Brighton & Hove City Council
Since first publishing our Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP), we’ve made tremendous progress in improving and strengthening Brighton & Hove’s bus network.
Through hard work and targeted investment, we’ve delivered on so many of the objectives first set out by the BSIP in 2021. Post COVID passenger numbers have grown year on year, and we continue to have the highest bus usage outside of London.
We’ve ensured families and young people enjoy fare offers to make bus travel more affordable. We’ve helped to fund bus services which wouldn’t otherwise be commercially viable, linking communities with family, friends, shops and vital services such as hospitals and GP surgeries.
And new bus lanes and an express service mean passengers are enjoying faster or more reliable journey times.
But we’ve still got so much more we want to achieve.
Our updated Bus Service Improvement Plan will prioritise making bus travel affordable, accessible, sustainable and better for the people of Brighton & Hove.
In partnership with bus operators and local community groups, we are working to end violence against women and girls on public transport. We’ll also be encouraging more people to move away from private car use and switch to bus travel instead.
Fare offers will be extended for all residents with our £1 Short Hop and £2.50 Two-Stage offers and to further support students access to education and we will soon be launching a second express bus service. The passenger experience will be improved with real-time information systems by summer 2025. All our supported services will have brand new Euro6 low emission buses and at least 29 new electric double decker buses will be introduced in 2026.
Brighton & Hove has a bus network the city can be very proud of, and I’m excited to see where the next part of our journey will take us.
Councillor Trevor Muten, Cabinet Member for Transport and City Infrastructure.
Bus Service Improvement Plans (BSIPs) were introduced by the Department for Transport (DfT) in its National Bus Strategy, Bus Back Better, published in March 2021. The BSIP is a strategic document that details how the council and operators will respond to the aspirations of the National Bus Strategy and grow bus use.
As a result of the 2021 BSIP, Brighton & Hove City Council were awarded £27.9 million to improve bus services in the city. This document is an updated version of the 2021 BSIP and serves to report on the progress of the original BSIP whilst setting out a roadmap for bus service improvements to the end of the decade.
Bus users tell us they are happy with bus services in the city, but some perceive fares to be high. Requests are also commonly made for new or amended bus routes and cleaner buses, whilst bus journeys are also less reliable and taking longer than they did a few years ago. This is increasing operating costs and, consequently, fares. The council supports several bus services to communities not directly served by commercial services, including some of its most deprived areas; however, there remain some gaps in provision and the service provided is not consistent with the rest of the city. The BSIP sets out how the council and operators are addressing these issues.
People want:
Our 2030 targets are:
Our actions and priorities are:
This section provides an overview of the BSIP and the vision for buses in Brighton & Hove.
The Brighton & Hove BSIP covers the whole area within the Brighton & Hove City Council (BHCC) boundary. A map of the area covered is provided below in Figure 1.1.
Some services operate into neighbouring authorities, meaning there is overlap with the BSIPs developed by East Sussex County Council (ESCC) and West Sussex County Council (WSCC) whilst 2 services also continue beyond Sussex into Kent and Hampshire. Measures concerning cross-boundary services have been discussed with neighbouring authorities to ensure that BSIPs are consistent.
The 2025 BSIP is an update to the original BSIP, it re-examines the targets set in the original document and outlines the progress that has been made since in Brighton & Hove.
Specifically, the 2025 BSIP will:
The detail on the implementation and success of specific schemes will be outlined further in this document.
The original BSIP formed the basis of an Enhanced Partnership agreement between the council and bus operators. This is a statutory arrangement under the Transport Act 2000 (as amended by the Bus Services Act 2017). In Brighton & Hove, the Enhanced Partnership has built on the long-standing Quality Bus Partnership but is a more formal arrangement with agreed targets and actions and regular reporting against these.
Further information about the development of the Enhanced Partnership can be found at Enhanced Partnership Scheme.
The 2025 BSIP is a document which outlines a roadmap of the ambitions of ‘Our Bus Vision’ up until the end of the decade. The BSIP will be reviewed periodically, at intervals yet to be determined by the DfT.
The National Bus Strategy’s main objectives are to grow patronage and raise buses’ mode share. The only way this can be achieved is by making buses a more attractive alternative to the car.
The ways this will be done are expressed through the government’s desire to make bus services:
The fourth LTP (LTP4) for Brighton & Hove was adopted in 2015. It sets out the priorities, programmes and projects that need to be progressed in the future to help people move around the city more safely, sustainably, and easily.
LTP4 identifies 3 main ways the council will keep the city moving:
The council is currently developing its fifth Local Transport Plan (LTP5) which will build on the success of the current LTP. Measures contained in this BSIP will be important in helping achieve these and, in particular, the principle to encourage greater use of public transport.
The Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP) considers the city’s active travel (walking, wheeling, and cycling) network and where infrastructure improvements can be made. The DfT’s active travel guidance and National Bus Strategy requires walking and cycling to be considered in all schemes and for BSIPs to be reflected in LCWIPs.
Further information can be found in the council’s Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP).
The National Bus Strategy’s aspirations to grow bus use and decarbonise bus travel are integral to the government’s plan for decarbonising transport. The decarbonisation of transport cannot be achieved through electrification of vehicles alone and there is a need for more journeys to be undertaken on foot, by bike and public transport if the UK is to achieve its goal of net zero carbon emissions by 2050. NHS net zero 2040.
The Brighton & Hove City Council 2030 Carbon Neutral Programme decarbonisation plan for bus travel seeks to:
Related to this is the government’s policy to increase the number of short trips undertaken by active travel. Its Gear Change strategy published in 2020, sets out a target for half of all journeys in towns and cities to be cycled or walked by 2030. This will be achieved in part by improving infrastructure for cycling with all transport schemes required to comply with the LTN 1/20 Cycle Infrastructure Design guidance. Find more information on our Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP).
The city has 6 Air Quality Management Areas (AQMAs) as follows:
Find more about our 2020 Air Quality Assessment. The majority are on bus routes (exceptions parts of AQMA1: New England Road, Viaduct Road, Hollingdean Road, Frederick Place), and many have already benefited from the introduction of hybrid vehicles able to run electric power for a limited range following investment by Brighton & Hove Buses. The provision of zero emission buses will only improve in future years due to Brighton & Hove City Council’s successful ZEBRA bid, which will add a further 29 zero emission buses into the city’s portfolio, scheduled for 2026.
