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  • "The traffic in Brighton is terrible - tailbacks and jams are becoming a 'feature' of the city and ruining our reputation. The councils drive to reduce key roads supporting day trippers to single lane traffic, in a swap for cycle lanes, only makes the situation more accute. Town planning has really gone out the window in Brighton. One of the answers is a reduction of bus services into the center. There are too many buses all using the western road route and many overlapping. These need to be reduced and buses re-routed to the seafront with western road pedestrianised. A tram running from palmeira to churchill sq and then down north st to the old steine would really improve the City.Manchester city centre has done something similar to great effect. But before we get anywhere near that vision I think everyone agrees there are too many buses and too many overlapping routes - just take a spot in churchill sq or north st for an hour. That's not to say the council should be stopping local school routes that bypass the centre. If they want to save money they should look to reduce their own administrative running costs by lowering their wages. That's what a private company would do - its common sense. If you pass on cuts to the end taxpayer its another reason to add to the growing list of reasons not to vote for the Greens next time round. And they were one of the only councils in England that had the nerve to try and increase council tax. Just shows how out of touch they are with the current economic environment and financial pain the average person is experiencing."
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Brighton and Hove Council move to scrap 12 bus routes despite opposition

6:06pm Thursday 14th June 2012 in News By Tim Ridgway , Local government reporter

School pupils join protesters and opposition councillors outside Hove Town Hall in a bid to save threatened bus routes Buy this photo » School pupils join protesters and opposition councillors outside Hove Town Hall in a bid to save threatened bus routes

Buses serving hospitals, schools and suburban areas will be scrapped – despite fierce opposition.

Dozens of campaigners protested outside Hove Town Hall today (June 14) against the plans by Brighton and Hove City Council to end about 12 subsidised routes from September.

The Green-controlled local authority believes it can save about £230,000 a year as it looks to combat Government-imposed cuts.

It added a further 17 non-profit making routes costing £900,000 a year would continue for the next four years.

But critics said it would stop the elderly and teenagers from leaving their homes, adding it would increase car traffic.

Among the protesters presenting a series of petitions with hundreds of signatures were school children from Hove Park School.

They use the 96 service from the Westdene area of Brighton every day.

However the local authority said it could not afford the £38,000 subsidy to run it.

The Green administration did say it would work with parents, schools and providers to find alternatives to transport youngsters every day.

'Cannot continue'

Council leader Jason Kitcat said: "We are fortunate that in our city 98% of routes do not require a subsidy but school routes are particularly challenging to run without subsidy.

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"We cannot continue to carry the costs of running some of the school bus routes on their historical basis."

Jayne Bennett and Vanessa Brown, who represent Hove Park, said they had collected about 160 individual letters from residents about the ending of the 81 service on Monday to Saturday evenings.

Coun Bennett said: "Many people, particularly the elderly, are totally dependent on this service. They will be prisoners in their homes."

Gemma Alexander, 23, of Ainsworth Avenue, Ovingdean, collected more than 300 signatures in a day and a half against the ending of the 52 which connects the area with the city centre.

She added: "I've been knocking on doors and a number of people didn't know about it. They hardly gave us any notice."

The council said it was not able to make public the affected routes any earlier due to the "competitive bidding process".

Opposition suggestions

The Conservative group proposed the local authority find funding to keep the 27, 22, 52 and 81 services.

It also suggested looking again at the 96 and that they postpone any change until September 2013 at the earliest.

The Labour group suggested funding for all of the affected routes was found from the Green’s commitment to the One Planet Living project aimed at reducing people’s carbon footprint.

Both of these were voted down by Green councillors who have the casting vote on the influential policy and resources committee yesterday.

What do you think about the cuts? Tell us by writing to our letters page, email letters@theargus.co.uk or leave a comment below.

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