arrive promptly at school. |
Commercial service provided by Stagecoach.
|
30 March 2025 |
|
99 |
Eastbourne-Pier-Sovereign Centre-Asda-Pevensey Bay-Bexhill-Hastings |
No change. |
Commercial service provided by Stagecoach. |
|
|
125 |
Lewes-Ringmer-Glynde-Firle-Alfriston-Wilmington-Polegate-Wannock- District General Hospital-Selmeston Road-Eastbourne |
No change. |
Run by Compass Travel with funding from ESCC |
|
|
195 (Wednesday) |
Waldron-Heathfield- Bodle Street Green-Herstmonceux-Eastbourne |
No change. |
Provided by Cuckmere Buses without funding from ESCC. |
|
|
196 (Wednesday) |
Rushlake Green-Cowbeech-Herstmonceux-Eastbourne |
No change. |
Provided by Cuckmere Buses without funding from ESCC. |
|
|
501 (Schooldays) |
Shinewater-Langney-Seaside-town centre- Ratton School |
Renumbered 59 with a revised timetable (see above). |
Commercial service provided by Stagecoach.
|
30 March 2025 |
|
Eastbourne Pier-seafront-Beachy Head-Birling Gap-East Dean-town centre-Eastbourne Pier |
The seasonal service resumes in 2025 from 1 March with a weekends only hourly service, between 10:00 and 16:00, until 23 March. Between 29 March and 27 June a half-hourly daily service will run between 10:00 and 17:30. Between 28 June and 28 September a half-hourly daily see will run between 10:00 and 18:30. Between 29 September and 2 November a half-hourly daily service will run between 10:00 and 17:30. The service will be withdrawn for the winter period from 3 November. |
Commercial service provided by Brighton & Hove Buses. |
1 March 2025
|