The city centre bus-Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) has required operators to invest in cleaner vehicles, with vehicles needing to be Euro VI standard as a minimum. The limited range electric buses run with zero emissions in the city centre but also Euro VI elsewhere. These represent a stepping stone to zero emissions vehicles but there is still work to do and measures contained in this BSIP to progress towards fully zero emissions vehicles will complement the council’s priorities for improving air quality in the AQMA’s and city more broadly.
Home to School Transport Policy
The council has a statutory duty to provide free transport to school where children live more than two miles (if under 8) or three miles (if over 8) from their nearest suitable school. Additional help may be provided for children from low-income households or for those with disabilities, subject to specific requirements. Further details are provided in the council’s Home to School Transport Policy.
The council funds several school bus services; however, these do not provide free travel unless children meet the criteria above. Brighton & Hove Buses also operate most school bus services commercially. It is not the purpose of this BSIP to provide a comprehensive review of school bus services.
This section provides an overview of the current offer to bus passengers and how this has changed since the publication of the original BSIP in 2021.
The city is generally well served by the commercial bus network which makes up 97% of bus services in Brighton & Hove. It is a comprehensive network with some commercial services running 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and offer Christmas Day services. All services in Brighton & Hove run along all the main corridors.
Appendix D provides a summary of all services, with daytime, evening, and weekend frequencies. The colour coding indicates where improvements have been made to bring services in line with what is expected by the National Bus Strategy. Most services are run commercially with the majority of these operated by Brighton & Hove Buses. Additional long-distance services are operated by Stagecoach and Metrobus. The council provides financial support for bus routes to communities not served by the commercial network, including parts of Saltdean, Ovingdean, East Brighton, Hangleton and Portslade, as well as South Downs National Park.
Figure 2.1 shows the current BSIP funded service enhancements:
An accessibility study was undertaken[1] to understand if residents could access key services and employment more easily by public transport following BSIP-funded service enhancements in the city.
An accessibility index aims to understand residents' actual experiences using the bus for daily travel. Journey times from each neighbourhood are calculated to a range of likely destination types, such as education, employment and leisure sites. These journey times are combined into a single score, to provide a measurement which can simulate the “convenience” of the bus network to a user.
Accessibility index scores were calculated for a 2023 period (before BSIP service enhancements) and a 2024 period (after BSIP service enhancements). Comparing 2024 with 2023, 70% of neighbourhoods in the city (approximately 200,000 people) were calculated to experience an improvement in bus accessibility in the Weekday AM period (07:00 to 09:00).
Figure 2.2 – shows the spatial distribution of OAs (Output Areas) categorised by the change in their accessible score in 2024 compared to 2023.
BSIP Refresh Accessibility Study undertaken by Jacobs Engineering Group using Podaris Software and the Traveline National Dataset.
The latest available city-wide mode share data is from the 2021 Census travel to work data; however, this census was conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic which impacted the data significantly. 4.2% of people used the bus as their main mode of travel to work, compared with 14% that was recorded during the 2011 census: 41% travelled by car.
Figure 2.3 presents Census Output Areas in Brighton (neighbourhoods averaging 300 residents) for which a prioritisation score for the potential for bus service improvements to generate modal shift was calculated.
This score combines areas for which public transport journey times to key destinations were calculated to be higher than average (in this case for a Weekday AM Peak period), and areas where car ownership were the highest on average. This suggests these neighbourhoods would have more residents who would be receptive to changing travel patterns following an improvement to bus services.
| Low | Medium | High | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lower | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Medium | 4 | 3 | 2 |
| Higher | 4 | 4 | 3 |
Rating 1 High potential = lower accessibility and car availability
Rating 2 Medium to high potential = medium accessibility and high car availability; or lower accessibility and medium car availability.
Rating 3 Medium to low potential = medium accessibility and medium car availability.
Rating 4 Lowest potential = higher accessibility or low car availability.
Shorter journey times with fewer stops make taking the bus an attractive option.
Reliable services enable passengers to travel to work, school and medical appointments in a timely manner.
Shorter bus journey times encourage people to take the bus.
Raising awareness of the benefits of taking the bus as is in evidence with the modal shift campaign that is referenced in the marketing section below.
More frequent services enable passengers the access to buses to travel for work and for leisure.
Lower fares can result in bus travel becoming more appealing than travelling by car.
One of the ways in which Brighton & Hove City Council has been addressing this need for modal shift is with the BetterPoints active travel scheme, which encourages active travel and using the city’s bus network by use of a digital reward scheme. As of 31 January 2024, there are 6,977 users of the BetterPoints app which is 107% of the original usership target.
An evaluation survey was conducted by BetterPoints to assess the impact of the campaign on mode share. The results of this survey showed that 69% of respondents agreed that taking part in the campaign made them less likely to use a car in the future, whilst 62% agreed that they are more likely to use public transport.
The marketing and communications activity have been delivered through what is now a comprehensive and well-established brand. The branding includes logos from the government, Brighton & Hove City Council, and all the local bus operators to create a unified creative and local identity that is now easily and quickly recognised by local people. The brand has been adopted for a range of marketing campaigns and promotions that are designed to persuade and encourage more bus travel in the city.
Fares offers and service enhancements have been introduced as part of BSIP and it’s vital that these are communicated in an eye-catching way that is attention grabbing and will ultimately increase patronage on all buses.
Comprehensive marketing campaigns promoting BSIP Fare Offers, route enhancements and initiatives have been successfully delivered in partnership with Brighton & Hove Buses.
To date seven medium weight multi-channel campaigns have been delivered. The details of these campaigns can be seen below.
To ensure the most efficient use of marketing spend and to achieve the best outcomes, audiences have been segmented and targeted to achieve the highest impact.
Campaigns are run in half term, Easter, Halloween and Christmas.
The target audience is:
The campaign figures are:
Promoting day trips by bus during the summer holidays.
