THREATENED bus services have been saved after facing the axe due to council budget cuts.

Brighton and Hove City Council and Brighton and Hove Bus Company announced yesterday the threatened 21 and 21A service, from Brighton Marina, through Whitehawk to Goldstone Valley, and peak time 84 service, between Whitehawk, Woodingdean and the universities, have been saved.

The bus company will also be teaming up with operator Compass Travel to protect the services and will be introducing a new 37 daytime route to replace the outgoing 38.

The 37 will be incorporate the 38 route and will run between Meadowview, the city centre and the Bristol Estate.

Negotiations are continuing between Compass Travel to introduce evening 37 services.

The bus company and council have said the maintained services will be “at no cost to the local tax payer”.

Councillor Ian Davey said "We have worked, and will continue to work, hard with our partners to minimise the impact of government budget cuts on supported bus services in the city.

“I would like to thank both B&H Buses and Compass for their co-operation and for stepping in at this challenging time. I am confident that with our continuing strong partnership bus use will continue to grow in the city"

Details of the new timetables will be published in the coming weeks.

Martin Harris, Managing Director of Brighton & Hove Buses added " We know how much of a concern a risk to bus services causes and we committed early on to working with the council to find a solution.

“It was important that we moved quickly but for so much of the services involved to have been saved in such a short time is a remarkable success."

Chris Chatfield, Managing Director of Compass Travel, said “ We are pleased to be taking over the daytime operation of route 37 from April and will do all we can to work with BHCC to come to an agreement that will enable the evening service to continue”.