Transport in Brighton and Hove

The public transport in Brighton and Hove (on the south coast of England) has a history dating back to 1840. Today it has a major railway station, an extensive bus service, a large number of taxis, coach services, a Bus Rapid Transit system under construction and in the past it has had trolley buses, ferries, trams, auto rickshaws and hydrofoil services.

Air

Shoreham Airport is located just outside of Brighton and Hove, providing general aviation and some commercial aviation. The city is also not far away from London Gatwick Airport.

Rail

Currently-operating railway Stations in Brighton and Hove are:
*Brighton
*Hove
*Aldrington
*Portslade
*Preston Park
*London Road
*Moulsecoomb

Brighton railway station was opened in 1840 [cite book|title=The Growth of Brighton and Hove 1840-1939|author=Sue Farrant] by the London and Brighton Railway, which also established one of the first railway-owned locomotive works (now the New England Quarter). The station provides fast and frequent connections to Gatwick Airport, several London main-line stations, Luton Airport and Bedford and also to Ashford International.

Regular services also operate via Bristol to Wales, and to Birmingham and Manchester (once to Dundee as the "Sussex Scot").

The express London Victoria service takes 51 minutes today, compared with one hour in 1910, 80 minutes in 1859 and up to two hours when the service began in 1841. This line's initial permanent way will soon form a walkable "Greenway" from the original platform location (below the current station, off Trafalgar Street) through the New England Quarter development and over the 1841 bridge over New England Road [cite web|url=http://www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/downloads/bhcc/planning/new_england_quarter/Brightonstationsite-April05.pdf|title=Briefing note - new England Quarter April 2005|accessdate=2007-04-25] .

In addition to the main line to London, Brighton railway station has connections to Shoreham-by-Sea (1840) via the West Coastway Line, and Lewes (1846) by the East Coastway Line. The original Hove Station (1840–80 then 1905–32 called "Holland Road") was located at the junction of Davigdor, Holland and Cromwell Roads. The current Hove station site opened as "Cliftonville" in 1865 and was joined to the London main line in 1879 by the "Cliftonville tunnel".

Other stations within Brighton, with opening dates, are London Road railway station (1877), which is nowhere near the named road, but between Ditching Rise and Springfield Road; Moulsecoomb railway station (1980); [Collett, Graham (ed.) (1988). "Surrey and Sussex by Rail", p.29. Jarrold and Sons Ltd, Norwich. ISBN 0-7117-0331-0] and Falmer railway station (1846; moved to its present site nearer Brighton in 1890), [Mitchell, Vic and Smith, Keith (1985). "South Coast Railways - Brighton to Eastbourne", plate 42. Middleton Press, Midhurst. ISBN 0-906520-16-9] all on the East Coastway Line. On the Brighton Main Line, non express London trains stop at Preston Park railway station (opened as "Preston" in 1869).

Former lines

From 1869 until 1932 (and for freight until 1971) there was a line ( [http://maps.live.com/?v=2&cid=31316D119EDACD31!158&encType=1 view map] ) to the Kemptown area of Brighton: "Lewes Road railway station" (actually on Mayo Road 1873–1932), "Hartington Road Halt" (1906–11) and the terminus, Kemp Town railway station and goods yard. The entire line is closed and only the tunnel under Elm Grove remains (can be seen from the Freshfield Industrial Estate and below the Elm Grove Primary School), and the commemorative locomotive sculpture on the Bingo Hall on Eastern Road (corner of Park Street). The Hughes Road Industrial Estate, Freshfield Industrial Estate, Enterprise Point and Bonchurch Road Park now occupy the track alignment, and the bricks from (and alignment of) the "Lewes Road viaduct" were reused for the Sainsbury's store at the Vogue Gyratory which has retained a viaduct theme.

There was formerly a branch line from Aldrington station (then "Dyke Junction"), to Devil's Dyke ( [http://maps.live.com/?v=2&cid=31316D119EDACD31!131&encType=1 view map] ). This ran between 1887 and 1939 and the old track is now used as a footpath and cycle track north of the Hangleton estate as far as the clubhouse of the Devil's Dyke golf-course. Briefly at the beginning of the 20th century a steep grade funicular railway took visitors to the bottom of the dyke itself and a cable car spanned the space above it. Remnants of the concrete piers used to support the cableway can still be seen on opposite sides of the dyke. There was also a station, "Rowan Halt" near Rowan Avenue from 1932–38 [cite web|url=http://www.snowing.co.uk/sias/articles/branch_7.htm|title=Sussex Branch Lines - Two Branches and a Siding|accessdate=2007-08-07] and a stop on the city border at the "Golf Club Halt".

Volk's

Volk's Electric Railway, created in 1883, runs along the inland edge of the beach from the Palace Pier to Black Rock. It is the world's oldest operating electric railway.