The target audience is:
The campaign figures are:
Raising awareness and the promotion of enhancements to services.
The target audience is:
Encouraging members of the public eligible for a concessionary pass to travel by bus.
The target audience is Brighton & Hove residents eligible for a concessionary pass.
The campaign figures are:
The promotion of bus travel as ‘Bus time is your time’ .
The target audience is:
The campaign figures are:
Raising awareness and promotion of the new 1X route.
The target audience is:
The campaign figures are:
The promotion of a fare offer of £1 for short journeys.
The target audience is Brighton & Hove residents.
The campaign figures are:
The council and bus companies have promoted the fare offers and enhancements across their own estate maximising every opportunity to promote BSIPs activity. These channels include social media, websites, e-newsletters, posters and digitals screens on buses. Internal communications, posters at bus stops, and in travel hubs.
Whilst these channels are effective for promoting it is vital that the campaigns communicate and reach new audiences. To reach these audiences advertising is essential. Channels that are effective in targeting new audiences include radio adverts, printed advertising on bus sides and backs, bus shelter digital displays and digital adverts across all social channels and press releases to local media.
One of the behaviour-change campaigns run last year was around modal shift. The objective of the marketing campaign was to encourage people out of their cars and onto the bus. The campaign theme was ‘Bus Time is Your Time’. The campaign ran from 19 February to 31 March 2024 targeting existing and new customers.
The campaign used a range of illustrative creative (examples below) to highlight the things you can do on a bus that you can’t do when driving. This includes reading and taking in the view. Using an online survey methodology over 2,210 people were surveyed in the area. The survey measured the effectiveness of the campaign including awareness and recall, message take out, perception of bus travel and bus usage.
The results showed that 1 in 3 people recalled seeing the campaign and out of those who did recall seeing it 43% said it had increased the appeal of taking the bus and 37% said it had increased the likelihood of taking the bus in the future instead of the car. Plus, 24% had made bus journeys since.
Since the beginning of BSIPs a 50p young person’s fare has been promoted and there are some top-level trends resulting in the school holidays.
For example, Easter 2024 saw an 18% increase in child journeys versus 2023. In October 2024 half term there was an increase in journeys by 24.9% compared to the October 2023 half term and in Christmas week 2024 an increase of 26% versus 2023.
This indicates that more local people have become aware of the fare because of the marketing campaigns and are benefiting from the fare offer.
The share of journeys travelling by short hop has grown consistently since the campaign launched. Short hop fares started at 7.6% in its first week and rose to 10.5% for all passenger journeys at Brighton & Hove Buses where the market continues to grow.
Through a heavy weight pre-launch campaign, the Route 1X saw immediate growth from the outset indicating that local people were aware of the new route through the pre-launch marketing phase. The Route 1X has continued to attract new passengers with a high levels of passenger growth and has delivered around 1 million passenger journeys to date without impacting or taking passengers away from the Route 1.
Changing behaviour is one of the most challenging things to do for an entire city and it takes time. However, with an excellent bus network in place, more enhanced services and fare offers there are many positive messages to advertise. For behaviour change to be effective it’s vital that messages are targeted at specific audiences using attention grabbing creative delivered through a variety of marketing channels. All campaigns to date have achieved this.
There are many tickets and offers available, including those aimed at certain groups and discounts for certain payment methods. Operators have also run time-limited offers in the past.
The following BSIP Fare offers in place are:
A consequence of most commercial routes being operated by Brighton & Hove Buses is that ticketing is consistent across most services. Supported bus service operators also accept the same tickets and charge the same fares as Brighton & Hove Buses, with the latter managing a multi-operator smartcard and mobile phone system.
Commercial services operated by Stagecoach have a different fare structure. However, whilst all operators accept contactless payments, the system does not currently allow multi-operator payment. This is currently being developed by Project Coral which is a collaborative endeavour involving the Department for Transport (DfT) and multiple operators in the industry. Aiming to design a multiple operator contactless capping solution, capable of being deployed UK wide.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, there had been considerable growth in bus patronage in Brighton & Hove peaking in 2018 to 2019 with 49.9 million passenger journeys on local bus services. In 2019 to 2020 this significantly decreased to 15.1 million as a result of the pandemic. Passenger numbers have been recovering year on year with 41.1 million passenger journeys in 2023 to 2024. The DfT figures for 2024 to 2025 are expected to be published in November. However, indicative figures from Brighton & Hove Buses indicate strong growth was experienced in 2024 to 2025.
Find more information on GOV.UK.
While patronage recovery is positive, the 2023 to 2024 figure is approximately 82% of the 2018 to 2019 pre COVID-19 high point. This residual percentage gap suggests that post pandemic travel patterns have seemingly shifted for certain types of journeys. An ambitious response that is mindful of the new reality is required to attract new passengers to buses to bridge the gap and lay the foundations for future growth in patronage levels.
Brighton & Hove City Council is now reporting patronage using Department for Transport (DfT) statistics rather than data provided directly from operators. This brings our Bus Service Improvement Plan 2025 update in line with corresponding documents from other local authorities and ensures consistency with the official accredited statistics published annually by the Department for Transport.
As per the latest Department for Transport annual statistic release, Brighton & Hove local authority area had the highest bus use outside of London with 147 bus trips per head in 2023 to 2024. This was up from 139.3 in 2022 to 2023 and compares to a combined figure of 32.1 for local authority areas in the Southeast and 62.9 for England as a whole in 2023 to 2024.
For context, the figure for London was 206.6. These figures show the fundamental role buses play in the transport needs and everyday lives of residents and visitors of Brighton & Hove.
This figure has been recovering since the pandemic, increasing from a pandemic low of 54.4 in 2020 to 2021. The previous high of 177.4 in 2018 to 2019 shows the scope of potential for bus usage recovery and growth in Brighton & Hove if initiatives and funding continue to be available to support the sector.
