Cuts to Sunday bus service

A Sunday bus service between Horsham and Brighton - saved from the axe in September - is now facing new journey cuts.

The 17 service was scrapped by operator Compass Travel on September 10 after the company said the route was no longer financially viable.

But Sussex Coaches stepped in to take over the service at a ‘reduced frequency.’ Buses continued to travel via Patcham, Henfield, Partridge Green, Cowfold and Mannings Heath but were no longer hourly.

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Now Sussex Coaches are cutting the service to just three return journeys only from January. Buses will run from Horsham at 9.30am, 12.30pm and at 5.30 pm, stopping at Mannings Heath Stores, Cowfold Village Hall, Patridge Green, Henfield High Street, Pyecombe, Patcham, Brighton Preston Circus, Brighton Old Steine and Brighton’s Churchill Square.

Sussex Coaches say the new timetable will start from January 7. A spokesman added: “The service is unsubsidised, and the level of customers using the service did not cover the fuel and driver costs for the two buses being provided, we could not run it at a loss indefinitely.

“Our next step is to reduce it to run with one vehicle with effect from January 7 and hope that there is sufficient usage to continue to provide the service.”