Bus chief denies cutback

BRIGHTON and Hove Buses chief Roger French has strongly denied he has any plans to cut the 712 service through Seaford.

BRIGHTON and Hove Buses chief Roger French has strongly denied he has any plans to cut the 712 service through Seaford.

His assurance follows local transport campaigner Bob Brown's call for a guarantee that no more Seaford bus services will be axed.

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Mr Brown is concerned that further cuts to the 712 service between Brighton and Eastbourne are planned in the new autumn timetable. In April, Stagecoach cut back the last 712 bus from Eastbourne to Seaford from 10.40pm to 8.20pm because it said too few passengers used it.

People were furious that evenings out and hospital visits in Eastbourne would have to be curtailed.

Mr Brown collected a petition with hundreds of signatures calling for its reinstatement.

Now he is worried the service will be cut back even further once the summer visitors and foreign exchange students leave.

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Currently, the 712 service route is run by both Stagecoach and Brighton and Hove (B and H) Buses.

He said there was speculation that B and H was cutting its services. The company's boss, Roger French, denied this categorically.

Mr Brown said: 'I have heard rumours, which Mr French seeks to scotch, but it is my impression that these came from sources within the company itself. It is hardly surprising that they gained credibility among the travelling public, particularly after the events of earlier this year.'

The lack of new electronic indicator boards along part of the route had also fuelled speculation about commitment to the service.

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Mr Brown said: 'Why, if the service between Eastbourne and Seaford is not under threat, have there been no bus indicator posts erected further towards Eastbourne than Seaford.'

He added: 'Is Mr French prepared to guarantee that there will be no repeat of the events of April this year?'

Mr French dismissed the suggestions that services would be cut as 'total rubbish'.

He said he had no plans to cut services and was aware of no plans by Stagecoach to do so either. A joint timetable for both companies had been agreed until April next year.

He added that electronic indicator boards were paid for by East Sussex County Council and were subject to its financial constraints.