Bus service funding
Most bus services in East Sussex are run commercially by bus operators, meaning they are reliant on income from service users. See Bus operating companies for more information and contact details.
Bus Services funded by East Sussex County Council
Legislation allows the County Council to subsidise buses which cannot run at a profit but are seen to be socially necessary for the community. There is discretion as to what services, if any, are provided within the limited funding available.
In 2014 the County Council undertook a major assessment of travel needs. We used this understanding of need to match supply with need and developed our ‘Vision’ and priorities for the Public Transport Service in the future. Based on the findings and following extensive public consultation, East Sussex County Council’s agreed a needs based public transport commissioning strategy.
Decisions on which services to develop and support are made using the hierarchy of service provision outlined in the commissioning strategy:
Priority 1 – Enable children eligible for statutory free home to school transport to travel to the nearest suitable school or college
Priority 2 – Enable residents to get to work at key centres during peak times
Priority 3 – Enable residents to access essential services during the day on a minimum of two days per week
Priority 4 – Enable children who are not eligible for statutory free home to school transport to travel to the nearest available school or college
East Sussex County Council spends over £1 million each year funding services to meet the needs identified. They are provided under contract to us by various bus operators. The services we contract are listed below.
| Service | Route (whole service funded unless stated) | Operator |
|---|---|---|
| 5,5A | This section of route only - Langney-Stone Cross-Westham-Pevensey-Pevensey Bay-Beachlands | Stagecoach |
| 5 | School day afternoon journey only - Cavendish School- Bridgemere | Stagecoach |
| 7 | Hastings-Ashford Way | Stagecoach |
| 23 | This section of route only - Hastings-Elphinstone Rd-Pilot Rd-Conquest Hospital | Stagecoach |
| 23B | The morning peak journey to Conquest Hospital only - Hastings-St Leonards-Harley Shute-Hollington-Conquest Hospital | Stagecoach |
| 27 | Hastings-Linton Road | Stagecoach |
| 28 | The public holiday service only (Sunday service funded by Hastings Parking Surplus) - Hastings-West Hill-Ore-Conquest Hospital | Stagecoach |
| 40 | Tuesday and Friday - Berwick-Seaford | Cuckmere Buses |
| 42 | Wednesday - Berwick-Hailsham | Cuckmere Buses |
| 51 | Funded by development contributions - Dittons Wood service | Stagecoach |
| 54 | Off-peak service only - Uckfield town service | Stagecoach |
| 54A | Funded by development contributions - Eastbourne-D.G.Hospital -Polegate-Dittons Wood Corner-Stone Cross | Stagecoach |
| 73,74 | School days - ARK Alexandra Academy school services | Stagecoach |
| 94 | Little Common-Bexhill | Stagecoach |
| 95 | Bexhill-Ninfield-Catsfield-Battle-Conquest Hospital | Stagecoach |
| 96 | Little Common-Cooden Beach-Bexhill-Ridgewood Gardens | Stagecoach |
| 97 | Bexhill-Glenleigh Park–Hooe | Stagecoach |
| 101 | The public holiday service only (Sunday service funded by Hastings Parking Surplus) - Conquest Hospital-Hastings-Fairlight-Rye | Stagecoach |
| 119 | Seaford local service (including certain journeys to/from Alfriston) | Compass Travel |
| 120 | Saturday afternoon journeys only - Seaford local service | Compass Travel |
| 121 | The last journey in each direction only - Lewes-Offham-Cooksbridge-Chailey-Newick | Compass Travel |
| 122 | Weekday service only - Lewes-Offham-Cooksbridge-Barcombe | Compass Travel |
| 123 | Schooldays only journeys - East Saltdean-Peacehaven-Newhaven-Rodmell-Kingston-Lewes | Compass Travel |