A joint BSIP funded scheme between Brighton & Hove City Council and West Sussex County Council was undertaken to better link West Sussex communities to Brighton city centre. It includes 2 bus routes, the Stagecoach South 17 route between Horsham and Brighton, and the Metrobus 273 from Crawley to Brighton. The enhancements have allowed for services on Route 17 to run later into the evenings and for the first time since 2020, on Sundays. Starting from Sunday 1 September 2024, The Metrobus 273 route Brighton has also increased frequencies and a new Sunday service from May 2024.
Route 17 has seen a 36% patronage increase on the service compared with equivalent months before the enhancement, with patronage increases still estimated at 28% when excluding the new Sunday services.
Route 273 has also seen a significant patronage increase of around 43% compared with equivalent months in 2023.
There is evidence that growth figures, comparing to equivalent months in 2023, are continuing to grow over time rather than a flat proportional increase, which provides positive evidence that the BSIP funding is helping to raise long term passenger demand on this route.
Scheduled journey times are monitored through a sample of unchanged bus routes in Brighton & Hove. Analysis of these routes determined on average a 1.2% increase in scheduled journey times across 20 routes operated by Brighton & Hove Buses, between 2019 and 2023. (Scheduled journey time data supplied by Brighton & Hove Buses for the BSIP Refresh 2024.)
The were some improvements for eastbound travel, with an average reduction to scheduled journey times during peak hours, but an average increase to scheduled daytime journey times. For westbound travel, there is some progress across average AM peak scheduled journey times, however the average daytime and PM peak time journeys are showing longer scheduled times.
For context, many of the capital bus priority schemes designed to directly contribute to reducing journey times such as new bus lanes, traffic signal priority and Red Routes had not been delivered in 2023. BSIP capital schemes are expected to be delivered in 2025, and further analysis of scheduled journey times will take place following their implementation.
Another approach to improving journey times has been the introduction of an express bus service in the form of the new BSIP enhanced 1X limited stop bus service, which is discussed below.
Express or limited stop bus services were a priority set out in the 2021 Brighton & Hove City Council BSIP. In July 2024, Brighton & Hove Buses working in partnership with Brighton & Hove City Council launched the 1X, a new cross city express bus route. Funding from the Bus Service Improvement Plan was used to enhance the commercial base frequency to make the new route as attractive as possible from launch.
The 1X operates up to every 15 minutes between Mile Oak in the West of the city to Brighton Marina in the East of the city via the city centre and important destinations such as the Royal Sussex County Hospital.  
Journey time improvements were a key target for the 1X route. The Analyse Bus Open Data portal was used to carry out initial monitoring of 1X journey times from launch up to the end of December 2024. From this the 1X had delivered an average journey time improvement of 28%, over the closest comparable non express bus service, on a key cross city journey. Appendix B shows the full 1X route.
As per the latest Department for Transport annual statistics release, on time performance for non-frequent bus services in Brighton & Hove has fluctuated from highs of 89% in 2011 to 2012 and 2013 to 2014 to 75% in 2023 to 2024.
‘On time’ is defined as between 1 minute early and 5 minutes 59 seconds late.
The figures for 2022 to 2023 and 2023 to 2024 are currently not listed within the Department for Transport’s Bus statistics data tables for Bus reliability and punctuality (BUS09a) due to a technical error. The figures for 2022 to 2023 and 2023 to 2024 have been confirmed directly with the Department for Transport and the bus statistics tables will be updated accordingly in the next revision or release.
In 2020 to 2021, which includes the COVID-19 lockdowns, the on-time figure improved to 88%. This demonstrates the potential for improved performance where buses are not inhibited by traffic congestion.
Bus punctuality for Brighton & Hove in 2023 to 2024 was impacted by multiple external factors such as diversions and extended diversions on key bus corridors such as the A259 and the Old Steine.
This is being delivered alongside another major scheme, Valley Gardens, Valley Gardens Phase 3 overview the work began in 2024. It will enable buses to overtake traffic on the approach to one of the busiest junctions in Brighton & Hove. This will improve reliability, particularly in peak season.
Public consultation has taken place the detailed design is being finalised, and construction is scheduled to take place in the summer of 2025.
Bus priority signal work has taken place in a trial corridor, Eastern Road to the Marina and similar work has been carried out on other sites in the city in preparation for future expansion. Bus operators will be working with the council to allow their systems to send messages to traffic signals at predetermined locations. When all these processes are complete various priority options will be implemented. This work will be ongoing, and the signals will be monitored to understand the impact on the network.
Work on the main scheme is now complete with additional upper Dyke Road junction improvements to follow.
Work included:
The changes also included redesigning the Dyke Road junction with Western Road. Traffic lights have been removed, and Dyke Road made a priority (give way) junction. There are traffic light crossings for pedestrians on Western Road and North Street. This change has reduced waiting time for buses and pedestrians at the Clock Tower.
Figure 2.11 illustrates the changes to traffic routes. Traffic is no longer able to go from West Street to Dyke Road. Access to Queen Square is now to and from Dyke Road.
Red Routes were implemented in Spring 2024 on 2 key corridors with the city: the A23 and Lewes Road. Red Routes enforcement aims to deter illegal parking including in bus stops, to improve traffic flow and reliability of bus services.
There has been positive feedback from bus operators, cyclists and residents about the new Red Routes on London Road and Lewes Road. They’ve made travelling in those areas safer and journeys less congested and more reliable.
Brighton & Hove City Council has an aim to ensure that all bus stops are accessible to all needs. Accessible bus stops are designed to be clear of obstructions and easy for all users to board and alight. They should also provide accessible information to passengers.
Using BSIP funding, Brighton & Hove City Council is currently undertaking a project to improve up to 30 bus stops to this accessibility standard, with ambitions to continue this work if future funding is available. This involves installing Kassel kerbs, to allow the bus to pull in closer to the footway and make boarding easier for those with mobility issues. The other primary focus is installing dropped kerbs so that passengers are more easily able to access the bus stop platform. Figure 2.13 shows a comparison from an earlier accessibility project that demonstrates the accessibility standard this current project will meet.
BSIP funding was used to install new living-roof shelters in Churchill Square, which is a key destination along Western Road, the main bus corridor in the city centre. The new shelters offer an improved waiting space for bus passengers and include a dedicated space for wheelchair users alongside bench seating. They are fitted with solar panels in addition to the living-roofs which contributes to net zero targets.
