Do Brighton and Hove tourist buses harm the city's sights?

12:20pm Tuesday 24th July 2012 in News By Tim Ridgway, Local government reporter

HARMFUL? One of the Brighton sightseeing buses HARMFUL? One of the Brighton sightseeing buses

A sightseeing bus could be rerouted from an historic square – after householders claimed it was damaging their homes and making streets unsafe.

The Brighton and Hove Bus and Coach Company-operated open top bus was granted a licence to drive through the Grade I listed Sussex Square and Lewes Crescent in Kemp Town, Brighton, in March.

Bosses claim they want to show off all the great sights and historic buildings the city has to offer.

But residents claim it is bringing the area down and posing a threat to people who have to cross the road to use the communal gardens in the middle of the estate.

Householder Christopher Goss, speaking on behalf of the residents, said: “The estate is a beautiful and cherished part of Brighton and we as residents want to share it with our community.

“We believe, however, that riding on a double decker bus, of up to 18 tons fully laden, which is travelling at speed through the estate is not the way to enjoy, preserve and share its beauty and atmosphere.

“We very much welcome visitors but believe strongly that the estate can best be enjoyed on foot.

“For those unable to explore it on foot, the best way to get a good viewof the buildings and gardens in their entirety is from the bus in Marine Parade or Eastern Road.”

The buses run daily at half hourly intervals from 10.35am to 6.35pm from the end of April to the end of September.

However, residents want the route to be stopped once the current permit expires this year.

Roger French, of Brighton and Hove Bus Company, said: “We have had some great feedback about our sightseeing tours. We feel Brighton and Hove is a great place and we want to show off as much of it as possible to our tourists.

“They have been fascinated by Sussex Square and we want to continue showing it to as many people as possible.”

Mr Goss said the regular trips were damaging the protected buildings.

However, he admitted it was difficult for the enlisted civil engineers to prove this.

Ian Davey , the council’s transport committee chairman, said: “Local authorities have very limited powers to force bus companies to change routes.”

However, Coun Davey said he would discuss the issue at a transport committee and look to work together with residents for a solution.

Comments(15)

Lady Smith says...
12:36pm Tue 24 Jul 12

Never mind that: someone needs to check the historical accuracy of some of the on-bus commetary...

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Goldenwight says...
12:50pm Tue 24 Jul 12

A double decker bus weighing 18 tons? I thought they were about 10- maybe they carry very fat holidaymakers?

I'm right behind the residents here. ALL traffic in this area should be stopped. They should all be stripped of their cars and made to walk everywhere on cushion soled shoes. After all, they say they only want to protect their houses and make the roads safer...

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Maxwell's Ghost says...
1:05pm Tue 24 Jul 12

Well re-route all the residential roads which have become main roads due to poor road planning ie Bear Road/ Coombe Road off theVogue Gyratory and Viaduct Road which was once a quiet street and is now a filthy, fume filled route into town.
It can't be one rule for the rich......oh we do have a Green council so I suppose their posh mates will get some help.

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caeos says...
1:11pm Tue 24 Jul 12

unladen bus is average 10 tn, 15 people average per tn, 75 people per bus, do the maths.
but i have never seen a fully laden sight seeing bus though

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Brightonscouse2 says...
1:16pm Tue 24 Jul 12

I love the over exaggeration by Mr Goss. He states that it's a bus 'travelling at speed'. Sussex Sq and Adelaide Crescent are both tight roads and I suspect that the buses are travelling no more than 10-15MPH. Then there's the unsubstantiated claim of damage to the buildings.
This smacks more of NIMBYism than anything else.

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paul76 says...
1:21pm Tue 24 Jul 12

As much as I dislike buses, they are hardly going to damage a house unless they crash into it.

And as for safety crossing a road, it is a big red double decker bus, which I'm sure will stand out like a sore thumb in the area where the buildings are all white, and the trees green.

