19 hours Ago
A new bus gate has been opened in West Durrington. Stagecoach South has introduced significant improvements to its services in the area, providing more frequent, reliable, and convenient journeys. These enhancements aim to strengthen connections between West Durrington, Worthing, and Brighton.
Service 700 will now run every 12 minutes during the day from Monday to Saturday and every 15 minutes on Sundays, offering a more frequent link between Durrington, Worthing, Shoreham, and Brighton. Additionally, Service 5 will run every 20 minutes Monday to Saturday, including later evening services, and every 30 minutes on Sundays, ensuring better accessibility for passengers at all times of the day. The introduction of the new West Durrington bus gate, used by Service 5, brings buses closer to where people live on the new estate and helps keep buses moving efficiently.
To mark the improvements to the bus network, a special launch event was held at the bus gate, bringing together key figures from the local community. Attendees included Stagecoach South’s Worthing operations manager, Mike Armitage, commercial director, James O’Neil, business development manager, Rob Vince, leader of Worthing Borough Council, Cllr Sophie Cox, Cllr Dom Ford, Cllr Mike Barrett, chairman for New West Durrington Residents Association, Terry Woodjett, alongside local residents from the community. The event celebrated the increased service frequencies and the introduction of the bus gate, highlighting the positive impact these enhancements will have on passengers.
Mike Armitage, operations manager for Stagecoach South in Worthing, said: "This is a fantastic step forward for public transport in West Durrington. "With more frequent services and a dedicated bus route, we are making it easier and more convenient for people to choose the bus. "We’re excited to see these improvements take shape and look forward to welcoming more passengers on board.
" West Sussex County Councillor Joy Dennis, cabinet member for highways and transport, said: "Bus travel has proven benefits both to communities and the environment. "It not only helps people stay independent and connected to their communities but also reduces carbon emissions and pollution associated with travelling by car. "As part of the council’s commitment to protecting the environment and enabling people to fulfil their potential, we have been making enhancements to bus services and bus infrastructure throughout West Sussex, including in West Durrington.
"These improvements, including bus stop enhancements and installations of real-time passenger info displays, are a great step towards making bus travel more attractive and offer a more environmentally-friendly way to travel. "We look forward to seeing more of these positive changes continued and see its impact on the local community." Dan Castle, managing director of Persimmon Homes Thames Valley, speaking on behalf of the West Durrington consortium, said: "As the developers for West Durrington, we are delighted to see the launch of this new bus service that we have funded to serve the estate.
"This will make a real difference to local residents living in the area and make it easier to get around. "A free day ticket has also been made available to make it even cheaper for residents to try the new service. "We’d encourage everyone living on the estate to take advantage of this offer which has been sent through the post.
" In addition to the bus gate, brand-new bus stops with real-time passenger information displays have been installed, further enhancing the passenger experience. Stagecoach South remains committed to providing high-quality, reliable, and accessible public transport services for the Worthing community, ensuring that local residents can travel with greater ease and convenience..
