Hastings bus service diverted due to 'poor state' of road, says councillor
A bus service in Hastings has been diverted after the road was deemed too dangerous for drivers to navigate, a borough councillor said.
Cllr Andy Batsford said residents have complained about the deteriorating condition of roads across the town for years, citing vehicle damage and safety concerns as drivers swerve to avoid deep potholes.
He added the state of Thanet Way has now reached a point where public safety is being compromised.
Stagecoach confirmed the No. 7 bus will no longer travel along Thanet Way because of the road’s condition.
Cllr Batsford said the diversion means several bus stops serving elderly residents will be temporarily missed, affecting those who rely on the service for access to shops, medical appointments and social connections.
Dan Mayhew, operations manager at Stagecoach, said: “The diversion will remain in place until the road is repaired to a suitable standard.”
Cllr Andy Batsford, Independent member for St Helens ward, said he has campaigned for almost a decade for Thanet Way to be fully resurfaced.
He said: “Residents have long known that Thanet Way is in a poor state. Repairs over the years have not resolved the underlying problems. People have submitted petitions, attended public meetings and contacted highways officers repeatedly, but they feel their concerns have not been adequately addressed.”
He added he has written to Rupert Clubb, director of communities, economy and transport at East Sussex County Council, urging the authority to prioritise a full resurfacing of Thanet Way.
A spokesperson for Stagecoach South East said: “Stagecoach can confirm that Service 7 is temporarily unable to serve Thanet Way due to current road conditions. Buses are diverting via St Helens Park Road, St Helens Road and Ashford Road between Baldslow Road and Park View.
“We are working closely with local authorities to resolve the situation and restore service as quickly and safely as possible. We apologise for any inconvenience caused and thank customers for their patience.”
Joel Mitchell, managing director at Stagecoach South East, said: “Our buses in Hastings suffer three times the damage resulting from road conditions than elsewhere which can affect our ability to keep them on the road.
“We don’t take the decision to divert lightly, but we need to protect our buses, our customers and our employees.”
An East Sussex Highways spokesperson said: “We are working hard across the county to deal with the large number of potholes that have formed due to consistent and significant rainfall across the county since the start of the year, as well as freezing temperatures.
“East Sussex is not alone in facing this issue and we have increased the number of repair teams working across the county seven days a week to address it.
“Work is due to take place in Thanet Way in the next week to address safety defects in the area.
“We prioritise our repairs based on the size and location of the pothole, among other criteria, and details about when and how we carry out these repairs can be found on our website. To repair every pothole regardless of whether it meets our intervention levels would cost about four times the amount currently spent and would place an even greater burden on council taxpayers.”