Between 1894 and 1901 there was another electric railway, also created by Magnus Volk: the "daddy long legs" [cite web|url=http://www.urban75.org/railway/brighton-sea-railway.html|title=Volk's Electric Railway, Daddy Long Legs, The Brighton to Rottingdean Seashore Electric railway, Brighton, East Sussex, England, UK|accessdate=2007-04-29] used tracks laid out under the sea, avoiding the need to build a viaduct. The carriage had tall iron legs and carried the passengers above the waves. This ran from specially constructed piers at the Banjo Groyne to Rottingdean. It was never able to withstand stormy weather, and after several collapses and reconstructions, and final insurmountable problem of changes to the sea defences, it was abandoned. Remnants of its concrete foundations can sometimes be seen along the route at low tide between the Marina and Rottingdean.

Buses

Brighton and Hove Bus and Coach Company (merged into the Go-Ahead Group in 1993) operates a local bus service with approximately 300 buses ( [http://www.buses.co.uk/bustimes/areawide.pdf map of routes] ). The former Brighton "Blue Buses" company dated back to the 1880s, and was taken over by Brighton and Hove in 1997. The council and bus company run a [http://www.citytransport.org.uk/bus.html city-wide real-time bus information service] [cite web|url=http://www.citytransport.org.uk/|title=Traffic and travel information for Brighton & Hove|accessdate=2007-08-19] . There is a regular half-hour night-bus service on routes N7, N25, N69, N98 and N99. Most buses bear names of famous local people.

The "metro routes" (10 buses an hour or more) are:

* 1: Whitehawk to Mile Oak (pictures: [http://www.buses.co.uk/history/fleethist/pics1.htm 1] [http://www.buses.co.uk/history/fleethist/pics1a.htm 1A] [http://www.buses.co.uk/history/fleethist/pics1b.htm 1B] )
* 5: Hangleton to Patcham and Hollingbury (pictures: [http://www.buses.co.uk/history/fleethist/pics5.htm 5] [http://www.buses.co.uk/history/fleethist/pics5a.htm 5A] [http://www.buses.co.uk/history/fleethist/pics5b.htm 5B] )
* 7: Hove to Brighton Marina (pictures: [http://www.buses.co.uk/history/fleethist/pics7.htm 7] )
* 25: Hove and Marina to Universities at Falmer (pictures: [http://www.buses.co.uk/history/fleethist/pics25.htm 25] )
* 49: East Moulsecoomb/Lower Bevendean to Portslade Station (pictures: [http://www.buses.co.uk/history/fleethist/pics1a.htm 49] )

The other routes include the 2 Shoreham to Rottingdean; 8 London Road loop; 11X Hove Town Hall to Thistle Hotel; 12/13 to Eastbourne; 14 to Newhaven; 14C to Peacehaven; 16 Hangleton to Portslade; 20 to Steyning; 21 Marina to Open Market; 22 to Woodingdean; 24 to Hollingbury; 26 to Hollingbury Asda; 27 Westdean/Hangleton to Coombe Vale; 28 to Ringmer; 29 to Uckfield & Tunbridge Wells; 37/38 Meadowview to Bristol Estate; 46 Hollingbury to Southwick; 50 to Hollingdean; 77 to Devil's Dyke and 81 Goldstone Valley to Open Market [cite web|url=http://www.buses.co.uk/frameset.html?bustimes/busindex.html|title=Brighton and Hove : Buses Essential Travel for our City|accessdate=2007-08-11] .

The Stagecoach Group (through its Stagecoach South division) operates a frequent service (route 700) westwards along the south coast under the "Coastliner" brand name ( [http://www.stagecoachbus.com/timetables/700CoastlinerMapweb.pdf Route map] ).

Countryliner Coaches operate two complementary hourly services, which together give a half-hourly frequency on the core section of the route:
Churchill Square to the West Sussex village of Cuckfield; and Royal Sussex County Hospital to Princess Royal Hospital, Haywards Heath

Metrobus runs two services from Churchill Square to Haywards Heath (Sundays only) and to Crawley (Mondays to Saturdays).

The City Council operates shuttle bus services on weekdays from eastern parts of the city (such as Woodingdean and Whitehawk) to three educational establishments: City College, Varndean College and Brighton, Hove and Sussex Sixth Form College (BHASVIC). A flat fare of 50p per journey is charged. There are two journeys in the morning and two return journeys in the afternoon. [http://www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/index.cfm?request=c1115108 Details]

The Council is also involved in a "door-to-door" bus link scheme covering the whole city. A company called "Community Transport (Brighton, Hove and Area) Ltd", incorporated in 1991, operates the service on behalf of the Council. Specially adapted buses with passenger lifts or ramps for wheelchairs are used at all times, and journeys can be booked by telephone. [http://www.bhct.co.uk/ Company website]

