Boss admits: Bus service not good enough

BUS services between Bexhill and Hastings are "not good enough".

So say managers at local operator Stagecoach.

The admission came after passengers complained to the Observer about the unreliability of the service.

Users said that buses often turn up unacceptably late and occasionally not at all.

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It was also alleged that some bus drivers ignore company policy and cut out sections of the route when they are running late.

The services under-fire are the 98 and 710. They run between Hastings and Eastbourne.

The 98 passes through Pebsham, Sidley and Bexhill town centre. The 710 just covers the centre.

Alexis Cording has used the bus service from Pebsham for about four years. She told the Observer: "More often than not the bus is late. It's a nightmare. If I have arranged to meet people or need to catch a train I have to get a taxi because I can't rely on it."

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Attempts to meet her friends on the 98 service have ended in failure because the bus they were travelling on did not follow the correct route.

The bad service has also made her late for college on several occasions.

In Cllr Charles Clarke's recent survey of the St Michael's Ward, 45 per cent of respondents said they thought the bus service was unreliable.

Cllr Clarke said: "There's been a history of time-keeping problems with some buses failing to turn up..."

Sidley residents have had similar experiences.

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Buses have been cancelled without warning; driven straight past stops where people were waiting; and turned up incredibly late.

Complaints to bus drivers have been met with less than helpful remarks.

Sidley councillor Keith Bridger, has pursued official complaints against bus companies after residents told him of their troubles. He said there was a "general level of dissatisfaction."

He urged more people to make their grievances official so that he and his fellow members could pressure East Sussex County Council into taking action. Cllr Bridger would like to see the introduction of electronic boards at stops so that people are more informed about the progress of the next bus. These boards operate successfully in other towns.

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Stagecoach operations manager, Tom Bridge, was aware of users' dissatisfaction and admitted that the punctuality and reliability of the buses was "not good enough".

New timetables are likely to be implemented in the autumn, when the time allocated for travel between Bexhill and Hastings may be revised to take account of the increased traffic between the towns.

On the current roadworks at Ravenside, Mr Bridge said: "Unfortunately we were given no prior warning of these roadworks, which has made it more difficult than usual to operate a reliable service along this section of road, already known for its severe congestion.

"We would like to apologise to our customers for the inconvenience these unexpected roadworks have caused.

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"We have, however, tried to lessen the impact of this disruption by using spare buses and drivers to cover for late running services. By continually monitoring the situation and reacting as quickly as possible, we are working hard to provide the best service possible for our customers."

Acknowledging that the problem was a longer-term issue than just last week, Mr Bridge added: "Stagecoach has been talking to the local authorities and the Department for Transport about this issue for sometime now. While the link road may ultimately bring some relief, we believe that the local authorities could be doing much more to improve roads for public transport in the area. This could include simple steps such as introducing bus lanes on Bexhill Road."