BSIP funding was used to install new living-roof shelters in Churchill Square, which is a key destination along Western Road, the main bus corridor in the city centre. The new shelters offer an improved waiting space for bus passengers and include a dedicated space for wheelchair users alongside bench seating. They are fitted with solar panels in addition to the living-roofs which contributes to net zero targets.
The council’s parking enforcement contractor employ a team of Civil Enforcement Officers (CEO’s) and the council also has a network of cameras monitoring the city’s bus lanes, and by extension, the newly implemented red routes. As part of the BSIP an additional CEO has been in place since November 2022. In 2023 to 2024 the council spent approximately £6 million on parking enforcement.
Figure 2.15 shows the bus operators fleets, broken down by emission standard, operating wholly or partly in Brighton & Hove in 2021 compared against that operating in October 2024. In 2021 approximately 58% of the bus fleet was Euro VI or better. In October 2024 approximately 86% of the bus fleet was Euro VI or better. Most of the fleet is used on frequent bus services. Some buses are also used for events and rail replacements.
This improvement has been influenced by the bus Ultra Low Emission Zone standard Euro VI minimum requirement introduced 2019, that aimed for 100% by 2024. This partnership approach between the local authority and bus operators shows a joint commitment to improve air quality for all:
Based on data provided by operators. Where vehicles have received conversions, they are categorised according to their current classification.
Brighton & Hove Buses have invested in 44 brand new ADL Enviro400 MMC Euro VI buses which entered service in 2024. These buses were allocated to the popular Coaster routes and to the brand new 1X Express Service.
Brighton & Hove Buses have invested in 44 brand new ADL Enviro400 MMC Euro VI buses for 2025. They will replace the buses on the Regency routes, increase to service on the 1X Express route and 12X Coaster route. All the new buses include two wheelchair bays.
Compass Travel have invested in 11 brand new ADL Enviro200 MMC Euro VI buses. The new vehicles will replace all buses operated by Compass in the Brighton & Hove area. The implementation of these new vehicles is planned for the summer of 2025.
Brighton & Hove Buses operate a fleet of 54 ADL Enviro 400ER buses which run in geo fenced zero emission mode when they enter the city’s Ultra Low Emission Zone. These buses have operated on a variety of routes throughout the city since they joined the fleet between 2019 and 2020.
Brighton & Hove City Council, working in partnership with Brighton & Hove Buses, submitted a bid for the Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas (ZEBRA) 2 scheme. In March 2024 the Department for Transport announced that we had been awarded £2.9 million in funding to introduce 16 electric buses and the required charging infrastructure. The buses are scheduled to be in operation from March 2026. A further 2.2 million has been awarded with 13 electric buses scheduled for Autumn 2026.
The new electric buses will be deployed on Route 7, Route 6 and partial conversion of routes 5, 5A, and 5B.
Brighton & Hove Buses have invested £12 million to rebuild their depot in Conway Street to allow for Electric Vehicle operation.
The council participates in the NHT public satisfaction survey each year. This is undertaken by Ipsos MORI and the University of Leeds Institute of Transport Studies for the NHT Network of authorities.
The responses for the public transport theme for Brighton & Hove are shown in Figure 2.16.
|
Indicator |
Brighton & Hove score | NHT average | Gap from NHT average | Brighton & Hove City Council rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quality and cleanliness of buses | 66% | 61% | 5% | 20 |
| Personal safety at bus stops | 65% | 60% | 5% | 20 |
| Raised kerbs at bus stops | 69% | 63% | 6% | 11 |
| The accuracy of information | 60% | 51% | 9% | 3 |
| Ease of finding the right information | 58% | 48% | 10% | 2 |
| Frequency of bus services | 72% | 51% | 21% | 1 |
| The state of bus stops | 64% | 54% | 10% | 3 |
| Personal safety on the bus | 70% | 65% | 5% | 22 |
| Information about accessible buses | 56% | 46% | 10% | 5 |
| Number of bus stops | 79% | 64% | 15% | 2 |
| Whether buses arrive on time | 60% | 48% | 12% | 4 |
| How easy buses are to get on and off | 79% | 69% | 10% | 2 |
| The local bus service overall | 69% | 54% | 15% | 1 |
| Bus fares | 52% | 54% | -2% | 40 |
| Information to help people plan journeys | 64% | 53% | 11% | 2 |
| Reliability of electronic display info | 65% | 47% | 18% | 1 |
| Helpfulness of drivers | 72% | 66% | 6% | 10 |
| The clarity of information | 62% | 51% | 11% | 1 |
| Provision of public transport info | 63% | 49% | 14% | 2 |
| The amount of information | 62% | 50% | 12% | 1 |
| Local bus services (overall) | 71% | 54% | 17% | 1 |
| Local bus services (aspects) | 70% | 47% | 23% | 2 |
| Public transport information | 54% | 33% | 21% | 2 |
| Community transport | 58% | 54% | 4% | 21 |
| Provision of bus stops | 92% | 85% | 7% | 6 |
| Responsive transport | 57% | 51% | 6% | 10 |
| Public transport information (aspects) | 61% | 50% | 11% | 1 |
The results show Brighton & Hove performs well in comparison to other areas across most criteria and performs better than the average score in all criteria other than fares which are perceived to be high. Additionally, Brighton & Hove was recognised as being the top performer for public transport themes in the 2024 NHT survey.
Brighton & Hove City Council also takes part in the Your Bus Journey survey conducted by Transport Focus. This survey has more regular reporting periods and is used by the council to internally monitor bus passenger satisfaction.
In relation to improving customer satisfaction, our majority operator, Brighton & Hove Buses, have extended their hours for customer service call handling with the support of BSIP funding. Managed locally in the city, the extended hours are from 6am to 7am and from 7pm to 10pm. During these additional hours, an average of 92 calls a month are received and 1165 tickets are resolved.
Compass Travel have also introduced extended customer service hours using the same BSIP funding. These extended hours allow Compass Travel customer service to operate from 6am to 10pm Monday to Friday, and 8am to 10pm Saturday and Sunday.
