LETTER: Timeless saga of the signs

For many months now, Stagecoach's Eastbourne bus passengers have been looking in vain at the rash of new signs, erected at no little cost at most of the town's bus stops, which are intended to let bus users know how many minutes they must wait before the arrival of the next few buses along the route. Similar signs at bus stops in the town used by the Brighton & Hove buses have been working satisfactorily for years. I say looking in vain because in the many months since the new signs were erected, the only message they have ever shown was '˜This sign is under test'.

However, I noticed on Friday that the signs had been switched off and have remained so ever since.

Are we bus users supposed to deduce that the tests have been a success (in which case are the signs imminently due to go live at long last), or did the tests reveal problems which need to be resolved, leading to yet further delays? Or did someone merely forget to put a shilling in the meter? That’s one for your older readers, like me, to appreciate!

Perhaps some kind spokesperson from East Sussex County Council and/or Stagecoach Buses could enlighten us as to if and when the new system might finally go live and be of some practical use, after all the money which has already been spent on it. This year, next year, sometime, never?

Barry Earthrowl

Cambridge Road

Don’t miss out on all the latest breaking news where you live.

Here are four ways you can be sure you’ll be amongst the first to know what’s going on.

1 Make our website your homepage at www.eastbourneherald.co.uk

2 Like our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/eastbourne.herald

3 Follow us on Twitter @Eastbournenews

4 Register with us by clicking on ‘sign in’ (top right corner). You can then receive our daily newsletter AND add your point of view to stories that you read here.

And do share with your family and friends - so they don’t miss out!

The Eastbourne Herald - always the first with your local news.

Be part of it.