Three subidised bus routes will no longer be run by The Big Lemon after its contract came to an end and a different operator was chosen to take them on.
From Monday 31 March, the 16, 47 and 52 services will be operated by Compass Travel, which already runs the 37 and 37B buses.
Timetables and bus numbers will remain the same.
Compass Travel will also be deploying new buses fitted with technology designed to save fuel and significantly reduce emissions.
Although most routes in the city are run commercially – and most of them by Brighton and Hove Buses – a handful are subsidised by Brighton and Hove City Council.
The 16 provides the only link to Portslade town centre, health centre and railway station from Hangleton and Knoll.
The 47 links areas of Saltdean and parts of Hangleton & Knoll and Old Shoreham Road to the city centre, as well as Brighton Marina and the Royal Sussex County Hospital.
The 52 provides the only bus service in Ovingdean. It also provides the only link from some areas of Patcham and Hollingbury and parts of Woodingdean to the city centre, Brighton Marina, the Royal Sussex County Hospital and London Road shops
As well as running the services above, the 37 and 37B will also be improved.
Buses from Brighton railway station towards the Bristol Estate will run via Upper Gloucester Road, Buckingham Road and Dyke Road to the Clock Tower, where they will use the bus stop outside Imperial Arcade. This restores a link that had previously been lost.
Councillor Trevor Muten, Cabinet member for Transport, Parking and the Public Realm, said: “I’m delighted these services will operate under Compass Travel. They already operate buses around Brighton and Hove very successfully and it will be great to see their new fleet around the city.
“We know it’s important to residents that these routes are protected and remain in place for those who rely on them. They’re vital to the communities they serve, helping to link people with friends, family, workplaces as well as shops, GP surgeries, schools and hospitals.
“At a time when we are facing significant financial challenges, it’s also important this new contract provides a reliable service, offers value for money and is financially sustainable.”
Chris Chatfield, Managing Director of Compass Travel, stated: “We are delighted to expand our CityBuzz Brighton network and look forward to welcoming new passengers on board.
“By the end of July this year, all buses serving these routes will be brand-new Euro 6 vehicles, designed to the highest standards.
“These modern buses will feature bespoke seating, enhanced passenger lighting, USB power sockets at every seat, and advanced passenger information systems to better support those with additional needs.
“Additionally, Compass Travel is committed to reducing emissions in the city. All new vehicles will be equipped with cleaner diesel engines utilising stop/start technology, significantly lowering their environmental impact.”
Delighted to hear route 47 is preserved. Most important for those along the route.Perhaps two an hour might be considered? Would get more users I think.
More users – what research have you done to support this claim, please
I agree – I’d love to see more frequent 47s. And to be able to check them on the live timetable boards.
So Labour council replacing Big Lemon’s electric buses powered by solar with Compass Travel’s diesel.
Except, they mostly ran dirty 15 year old diesels. They had some electric busses but most were old bangers, you’d regularly see them filling up at the marina Asda station. Contract should never have been awarded in the first place, the CEO was a counsellor incharge of transport and won the contracts… Sounds like fraud to me. His only other contracts are in areas that voted green, says enough….
I also suspect that with the Gasworks’ future, their depot, being likely lost over the next few years, especially if the developer gets their way, Lemon’s days were numbered.
Karma comes back to bite ex Green councillor (and expenses fiddler) Tom Druitt and his not-so-green bus fleet
Its nothing to do with if Tom Druitt was in the green party it has nothing to do with politics , Its money that talks , I have worked for both companies and would pick Big Lemon first .
I’m really sorry to see Big Lemon go but relieved that these bus routes will still be kept.
Why give Compass the contract!
They run the 37 and 37b so unreliably.
Sometimes you can be left standing waiting for one of them for over an hour.
I don’t understand??? 🤔
It’s ridiculous that electric buses are being replaced by diesel ones in 2025. Especially considering The Big Lemon launched the UK’s first solar-powered electric bus in 2017 and is actively converting its entire fleet to electric, powered by solar panels on their depot roof. What kind of future is this council building? This is a classic case of profit over people.