These extended hours in which Brighton & Hove Buses support customers with queries aim to improve the experience of passengers using the bus network. This is something which is supported by the high level of passenger satisfaction shown in Figure 2.16.
This section gives and overview of the schemes and proposals that are planned for 2025 and the proposals for schemes beyond 2025. Section 5 includes a more detailed overview including estimated budgets for the proposed schemes.
The programme for financial year 2025 to 2026 was approved at a Cabinet Meeting on the 20 March 2025. The ambitions and proposals for beyond 2025 will be informed by using measurable outcomes and building on the success of schemes that have been delivered.
Service enhancements to commercial services and enhancing supported services improves the service level of buses. Partnership working with neighbouring local authorities on service enhancements allows passengers greater flexibility and freedom when travelling to and from Brighton & Hove for work and leisure.
Enhancing supported services improves bus services in areas that are not served by commercially viable bus services. Identifying and implementing interventions on routes which will benefit from improvements to frequency of services and improved punctuality. Suggested future focus on improving night services will improve safety and allow passengers further flexibility and freedom when travelling within Brighton & Hove. There will be exploration into the feasibility of orbital bus routes which, if implemented, would see better connectivity between suburban areas in Brighton & Hove.
A city-wide Red Routes strategy is to be developed which builds on the success of the Red Routes scheme delivered in 2024. Bus priority schemes have been developed in consultation with operators and Buswatch. The outcomes of these schemes will be measured after the successful delivery of these schemes.
The current BSIP fare offers have been very popular, and these will be continued into 2025 to 2026. There have been requests for more fare offers which could help residents with the rising cost of living in the city. There is ongoing forecast work around the feasibility of any further offers, and they are subject to budgetary constraints. Multi-operator ticketing is being developed by Project Coral and the council is engaging with this process. This includes ambitions for multi-modal ticketing. Related joint marketing campaigns between Brighton & Hove City Council and bus operators will continue beyond 2025, with the aim of attracting more people onto bus services in the city.
Older bus shelters are being replaced to ensure that passengers have a comfortable and safe place while they wait for buses. A programme of accessible and safe bus stops is being implemented which will allow passengers with mobility issues to board and alight buses more easily. Brighton & Hove Buses has opened and maintains a travel hub in a central location some of the services that are included are:
The RTPI displays are currently being replaced with new LED displays which offer more departure lines, and additional accessibility improvements such as push-button audio announcements of upcoming departures. Going forward, we have ambitions to expand our existing portfolio of displays to further locations subject to funding. Wayfinding maps at strategic locations are due to be delivered later in 2025 the purpose of which is to encourage visitors to the city to travel to areas of interest throughout Brighton & Hove.
A continued delivery of the Better Buses for All scheme which aims to identify barriers to accessibility and equality on bus services in Brighton & Hove.
Brighton & Hove are recognised as an exemplar operator in this area and are engaged with the sharing of best practice for all bus operators in the city. The process will involve extensive and continued engagement with community groups. Safe walking routes to bus stops are to be developed. A programme of safe and accessible bus stops is currently being implemented. Improving passenger safety is a key ambition for bus services in the city. Brighton & Hove City Council and all bus operators are working together to support the prevention of Violence Against Women and Girls campaign with the aim to implement supportive measures on services in the future.
The Bus Passenger Charter will be reviewed annually and agreed with bus operators.
Electric buses transition through the Zebra 2 scheme.
A BSIP Accessibility Study was undertaken to identify areas where there are high journey times for residents to access key services and employment. Key interventions that have been suggested are exploration of further express services that would potentially run beyond the city boundaries, bus priority measures, service enhancements, and new bus routes. The approach will be to measure progress at intervals by repeating this exercise after the successful delivery of BSIP Schemes and interventions.
Additionally, implementing a Park & Ride service that is an attractive and viable alternative to parking in the city centre is being explored by Brighton & Hove City Council. The implementation of this will be subject to feasibility.
A joint project with West Sussex County Council improving frequency and operational hours improvements on the 273 and 17 routes, better connecting nearby settlements into the city centre by bus.
Target delivery date - 2025
Budget and estimated cost (£k) - low, joint funding with West Sussex County Council
Continued support for socially necessary services which fill gaps in the commercial network and ensure all residents have a high-quality provision of public transport (16,47,52,37/37B).
Target delivery date - 2025
Budget and estimated cost (£k) - high
Continued support for the socially necessary 77,78,79 bus services to the South Downs, including year-round weekday services to key educational destination at Stanmer Park. Drives equality of access to key leisure destination for residents and visitors.
Target delivery date - 2025
Budget and estimated cost (£k) - low
Continued support for a socially necessary service, which links an underserved corridor into the city centre.
Target delivery date - 2025
Budget and estimated cost (£k) - medium
Revenue support continuing the success of the 1X with higher frequency operation, as well as support for a developing network of express routes across the city, supporting faster journey times and punctuality, as well as delivering more capacity on the overall network, which will drive patronage growth particularly in suburban areas.
Target delivery date - 2026
Budget and estimated cost (£k) - high
Improvement of punctuality on Route 23, 24, 26, 46, and improvement of frequency on Route 28, which will provide a more reliable service for passengers.
Target delivery date - 2025
Budget and estimated cost (£k) - medium
This will re-open high-frequency bus stops which have been closed due to warping of the surface, returning the convenience of services to passengers who can board and disembark closer to where they desire.
Target delivery date - 2026
Budget and estimated cost (£k) - low
Upgrading bus stops across the city to provide dropped kerbs, ramps, layout improvements and crossing facilities, making bus travel easier for more residents.
Target delivery date - 2026
Budget and estimated cost (£k) - low
Improvements to passenger information at key bus stop locations including Churchill Square and Valley Gardens.
Target delivery date - 2026
Budget and estimated cost (£k) - low
Supporting new BSIP schemes, existing BSIP schemes, and upskilling operators of contracted services to increase patronage.
Target delivery date - 2026
Budget and estimated cost (£k) - low
Marketing campaign encouraging modal shift towards sustainable transport.
Target delivery date - 2025
Budget and estimated cost (£k) - low
Keeping operator customer service open earlier in the morning, later in the evening and on weekends, improving passenger experience.
Target delivery date - 2025
Budget and estimated cost (£k) - low
Continuation of project identifying and installing bus detection technology at key junctions to improve journey times on busy corridors.
Target delivery date - 2026
Budget and estimated cost (£k) - low
A feasibility study to look at how this junction could be improved to reduce bus journey times and improve reliability including accessibility improvements resulting in benefits to all road users.
Target delivery date - 2026
Budget and estimated cost (£k) - low
Delivery of red route on the B2066 and bus boarding improvements at the junction with a contribution to implementation if agreed to proceed. The scheme could reduce bus journey times and improve reliability including accessibility improvements resulting in benefits to all road users.
Target delivery date - 2026
Budget and estimated cost (£k) - low
Feasibility study for the red route on A2010 with a contribution to implementation if agreed to proceed. The scheme could reduce bus journey times and improve reliability including accessibility improvements resulting in benefits to all road users.
Target delivery date - 2026
Budget and estimated cost (£k) - low
A feasibility study to look at how this junction could be improved to reduce bus journey times and improve reliability including accessibility improvements resulting in benefits to all road users.
Target delivery date - 2026
Budget and estimated cost (£k) - low
Reinforcement of the carriageway on key high-frequency bus corridors will improve passenger safety and comfort, and guarantee against future lane closures. On A23 Preston Park, Western Road, Valley Gardens.
Target delivery date - 2026
Budget and estimated cost (£k) - high
Continuation of £6 day citySAVER and £25 week citySAVER offers to drive affordability for regular travellers and patronage growth.
Target delivery date - 2025
Budget and estimated cost (£k) - low
Continuation of £6 cap on daily Tap-On, Tap-Off travel in the city and South Downs / £25 cap on weekly Tap-On, Tap-Off in the city and South Downs to drive affordability for regular travellers and patronage growth.
Target delivery date - 2025
Budget and estimated cost (£k) - medium
Continuation of free accompanied U19 travel / 50p unaccompanied U19 off-peak travel for U19s, supporting families with cost of living and driving patronage growth.
Target delivery date - 2025
Budget and estimated cost (£k) - high
Continuation of discount to selected one-stage trip fares down to £1, supporting residents with the cost of living.
Target delivery date - 2025
Budget and estimated cost (£k) - low
Budget remainder to spent on either a reduction in the £2.80 fare stage, student fare offers, or other fare offers, dependent on emerging reimbursement forecasts for other fare offers.
Target delivery date - 2025
Budget and estimated cost (£k) - medium
Feasibility study by consultants, identifying policy and strategy as well as further priority areas for red routes.
Target delivery date - 2025
Budget and estimated cost (£k) - low
Assists in targeted BSIP marketing schemes which would encourage bus usage to residents and visitors, and informs the outcomes of the Wayfinding Maps Scheme by indicating which bus shelters to prioritise.
Target delivery date - 2025
Budget and estimated cost (£k) - low, joint Funding with VisitBrighton and Brighton & Hove City Council internal
Study to be undertaken by consultants, exploring the feasibility and viability of bus reform in the city following the Bus Services Bill.
Target delivery date - 2025
Budget and estimated cost (£k) - low
Work undertaken with support from consultants to determine optimal locations for park and ride in the city.
Target delivery date - 2025
Budget and estimated cost (£k) - low
Continuation of Better Buses for All equalities research project.
Target delivery date - 2025
Budget and estimated cost (£k) - low
Reimbursement and forecasting for fare offers, allows these projects to run.
Target delivery date - 2026
Budget and estimated cost (£k) - low
Additional resource requirement to manage the BSIP programme effectively.
Target delivery date - 2026
Budget and estimated cost (£k) - low
To fund additional staff who lead on ZEBRA2 and BSIP projects, who are being trained and upskilled to deliver existing and future schemes. This includes the BCoE public transport course and exam.
Target delivery date - 2025
Budget and estimated cost (£k) - low
ZEBRA2 Award: Purchase of 16 new electric vehicles and associated depot upgrades, progressing the decarbonisation of the network and preparing depots for further transition.
Target delivery date - 2026
Budget and estimated cost (£k) - low, contributions from the DFT ZEBRA2 Scheme, Brighton & Hove City Council, and Brighton & Hove Buses.
Enforcement officer tasked with monitoring problem parking and waiting areas, until July 2025 as Red Routes have replaced the need for this.
Target delivery date - 2025
Budget and estimated cost (£k) - low
Operators Grant, allocated to our non BSIP funded supported services, which are our open school bus routes.
Target delivery date - 2025
Budget and estimated cost (£k) - low
The ultimate aspiration is for bus services in the city to be faster than travelling by car when taking account of the time taken to queue and park.
Targets for journey times are:
The baseline for measuring the target is the last full year before the COVID-19 pandemic. A pre-pandemic figure has been used as the baseline as this reflects more typical traffic conditions and bus use.
Targets for reliability are as follows:
The target increase is based on 2018 to 2019, the last full year before the pandemic, when 80% of services ran on time. A pre-pandemic figure has been used as the baseline as this reflects more typical traffic conditions and bus use.
Targets for passenger growth are subject to the further development of LTP5. This will set targets for each mode of transport to achieve the council’s aim of a carbon neutral city by 2030. The following targets will be updated accordingly in the next version of the BSIP.
Customer satisfaction levels are already high in many areas; however, it is important to maintain these and, where possible, increase them. As summarised in Section 2, the council has taken part in the National Highways and Transport (NHT) satisfaction survey for many years. As this includes measures of satisfaction with bus services and is already funded, it is proposed to continue to use this measure going forward.