| 125 | Lewes-Glynde-Firle-Alfriston-Polegate-D.G.Hosp-Eastbourne | Compass Travel |
| 126 | The journeys operated by Compass Travel only - Seaford-Alfriston-Polegate-Wannock-Willington-D.G.Hosp-Eastbourne | Compass Travel |
| 129 | Lewes town service | Compass Travel |
| 143 | Lewes-Ringmer-Laughton-Deanland Wood-Hailsham | Compass Travel |
| 145 | Newhaven local service | Compass Travel |
| 166 | Lewes-Plumpton-Wivelsfield Green-Princess Royal Hospital- Haywards Heath | Compass Travel |
| 167,168 | Village Rider services linking Lewes-Plumpton-Ditchling-Burgess Hill-Wivelsfield Green | Compass Travel |
| 224 | Wednesday and Friday - Wadhurst-Town Row-Rotherfield-Crowborough | North Wealden Community Transport |
| 225 | Tuesday and Thursday - Crowborough-Rotherfield-Heathfield-Rushlake Green-Brightling-Netherfield-Battle | North Wealden Community Transport |
| 226 | Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday - Crowborough-Rotherfield-Mayfield local service | North Wealden Community Transport |
| 227 | School days - Five Ashes-Argos Hill-Rotherfield- Crowborough | Seaford & District |
| 228,229 | Tunbridge Wells–Eridge Green- Crowborough–Jarvis Brook | Compass Travel |
| 231 | Uckfield-Framfield-Blackboys-Heathfield-Etchingham | Compass Travel |
| 246 | Thursday - Uckfield-Chelwood Gate- Sheffield Park-Fletching-Uckfield | Community Transport for the Lewes Area |
| 248,249 | Monday, Wednesday and Friday - Uckfield-Buxted-Hadlow Down/High Hurstwood-Crowborough | Community Transport for the Lewes Area |
| 251,252 | The afternoon schooldays only journeys, and the last journeys - Heathfield-Rotherfield-Mayfield-Tunbridge Wells | Stagecoach |
| 254 | The public holiday service only - Hawkhurst-Flimwell-Wadhurst-Ticehurst-Tunbridge Wells | Stagecoach |
| 256 | Tunbridge Wells-Bells Yew Green-Lamberhurst-Wadhurst | Autocar |
| 261 | Uckfield-Maresfield-Nutley- Coleman’s Hatch-Forest Row-Ashurstwood-East Grinstead | Compass Travel |
| 304,305 | Early morning and evening journeys, plus the public service - Hastings-Battle-Whatlington-Robertsbridge-Hurst Green-Hawkhurst | Stagecoach |
| 312 | Rye-Playden-Iden-Wittersham-Tenterden | Stagecoach |
| 313 | Rye Harbour-Rye-Playden-Peasmarsh-Beckley-Northiam | Stagecoach |
| 318 | School days - Heathfield–Uckfield-East Hoathly-Chiddingly-Whitesmith-Laughton-King’s Academy | Seaford & District |
| 320 | School days - Ninfield-Claverham College | Stagecoach |
| 342 | Hastings-Westfield-Broad Oak-Udimore-Rye- Playden-Peasmarsh-Beckley-Northiam | Stagecoach and Rambler Coaches |
| 347 | Pett-Guestling-Hastings | Stagecoach |
| 349 | Last journey on Mondays to Saturdays and the public holiday service - Hastings-Sedlescombe-Bodiam-Sandhurst-Hawkhurst | Stagecoach |
| 354 | Ticehurst-Wadhurst rail link | Autocar |
| 355 | School days - Claverham Community College school journeys | Rambler Coaches |
| 356 | School days - Little Common-Hooe-Claverham College | Rambler Coaches |
| 359 | School days - Hastings-St Richards Catholic College | Stagecoach |
| 360 | College days - Etchingham-Robertsbridge-Sedlescombe-Bexhill College | Rambler Coaches |
| 361 | College days - Peasmarsh- Northiam -Westfield- Bexhill College | Rambler Coaches |
| 381 | School days - Westfield-Broad Oak-Northiam-Staplecross-Robertsbridge | Rambler Coaches |
| 382 | School days - Rye-Udimore-Broad Oak-Westfield-Robertsbridge Community College | Rambler Coaches |
| 383 | School days - Peasmarsh-Sedlescombe-Robertsbridge Community College | Rambler Coaches |
| 468 | School days - Ditchling-Westmeston-Plumpton-Chailey School | Seaford & District |
| 492,493 | School days - Compass Travel journeys only - Seahaven Academy services | Compass Travel |
| 494 | School days - Seahaven Academy service | Brighton & Hove |