Except half of the buses they ran were old diesels that filled up at ASDA and Sainsbury, and the battery buses had limitted range so needed 2 of them to provide the service that 1 diesel would do. The new buses are Euro6 ULEZ compatible.
The solar panels on the roof of the depot were only sufficient to power 2 of the 19 battery buses they owned so the statement that they were “solar powered” was just marketing spin by Tom Druitt (he says that he never claimed they were entriely solar powered).
The rest of the power just came from the grid and was just raw mains with a “solar” component, so on the same basis everything electric in the UK is “solar powered”.
I wanted today in town for the 47 at 12 40ish when the bus did come it was out of service I presume and drove straight past. I got on a 14 and once in rottingdean there was the 47 right in front of my bus totally a different colour bus so you missed out all Brighton and only worked from the marina totally unacceptable. For one bus and hour unacasabl. Discustin service
Compass buying new diesel buses, why? With the city’s air pollution adversely affecting human health and the climate crisis, surely taking on redundant, clean electric buses from The Big Lemon was the answer.
Except half the Big Lemon buses and all their coaches were diesel, and the new Compass buses are Euro6 ULEZ compliant.
Liked big lemon💛 sad to hear that they will go.
Brighton and Hove Council stopped Contract didn’t they with The Lemon Bus Company-so what will happen to the Buses that are down by Rock Place.
I like the 47 Route straight from Lidl to my Friends house in Hangleton-and hardly stop in Town or George St-just up North St towards Brighton Station & Seven Dials.
47 doesn’t go to Rottingdean does it, thought it went as far as Ovingdean into Woodingdean and back around to Marina, Lidl and then past Hospital into Town, Brighton Station into Hangleton.
Yes the 47 does serve Rottingdean and Saltdean. I think you’re thinking of the 52?
So here we go. The Big Lemon loses its brilliant service to Ovingdean etc. Drivers responding like its an old village to drop people off not at a bus stop but to where it helped them. to walk to there home. Will we have that again or a spitting answer,” we dont do that. “
Unless it was a “request drop off” part of the route Big Lemon shouldn’t have been doing it in the first place.
Backwards and bemusing ecision by the council is going to bite them as they are breaking tender law and reversing their net zero pledge.
How did the council break tender law?
The council’s commitment only applies to the 2% of the city’s carbon emissions that they are responsible for. They have no real affect on the other 98% so it’s basically another pointless vanity exercise that residents are wasting £10m per year on.
Indeed what “tender law” did the council break. Please cite the relevant section of the law.
Just because you don’t like thedecision doesn’t mean anything was done incorrectly.
mmm.. Chris C… is that you ‘Chatters’?
I have no Idea what you are talking about.
Gonna call BS on that one, fella.
Want to learn how to be less gullible?
Send £50 to ibelieveanything@paypal.com to find out how.
BHCC have gotten this so wrong in my view. The Big Lemon buses are about community, the drivers and passenger experiences have been amazing over the years. Very sad to see they are being replaced by Compass Travel, who are not fit for the contract, I see others on the routes they do have have issues.
This is an attack of community wealth based schemes for the private sector, and will leave a lot of people stranded. Where was the consultation with passengers who use the existing services.
Council should be cutting B&H Bus service funding not these essential and quality driven community bus services.
What funding should be council be cutting to B&H buses?
Please be specific.
why cant a ‘proper’ bus company run these services? (EG: Stagecoach or Brighton & Hove), BL and Compass are just loss making specialists running old crocks, and the drivers are mainly B&H / stagecoach rejects
Because (a) perhaps they didn’t bid or (b) if they did theirs wasn’t the lowest bid or failed to meet the contract terms.
Despite all the comments this was an open tender process. No one was out to get Big Lemon and they didn’t have the contract taken away either.
Hmmm, every experience I’ve had with compass has been negative. Drivers going straight past me with my hand out at correct stop on north street. Drivers missing out sections of the route when they feel like it. Buses not showing up and no way to get real time information. Need i go on? The Lemons were a tad better and drivers more reliable.
Shame that a company called Compass Travel is not honouring the (Amaze) Compass Card free travel that Big Lemon did, so a kick in the teeth for disadvantaged young people.