No change to one and half hour gap in 2A Bus Service
Members of Steyning Women’s Institute recently highlighted the one and half hour gap in the 2A bus service from Shoreham to Steyning in the late afternoon.
Derek Deedman has discussed this problem with Brighton & Hove Buses and the Public Transport Group at County Hall.
Sadly the Bus Company are not willing to restore the otherwise hourly service throughout the day. This is because, as a fully commercially operated service (with no subsidy from the County Council), they have to operate the extra 20 bus service at the evening peak time by using the earlier, late afternoon, bus which would otherwise run on to Steyning. An extra bus would be required to overcome the problem, for which they have no funds.
The County Council is unwilling to help fund this extra bus to Steyning as they have had to make reductions in funding for bus services this financial year to keep within the County budget. The Public Transport Planner appreciates that having a gap in the timetable of one and half hours in an otherwise hourly service is undesirable, particularly during the build up to the evening peak hours. He is, however, unable at present to find the extra funds necessary for the extra bus, although he has told Derek that it will be added to the ‘Wants List’ for new and additional services.
Derek said, “It is very disappointing that at a time when we should be tackling climate change by encouraging more people to use the buses rather than their cars, that the Tory-run County Council is not providing sufficient additional funds to improve the provision of public transport.”
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