Small no longer beautiful for Eastbourne’s bus services

The demise of what was claimed to be the world’s oldest municipally-owned bus company, Eastbourne Buses, highlights the difficulties of the small, independent bus operator in a sector dominated by a handful of giants

Late last year bus giant Stagecoach bought Eastbourne Buses, bringing to an end 105 years of independent operation for what had been the world’s oldest municipally-owned bus company. Passengers in Eastbourne are now, therefore, getting to grips with a revised network, in some cases higher fares and the promise of £1.5m of investment in ‘greener and cleaner’ vehicles.

Eastbourne Borough Council, however, is understood to be heaving the most enormous sigh of relief at...

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