Satellite countdown to the next bus

The pilot scheme, which starts on Wednesday, features a series of eight electronic displays. They will show the service number and will count down the time in minutes to arrival at the bus stop making use of information being bounced off a satellite based on the Global Positioning System (GPS).

The county council has worked with Brighton and Hove City Council on the project during the last year and the East Sussex part has been funded through the East Sussex Local Transport Plan. It is an extension of the city council's system which is now well advanced.

The Brighton and Hove Bus Company has fitted its fleet of 230 buses with the necessary on-board equipment to take advantage of the opportunities offered by the system.

Apart from displaying real-time bus information to inform passengers it will also assist better management of the bus fleet by the company.

If successful and funding becomes available, the bus signs will be extended to Eastbourne and Hastings and, possibly, elsewhere within the county.

Cllr Tony Reid, lead Cabinet member for Transport and Environment, said: 'I believe this will encourage people to use buses more than they might otherwise choose to do.

'There is something comforting about knowing exactly when the next bus will arrive. I look forward to other bus operators equipping their buses so that all bus users can benefit from this new technology.'