#WestSussBus - finding out your views on the buses

Buses often late or not running, no buses Sundays or bank holidays or evenings. Buses in burgess hill are filthy, the windows, floors, grab rails, god knows how the bus driver sees out of the window. Massive infection risks for certain people that travel on the buses.

I live in Cowfold, and currently drive into Horsham for work 4 days a week. I would take the bus each day if the busses were more frequent. The risk of just missing a bus and having to wait an hour to get back is just too disruptive.

I totally agree with previous poster regarding 500 Service. The 500 Chichester-Littlehampton is sadly lacking a stop convenient for Chichester Sainsbury’s store and Portfield retail park.

The nearest stop to/from these stores is either side of Westhampnett Road - up by St James’ junction and is a 10-15 minute plus walk. It’s a similar length walk from Sainsbury’s to next nearest stop at Shopwyke in other direction. Too much with bags of shopping.

The current distance between the Westhampnett Road stops and the next nearest at Shopwyke is ludicrous and stops should be more frequent especially as this part of the route by Sainsbury’s/Portfield would be a destination for many.
I believe there is a bus stop close to Sainsbury’s on this route that is going unused by this seemingly very popular 500 service and would fall somewhere nearer to midway between the far apart stops of the present route.

Many agree with me that this appears to have been a rather obvious oversight in the planning of stops for this route.

The 501 Littlehampton Chichester service does not have a bus stop convenient for Sainsbuy's Chichester or Portfield retail park. This could be solved by, in both directions, the bus visiting the stop between the two Sainsbury's roundabouts.

Concerning Horsham Bus St. As the town expand's so is the need for an extension to the bus stn. There are not enough seat's for the elderly people and there are problem's with people waiting to board buses being blocked by those alighting. Some of the buses arrive at the same time and it can be a bit manic.We should go back to more school buses!

Whoever decided to renew the Bus Shelter in Stocks Lane, East Wittering did not do their homework first. The original shelter protected passengers from the weather whatever the wind direction, the new wooden shelter offers no protection from wind or rain in any direction. Today, Thursday 18th December was prime example of poor planning the Shelter Seat was sodden with rain water. Please can this 'well intentioned' error be corrected.

It would be so much more comfortable for everyone waiting for buses outside the old post office in Chichester if there were bus shelters. There are two on the cathedral side of the road and far fewer buses stop that side. It is very miserable waiting in the rain and wind for one of many different bus routes, especially when the bus you want is late or cancelled

The new 701 Lancing to Littlehampton route is excellent but as I no longer drive I have asked Stagecoach why they cannot stop at Sainsbury's Rustington where there is ALREADY a bus stop. It is used by Compass buses every half hour. Stagegecoach say it is not part of their route but the No. 11 stops at Asda Ferring and the No. 700 stops at Tesco Durrington. It would take them 2 minutes to stop there but it's a mystery. The next 701 stop is half way down Mill Lane Rustington which is a long walk back.

Hi, I was very disappointed that the bus I booked today cancelled at the last minute. I booked for 4.15 from Billingshurst station to Loxwood, having travelled from the Lake District! We arrived on time to discover the bus (which had shown as due to arrive at 4.09) had cancelled! My daughter and I had to stand in the cold and make another plan which meant a £21 fare with Jake’s Cars. This is so disappointing. We were excited when the service launched but so far, we hard had no luck using it. My daughter (age 16) has also tried a few times and it always gets delayed by up to an hour, so in each case she’s had to find another way to get there.

I’m keen to understand what the issues are and if this can be resolved going forward. Currently I definitely wouldn’t book the service again as it is totally unreliable.

Thank you,
Lucy Percy

The drivers are mostly horrible and think they are members of the military or the government.
Every once in a while you get one of the good 3 that exist.
I have myself been unable to get to work because the machine is not working and the driver thinks it is funny to leave somebody on the roadide, I have also seen them leave people that have challenges because they have a schedule to meet.

The 35a and 35c buses within Burgess Hill are being cancelled on a daily basis now. So, we stand waiting for a bus - it gets cancelled - so we wait another hour, and hope that one isn't cancelled too.

I’ve been commuting recently due to roadworks and today (7 October) is the second time in 4 working days that the 5.25 700 service towards Portsmouth hasn’t arrived until after 6pm.
At a key time for people travelling home after work this is extremely poor. We just want to get home and don’t mind a 10 minute wait but this disrupts our evening and causes not inconsiderable inconvenience.
Management needs to recognise that it’s a service, under contract, and not just a case of “we’ll send a bus when we fancy it”. There should be a clause for reduced fares for buses that arrive more than 10 minutes late and free if over 30 minutes. That might sharpen them up a bit.

The route between witterings & bracklesham to chi (52 & 53) is continuously late and cancelled at the last minute. I, like many others rely on the bus service, as it gets me to work, shops etc. but so often it is just cancelled at the last minute. Even more frustrating, is that since the bus stop has moved to the bus station, none of the bus drivers keep you updated with the bus’s time. Which, late at night feels completely unsafe. A journey costs £3 and it is terrible value for money. At this rate I’m tempted to just buy a car and add to the 100000s of other cars clogging up the birdham road. Why can’t this circular route be made reliable?

The bus service for children getting to school is unacceptable. It’s completely overcrowded with way more people than the registered allowable number. Kids have to sit on the stairs as there is no standing room. It doesn’t stop at Bishop Luffa on occasion without any warning and it’s regularly over 20 mins late. Even if it was a free bus it would be unacceptably unsafe. I have made a written complaint to Stagecoach and had no response.

My parents work in offices during the week, leaving me reliant on the book a bus service to get to and from school most days. In the past year that I’ve been using it, I’ve been picked up later than when my first lesson starts, or left to wait for an hour after I booked to pick me up at on numerous occasions. I’ve also had a few last minute cancellations. I know on-demand services aren’t easy to organise, but please, please sort this out!!

14:45 700 from chi cathedral - left me stranded, despite bus not being late, and passengers telling driver I was about to boatd. V annoyed

I have wanted to make use use of book a bus on a number of occasions. I think it is a useful service AS LONG AS YOU ARE NOT RELYING ON IT BEING ON TIME OR EVEN WITHIN THE 45 minute window. I booked a bus for today at 10.15 leaving from Lodsworth. The bus is now arriving in Lodsworth at approx 11.10, ALMOST AN HOUR LATE. I WILL NOT USE THIS ERVICE AGAIN AND I WILL OT RECOMMEND IT EITHER.

Absolute rubbish. Buses are so infrequent on many routes so that public transport is not working for the public's transportation needs. Currently standing at a bus stop outside Denhams, Warnham. Have been here since 10am and the next bus is not until 11.22. The bus shelter is filthy and filled with cobwebs. This is not a good service but I am trapped here as cannot even walk into the village as there is no footpath and it is a main road. Give us an adequate bus service which actually suits the needs of the people who might need to use it

Can you advise what progress has been made in reducing the ghost bus on info boards where buses disappear? I have asked this question before to WSCC but no effective response

Removed by moderator.