This section sets targets for improvements to bus services and how they are monitored. The general themes around journey times, reliability, passenger growth and customer satisfaction reflect guidance from the DfT.
| 2018 to 2019 | 2019 to 2020 | 2020 to 2021 | 2021 to 2022 | 2022 to 2023 | 2023 to 2024 | Target 2024 to 2025 | Target 2029 to 2030 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | 1.2% increase | 5% reduction | 10% reduction |
Calculated as an average of all unchanged routes for the scheduled time taken for a bus to complete its route. A23 and A259 to be reported separately.
| 2018 to 2019 | 2019 to 2020 | 2020 to 2021 | 2021 to 2022 | 2022 to 2023 | 2023 to 2024 | Target 2024 to 2025 | Target 2029 to 2030 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 49.9 | 48.6 | 15.1 | 30.5 | 38.8 | 41.1 | 5% increase on 2018 to 2019 | 10% increase on 2018 to 2019 |
Passenger journeys on local bus services within Brighton & Hove as per the statistics within "Passenger journeys on local bus services by local authority" BUS01e dataset published annually by the Department for Transport
| 2018 to 2019 | 2019 to 2020 | 2020 to 2021 | 2021 to 2022 | 2022 to 2023 | 2023 to 2024 | Target 2024 to 2025 | Target 2029 to 2030 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 81.8% | 80% | 88% | 83% | 82% | 75% | 85% | 90% |
Percentage of bus services running “on-time” as per the listings within the ‘Bus reliability and punctuality (BUS09)’ dataset published annually by the Department for Transport. *Data for 2022 to 2023 and 2023 to 2024 has been confirmed with the Department for Transport and these figures will be published in a future update to the BUS09 dataset.
| 2018 to 2019 | 2019 to 2020 | 2020 to 2021 | 2021 to 2022 | 2022 to 2023 | 2023 to 2024 | Target 2024 to 2025 | Target 2029 to 2030 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 73% | 74% | 74% | 72% | 71% | 73% | 80% | 80% |
Figures shown are from the National Highways and Transport satisfaction survey. This survey will continue to be used as a measure of future satisfaction.
| 2018 to 2019 | 2019 to 2020 | 2020 to 2021 | 2021 to 2022 | 2022 to 2023 | 2023 to 2024 | Target 2024 to 2025 | Target 2029 to 2030 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N/A | 41% | 45% | 39% | 52% | 60% | 60% | 60% |
The ultimate aspiration is for bus services in the city to be faster than travelling by car when taking account of the time taken to queue and park.
Targets for journey times are:
The baseline for measuring the target is the last full year before the COVID-19 pandemic. A pre-pandemic figure has been used as the baseline as this reflects more typical traffic conditions and bus use.
Targets for reliability are:
The target increase is based on 2018 to 2019, the last full year before the pandemic, when 80% of services ran on time. A pre-pandemic figure has been used as the baseline as this reflects more typical traffic conditions and bus use.
Targets for passenger growth are subject to the further development of LTP5. This will set targets for each mode of transport to achieve the council’s aim of a carbon neutral city by 2030. The following targets will be updated accordingly in the next version of the BSIP.
Customer satisfaction levels are already high in many areas; however, it is important to maintain these and, where possible, increase them. As summarised in Section 2, the council has taken part in the National Highways and Transport (NHT) satisfaction survey for many years. As this includes measures of satisfaction with bus services and is already funded, it is proposed to continue to use this measure going forward.
This section provides an overview of the schemes that are planned for 2025 and beyond using BSIP funding.
Name of authority: Brighton & Hove City Council
Franchising or Enhanced Partnership (or both): Enhanced Partnership initially; however, options for franchising being considered
Date of publication: June 2025
Date of next annual update: To be confirmed
URL of published report: To be confirmed
| Title of scheme or proposal | Estimated cost |
|---|---|
| Service Enhancements | High |
| Franchising feasibility study | Low |
| Continued support for Enhanced Supported Services | High |
| Roadworks co-ordination | Medium |
| Title of scheme or proposal | Estimated cost |
|---|---|
| Bus stop strengthening | Medium |
| Sustainable Corridor Reinforcement | High |
| A259 White Horse Rottingdean | Medium |
| A2010 Queens Road: North Road to North Street | Medium |
| Bus detection at signals | Medium |
| Red Routes | Medium |
| B2123/Woodingdean Crossroads Improvements | High |
| Title of scheme or proposal | Estimated cost |
|---|---|
| Continuation of current BSIP Fare Offers | High |
| Various fare offers subject to budget availability | To be confirmed |
| Title of scheme or proposal | Estimated cost |
|---|---|
| Multi-operator ticketing via Project Coral | To be confirmed |
| Multi-modal ticketing | To be confirmed |
| Title of scheme or proposal | Estimated cost |
|---|---|
| Unified and good quality bus information for passengers | To be confirmed |
| Continuation of BSIP Marketing | Low |
| Continuation of Bus Stops Map Scheme | Low |
| Title of scheme or proposal | Estimated cost |
|---|---|
| Customer satisfaction surveys | Low |
| Extended operator customer service hours | Low |
| Title of scheme or proposal | Estimated cost |
|---|---|
| Electric buses transition through the ZEBRA 2 scheme | Low |
| Title of scheme or proposal | Estimated cost |
|---|---|
| Travel hubs | To be confirmed |
| Upgrade to RTPI | Medium |
| Continuation of accessibility and equalities scheme | Low |
| Safe walking routes to bus stops | Low |
| Accessible and safe bus stops | Medium |
| Transport Safety Officers | To be confirmed |
NBS objective - Longer term network transformation
| Title of scheme or proposal | Estimated cost |
|---|---|
| Park & Ride | To be confirmed |
| New bus routes | To be confirmed |
| Express Services | High |
| Title of scheme or proposal | Estimated cost |
|---|---|
| Replacement bus passenger shelters | Medium |
The following stakeholders who are members of the Enhanced Partnership and regular attendees of the Enhanced Partnership Meeting were invited to comment on the BSIP Programme for 2025:
Key organisations in the list below commented and helped to shape the original BSIP which was published in 2021. We have expanded the list for future engagement to include more organisations and aim to formally seek their views for the development of future BSIP programmes to improve bus services within the city. They will also be kept informed about the outcomes of the BSIP Programme for 2025 to 2026.
Business
Community and Voluntary Sector
Education
Emergency services
Equalities and accessibility organisations
Government departments and neighbouring authorities
Transport Organisations