Improvements will be made to a 50-mile coastal route to help passengers get on and off the bus.

Brighton and Hove City Council is one of nine local authorities which have agreed to enhance users' comfort on the 700 Stagecoach South service from Brighton to Portsmouth.

In Brighton and Hove a bus lane in Western Road has helped to speed up the service.

The city council's transport team is also planning to introduce new raised accessible bus stops in Kingsway, Hove, to make it easier for passengers - particularly older people, those with mobility problems, and passengers with young children - to board and leave the bus.

The new stops are expected to cost about £8,000.

Similar improvements are being planned by other councils along the route and Stagecoach South is introducing a fleet of new easy-access buses in May.

Councillor Gill Mitchell, chairwoman of Brighton and Hove City Council's environment committee, said: "The 700 is popular with shoppers, workers and visitors to the city and this new partnership agreement will help to provide an even better service for passengers."

The service links the King Alfred leisure centre in Hove, South Portslade, Shoreham and Lancing and goes on to Worthing, Littlehampton, Arundel, Bognor, Chichester, Bosham and Southsea.

Other local authorities committed to making improvements to the route include Adur District Council, Arun District Council, Chichester District Council, West Sussex County Council and Worthing Borough Council.

For more information about local transport services ring 01273 292480 or visit www.citytransport.org. The timetable for the 700 service is available at www.stagecoachbus.com.