| B67/B71/B72 | Monday and Tuesday - Battle Area Services | Battle Area Community Transport |
| B73 | Tuesday - Battle-Robertsbridge-Mountfield-Battle | Battle Area Community Transport |
| B74 | Friday - Mountfield-Netherfield- Sedlescombe- Robertsbridge-Burwash- Battle | Battle Area Community Transport |
| B75 | Wednesday - Mountfield -Netherfield- Westfield-Sedlescombe- Battle | Battle Area Community Transport |
| B79 | Tuesday - Battle-Ashburnham-Battle | Battle Area Community Transport |
Funding from Government
Bus Service Operators Grant (BSOG)
This is a set amount paid annually to local transport authorities. It can only be only be used to fund bus services. East Sussex County Council currently receives £438,709 annually (correct as at September 2023). This, together with East Sussex Council’s own funding (see above), is used to fund the contracted bus services listed.
A Better Deal for Bus Users
This is a single funding allocation of £265,381 to East Sussex County Council to improve bus services. Government is allowing local transport authorities to use some, or all, of their funding to instead retain or restore services affected by Covid-19. The County Council had planned to improve services in the following ways, but due to significant reductions in bus use and fares income, this funding may be needed to maintain existing services.
Service 2 – reinstate two return journeys between Northiam and Hastings, to provide an hourly Monday to Saturday service for the main daytime period.
Service 3 – introduction of a new Monday to Saturday evening service between Eastbourne town centre, Congress theatre complex and Meads.
Service 20/22C – reinstate later Sunday and Bank Holiday evening journeys between Hastings and Mayfield Farm.
Service 23 – introduce weekday morning and afternoon peak journeys between Hastings town centre, St Helen’s, The Ridge and Conquest Hospital.
Service 26/26A – introduce additional evening journeys between Hastings town centre, Park View, Conquest Hospital, Silverhill and Warrior Square.
Service 28 – introduce later Monday to Saturday journeys between Hastings town centre, Priory Road, Malvern Way, The Ridge and Conquest Hospital.
Service 54 – introduce a new Sunday and Bank Holiday service 54 between Uckfield, East Hoathly, Lower Dicker, Hailsham, Polegate, District General Hospital and Eastbourne.
Service 98 – introduce a new evening and Sunday journeys between Eastbourne, District General Hospital, Polegate, Hailsham, Magham Down, Herstmonceux, Windmill Hill, Ninfield, Sidley, Bexhill, Pebsham and Hastings.
Service 131 – introduce an improved and extended Lewes town route 131. Increase from 3 days to 6 days a week and extend to provide the Spences Lane area with an hourly service.
Service 254/304 – reinstate a Sunday service between Hastings, Battle, Robertsbridge, Hurst Green, Hawkhurst, Flimwell, Ticehurst, Wadhurst, Frant and Tunbridge Wells.
COVID-19 Bus Service Support Grant (CBSSG)
East Sussex County Council received £96,072 to help support tendered bus services for 12 weeks from 17 March 2020. This was used to cover some of the shortfall in bus operators’ fares income during this period and for additional cleaning and PPE.
The Local Transport Authority COVID-19 Bus Service Support Grant (CBSSG) Restart Scheme
East Sussex County Council received £505,666 to help support tendered bus services for 9 June 2020 to 31 August 2021. This was similarly used to cover some of the shortfall in bus operators’ fares income during this period and for additional cleaning and PPE.
The COVID-19 grants to the County Council are used in accordance with conditions as set out by the Department for Transport and are subject to audit.
A full breakdown of how CBSSG and CBSSG restart funding was used is provided below: