A petition for a bus service to be introduced connecting Woodingdean to Falmer and Lewes has received more than 600 signatures in just over two weeks.
The petition was started by a Labour candidate standing for election in the Woodingdean ward in the local elections on 4 May.
It asks for a bus service to the north which would connect Woodingdean to Falmer Village, Falmer train station, the University of Sussex campus and Lewes Town.
Woodingdean currently has bus services connecting it to Rottingdean to the south and Brighton and Patcham to the west, but no northern service.
Jacob Allen, Labour candidate for Woodingdean said: “Woodingdean Labour have been calling for this service for years, as we know how vital public transport is for many in the village.
“The idea of a new route taking residents north to Falmer and Lewes has many excited, and is very popular on the doorstep.
“I can’t wait to be on that first service when we put it on after Labour wins in Woodingdean on 4 May.”
The petition, started on Tuesday, 4 April, has already gained 610 signatures from the public.
The petition be presented to the next meeting of the incoming Environment Transport and Sustainability Committee and at a meeting with the bus companies locally.
That would be great. All those students can then rent in Woodingdean as well!
As Jacob rightly says: Woodingdean Labour’s been advocating for this for years. The local, Conservative councillors expressed interest in getting it done (one of a few Woodingdean Labour pledges they adopted), but then didn’t bother once they’d won the previous election. I think the only policy they delivered on was the outdoor gym in Central Park; that was David Wilson’s idea and one of David & Sunny’s pledges. The rest though, the Tories just shelved once they’d gotten the votes. We desperately need better bus links in Woodingdean.
I don’t think that statement is strictly true, for years the Number 84 ran from Rottingdean to Falmer up until covid but was withdrawn for lack of use.
Mart, I’m not positive but I seem to remember that the 84 ran once in the morning at about 8 o’clock from Woodingdean to the uni and one returning in the evening at about 6 o’clock so it wouldn’t attract a lot of custom.
I assume that the petition is for a more regular service Lewes to Woodingdean.
Bear Road resident
I do remember the buses being every hour, I think it was the 85 and 85A, they used to go from Whitehawk Garage, Wilsons Avenue, into Woodingdean on the 2 route and out like a 22, then round to Falmer Station, then along Lewes Road back to Whitehawk and the other went the other way round.
Due to lack of use they changed it to what we had then cut the times down even more but gone since covid hit.
Would probably need to serve Falmer Stadium. Could use the bus route number 57