The decision to scrap a bus service which serves Hanover and Elm Grove has been dubbed "bonkers".

Brighton and Hove Bus Company will replace the 81 service with two new routes from April 13.

The firm claimed the move would result in a "better and more frequent service" with ten services an hour to the Queen’s Park area instead of the current five.

But the plans sparked a backlash from hundreds of locals in Hanover who this week met to mount a battle against the plans.


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They claim the changes will mean they will no longer have a direct service to the city centre.

The new circular 20 route – dubbed the Queen’s Park shuttle – will run every ten minutes during the day from Churchill Square via Egremont Place, Elm Grove, London Road and Brighton Station before terminating in Western Road.

The move would see a separate 21 route running from Goldstone Valley to Brighton Marina via Elm Grove, Queens Park Road, Freshfield Road and Manor Hill.

More than 300 people, including officials from Brighton and Hove Bus Comany, Brighton and Hove City Council and the Buswatch campaign group, packed into St Luke’s Church in Queens Park Road on Tuesday.

Changes

The meeting was organised by Queen's Park Local Action Team.

The group's vice chairman Mark Strong said: "The bus company has admitted its mistake about not speaking to people before considering the changes and has gone a considerable distance to addressing the very strong concerns expressed by a huge number of people at the public meeting.

"We will be keeping an eye on the changes and the local community will be watching and hoping to participate very closely in publicising the changes."

Mo Marsh, a Labour councillor for Moulsecoomb and Bevendean, said: "It is bonkers. You have to travel in the wrong direction to get to town.

"At one point at the meeting someone asked who was in favour of the new routes and less than a third put their hand up.

"The majority wanted the changes stopped or at least deferred until September to allow consultation of everyone affected in the likes of Coombe Road, Meadowview, Queen’s Park and Whitehawk."

Simon Kirby, MP for Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven, said: "Significant changes in services can be very unsettling and the bus company needs to move carefully regarding the 81 service."

Mike Harris, of Brighton and Hove Buses, said: "In my view, it is clearly in the public interest for us to introduce the scheme, but as amended in the light of the consultation.

"In response to concerns regarding evenings and Sundays, we have also added evening and Sunday journeys via Edwards Street and North Street to our plans."