In response to complaints from residents facing extended wait times in freezing December temperatures due to overnight resurfacing, Brighton and Hove Buses has introduced two extra shuttle bus services. The move comes as a response to the challenges encountered by locals during the closure of Warren Road in Woodingdean.
The road resurfacing initiative, initiated on December 4, mandated a nightly closure of Warren Road from 8 pm to 6 am until December 20. As a result, buses on routes 2 and 22 were diverted along the A259. To mitigate the impact on the community, Brighton and Hove Buses initially funded an additional shuttle service.
However, the initial shuttle from Rottingdean, scheduled to depart at 9:10 pm, left some residents waiting for an extended 70 minutes. Responding to the inconvenience faced by the community, the bus company swiftly implemented changes to the schedule, ensuring two additional services from 8 pm. One of these services commenced from opposite the White Horse pub in Rottingdean at 8:05 pm.
The commercial director at Brighton and Hove Buses acknowledged the disruption caused by the resurfacing work and assured that efforts were underway to minimize the knock-on effects on routes 2 and 22. He explained, “Initially, we funded an additional shuttle to make sure the community was not cut off, but following feedback from our passengers, we have been able to improve the evening service with immediate effect to close the gap.”
Despite the adjustments to alleviate the inconvenience, the road closure remains in effect on weekdays, excluding the overnight hours at weekends. Residents will still have access overnight to reach driveways and adjoining roads. Additionally, the resurfacing work will pause on December 14 when a Europa League football game is hosted at the Amex Stadium in Falmer.
Woodingdean councillor Jacob Allen expressed dissatisfaction with the responsiveness of the bus company, stating, “Efforts to seek answers from the bus company have proven challenging this week. It is my hope that they can learn from this episode and develop contingency plans for similar works that may impact other parts of the city in the future.”
The additional shuttle services, funded by Brighton and Hove Buses, aim to address the challenges faced by residents during the road resurfacing project. A new timetable reflecting these changes was expected to be available on the bus company’s website from the night of the announcement, providing commuters with the updated information needed to plan their journeys during the ongoing construction period.
