Eastbourne bus route deemed ‘not safe’ causing disruption for passengers

Brighton and Hove Buses’ number 12 double decker service, which runs from Brighton through East Dean and Friston towards Eastbourne, was struck by an overhanging branch on its top windscreen near Friston Pond on Friday (June 26).

The replacement service, a passengers says, has left elderly people struggling to carry out their daily activities, and has made walking home harder from different stops.

Bus user Leisa Parker Barrett, 61, said there has also been no warnings or new timetables posted at the stops.

She said, “It took me three hours to get to Eastbourne and back waiting for the so-called shuttle bus that was to run us to Eastbourne.

“I witnessed an old gentleman get very distressed running from stop to stop until he didn’t know where he lived.”

Leisa said another passenger at the bus stop in Eastbourne had already been ‘subjected’ to the changed service ‘could barely walk’.

She said, “He informed me he had spoken to the bus company three times this week to be given a different story each time.

“The service has no timetable and there are no notices at bus stops to warn the public this is the case. This is totally unacceptable.

“We are mostly elderly in Friston and East Dean and we are trying to obey lockdown rules and only go out when necessary for food, gas and electricity, pet food and so on.”

Brighton and Hove Buses’ managing director Martin Harris said changes to route 12 were made to ensure passenger and driver safety.

Mr Harris said the company immediately sent a team to Friston Pond to do a risk assessment and found it was not safe for double deckers until the branches were pruned.

He said, “We apologise to our passengers for this disruption. It was not a decision we made lightly but safety has got to come first: for our passengers and for our drivers.

“We had replacement shuttle services up and running less than two hours after a tree branch struck one of our double deckers and we brought in an extra six drivers to run the shuttle buses.”

Mr Harris said the company has reported the danger ‘several’ times on the Fix My Street app, run by East Sussex County Council (ESCC), and the company has decided to stop the double decker from driving through the area until the branches are cut by ESCC.

The county council had assured the bus company the trees would be pruned within a week, Mr Harris said.

An ESCC spokesperson said, “We are aware of the overhanging branches and have been liaising with the bus company to identify areas along the road causing problems for its double decker vehicles.

“Work will be carried out at various points along the road in the next couple of days and we will update the bus company as soon as that work is complete. We’d like to apologise for the inconvenience caused to bus passengers.

“We’d also like to remind landowners with trees alongside and overhanging roads and pavements of their responsibilities to ensure they do not become a danger to vehicles and pedestrians.”

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