As a thought, you could try looking both ways before crossing the road, instead of just walking across like you own the road, which apprently you all think you do.

As Goldenwight says, get rid of your own cars, and you would have a better view of the road, to make sure it is clear to cross.

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hawksmoor says...
2:34pm Tue 24 Jul 12

Mr Goss's pathetic complaints of damage and danger are the usual risible utterings of the one percenters in full nimby mode. I agree the area is despoiled, mainly by the excessive on street parking of private vehicles that obscure everything. The unmanageably overgrown planting of the gardens which has been allowed to become that way to further enhance the privacy of those privileged to enter makes it almost impossible to see the architectural ensemble except from the top of a double decker bus.. Perhaps Mr Goss would care to encourage the removal of at least half the parking and relandscape the Square more as it was intended, so we may all enjoy the architecture, "on foot". In the meantime perhaps he would care to absent himself from an issue of no concern to him.

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rolivan says...
3:51pm Tue 24 Jul 12

Maxwell's Ghost wrote:
Well re-route all the residential roads which have become main roads due to poor road planning ie Bear Road/ Coombe Road off theVogue Gyratory and Viaduct Road which was once a quiet street and is now a filthy, fume filled route into town.
It can't be one rule for the rich......oh we do have a Green council so I suppose their posh mates will get some help.
I don't know how long you have lived in Brighton but Viaduct Rdused to be part of the main route through the Town from East to West. Old Shoreham Rd, New England Hill,Viaduct Rd,Upper Lewes Rd and onto Lewes Rd.If the Bypass wasn't there can you imagine the Chaos .Mind you we were promised the Honiton to Folkestone By Pass which is still in progress 50 years later Aand very far from finished.

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the bolt says...
3:53pm Tue 24 Jul 12

get a life mr goss.

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Andy R says...
4:05pm Tue 24 Jul 12

Indeed....never has so much BS been employed to justify so much snobbery and nimbyism.

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ghost bus driver says...
9:34pm Tue 24 Jul 12

A historic, not An historic. Proper grammar, please Argus!

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ghost bus driver says...
9:34pm Tue 24 Jul 12

Although I screwed that last post up lol...

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ghost bus driver says...
9:36pm Tue 24 Jul 12

Goldenwight wrote:
A double decker bus weighing 18 tons? I thought they were about 10- maybe they carry very fat holidaymakers?

I'm right behind the residents here. ALL traffic in this area should be stopped. They should all be stripped of their cars and made to walk everywhere on cushion soled shoes. After all, they say they only want to protect their houses and make the roads safer...
15 passengers = 1 ton is the allowance, and an un-laden bus is approximately 13 tons.

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Scabberss says...
11:15pm Tue 24 Jul 12

I skim read this post. Where do I begin

•Some tourists welcome to Brighton aren't as aware of which buses travel around brighton. One bus that goes all over our popular town is a lot easier.
• it's bringing in more money
• I catch it regularly it's on route for me and my work place and the commentary is wonderful and very informative. There's so much I was unaware of in Brighton I now thanks to CSS.
• it gives the bus drivers a change, driving the lovely 30minute route.
• it's a good advertising spark - eg ghost walk, and I've even dressed as a shark on that bus(sharky) to advertise the sea life centre. I'm not ashamed.
• it's great for children, most children love nothing better than traveling under marina tunnels in an open decker bus, shouting as loud as you can.
I could go on and on, but it's late.
Brighton is a tourist attraction, and what's wrong with catering to the tourists and informing them of our beautiful unique town in 30 minutes.
Our town has so much to show off for, show me another way to do that?
Take a ride on the CSS and then tell me you want to get rid of it.
Rant over... for now :]

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Scabberss says...
11:19pm Tue 24 Jul 12

*side note
If I came off as rude it wasn't intentional

Also "buses are the main public transport in Brighton and Hove"

We get rid of CSS we might as well get rid of all the rest. Hmm?

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