£1 Whitehawk Link fare offer extended

An offer which supports people in Whitehawk with cheaper bus fares is being extended until next spring.

The discounted fare offer means local residents can continue making journeys on the 1 and 21 services within the Whitehawk zone for just £1. 

The council has decided to extend the offer using funding from the Local Authority Bus Grant. The £1.4 million in funding is also currently supporting:

• Brighton & Hove City Council care leavers living in the city to travel for free, 
• up to 4 children under the age of 19 to travel free with a fare paying adult,
• the Breeze Up to the Downs services and 
• in‑person Travel Shop citySAVER tickets to match online prices. 

 The Whitehawk Link offer had been due to end on 30 September but will now be available until 31 March 2027. Since launching at the beginning of July, almost 16,000 journeys have been made using the discounted fare.

Whitehawk is benefiting from a wider programme of investment and support through the government's Pride in Place programme. To complement this, we are using Local Authority Bus Grant funding to support the Whitehawk Link fare. 

£1 journeys can be accessed using tap on/tap off, mobile or cash on board. More information about fares can be found on the Brighton & Hove Buses website.

The Whitehawk Link fare was introduced to make bus travel more affordable, helping people access shops, services, work and social activities while staying connected with family and friends.

Supporting everyday journeys

Research carried out during the pilot suggests the scheme is helping people make more everyday journeys. 

Journeys to shops and other services increased from 19% of respondents before the pilot to 29% during it, while trips to visit friends and family rose from 5% to 16%.

The research also suggest the fare is helping tackle concerns about the cost of travel, making it easier for residents to get around and access the opportunities and support they need.

Councillor Trevor Muten, Cabinet member for Transport and City Infrastructure, said: "We're delighted to extend the Whitehawk Link fare offer and help residents continue to benefit from cheaper bus travel. We’ve committed to helping city families and young people get to school, education or employment.

"Whitehawk was selected for the Pride in Place programme because it was recognised as an area that could benefit from additional investment and support. The Whitehawk Link fare is one part of that wider work and is helping people make the journeys that matter most to them.

"Since its launch, we've seen strong take-up of the scheme and encouraging signs that it's helping residents access shops and services, while staying connected with friend and family and keeping travel affordable.”

Matt Ashton, Managing Director, Brighton & Hove Buses. "We’re pleased to be supporting the Pride in Place programme by extending the £1 bus fare offer in Whitehawk as part of the Bus Service Improvement Plan partnership. 

“We hope the extended offer will make it easier and more affordable for people in the area to travel by bus to local facilities and shops."

Pride in Place

Helping residents travel for less is in addition to a wider package of support and investment being delivered to the area.

Whitehawk was selected by the government for the Pride in Place programme, securing access to up to £20 million of investment over 10 years to support locally led improvements and community priorities. 

The programme aims to improve outcomes for local communities through targeted investment.

Read more about Pride in Place.