Bus Rapid Transport System

In 2007 the council approved a Bus Rapid Transport System. The £12 million transport project will cut journey times across Brighton and Hove by up to a third.cite web
url=http://www.theargus.co.uk/search/display.var.1305605.0.transport_project_will_cut_journey_times.php
title=Transport Project Will Cut Journey Times (from The Argus)
accessdate=2007-04-25] cite web
url=http://www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/downloads/bhcc/transport/rapid_transport_report%5b1%5d.pdf
title=Brighton and Hove City Council - Major Scheme Business Case - Rapid Transport System
accessdate=2007-04-25] . Two lines ( [http://maps.live.com/?v=2&cid=31316D119EDACD31!325&encType=1 map] ) will be created with stations at:

*Park and Ride, A23
*Preston Park
*Brighton Rail Station
*Clock Tower

One line will then visit:

*Royal Pavilion
*American Express, Edward Street
*Hospital, Eastern Road
*Brighton International Arena, Brighton Marina

The other will visit:

*Conference Centre/Pier
*i360, Hove Seafront
*King Alfred

(a £40 million extension to Shoreham and Newhaven has been pencilled in for 2015).

From Brighton Railway Station, the Rapid Transport system will use:

¹ on existing roads
² in bus lanes (with camera enforcement)
³ newly constructed roadway

Taxis

The city is served by a large number of taxis, operated by a variety of companies and individual drivers. Those which may be hailed on the street are painted in a standard white and aquamarine livery; private hire cars are not required to follow this colour scheme. The unified scheme for Brighton and Hove taxis pre-dates the conjoining of the two towns into one city.

The oldest taxi company in the city is Streamline Taxis, formed in 1936 as a co-operative association. Its members were individual vehicle proprietors, who operated independently but for whom an association of this type would be mutually beneficial. Each member paid a fee to join the association and a regular subscription fee to cover running and administrative costs. The association was governed by a committee of elected members. This structure is still in place today, and the association now comprises approximately 170 vehicles and 350 licensed drivers.

Southern Taxis (Brighton) Ltd, trading as Brighton and Hove City Cabs, was established in 1962 and operates a fleet of approximately 180 vehicles and 250 licensed drivers.

414141 Carcabs Ltd, trading as Carcabs, are based in Portslade and operate throughout the Brighton and Hove city area and further west.

Brighton and Hove Radio Cabs Ltd are another large privately-owned firm, established in 1964 and based in the Seven Dials area of Brighton. Their present fleet comprises approximately 180 vehicles.

The city's two main taxi ranks are in East Street and at Brighton railway station.

Coaches

National Express operates coach services from Pool Valley coach station, near the Palace Pier. Coaches operate to London Victoria, Gatwick Airport, Eastbourne, Helston, Southampton, Exeter, Plymouth, Heathrow Airport, Stansted Airport.

Auto rickshaws

During summer months in recent years, a network of auto rickshaws operated (by Tuctuc Ltd) in Brighton and Hove. They operated like a bus service, following set routes and only intended to pick up at dedicated stops, and there was also a "dial-a-ride" taxi-like option. The routes ran from Brighton Marina to Hove Town Hall via Brighton railway station. [cite web|url=http://www.tuctuc.co.uk/|title=tuctuc|accessdate=2007-08-19]

The auto rickshaws, came in two sizes, were each painted in distinct styles, and powered by compressed natural gas.

Tuctuc Ltd have now ceased operating.

Trams

The first tramway in the Brighton area was the Brighton and Shoreham Tramway, which at its fullest extent ran from a terminus in Southdown Road, Shoreham to Westbourne Villas in Hove, on the former boundary between Hove and Portslade [Harley, Robert J. "Brighton's Tramways", Middleton Press, 1992. ISBN 1-873793-02-2.] . The tramway never penetrated Hove, although a connecting horse-bus (route 112, operated by the Brighton and Preston United Omnibus Company) was available from the Westbourne Villas terminus. Construction took place in 1883 and 1884; the route was opened throughout on 3 July 1884, initially with steam-driven trams. After this proved unsuccessful, other methods of propulsion were tried (including, in 1887, an early battery-powered locomotive) until horse power took over in 1893. The British Electric Traction company took over the operations in 1898, but was unable to agree with any of the local authorities on a strategy for electrification. The tramway was therefore horse-drawn until the end, on 6 June 1913.

Brighton Corporation Tramways [cite web|url=http://www.lokomotive.de/lokomotivgeschichte/dokumente/SKF/brighton_75.jpg|title=Trams outside the headquarters|accessdate=2007-08-19] operated an extensive network of routes in the first four decades of the 20th century. The first route to operate, from 25 November 1901, ran from the main terminus at the Aquarium (outside Brighton Pier) to Lewes Road, a major route to the north-east; other routes were quickly established, so that by 1904 its full extent had been established. The routes were as follows:

Routes B and D formed a loop which took approximately 30 minutes to navigate. Route B ran clockwise (via Beaconsfield Road first, then returning via Ditchling Road). A depot serving the whole network was established on Lewes Road, a short distance before the terminus; the Brighton and Hove Bus and Coach Company now uses the building as its main depot. Improvements in motor bus and trolleybus technology meant that by the 1930s, the tram system found it difficult to compete, and most of the network was replaced by trolleybus or motor bus routes in 1939. The last tram arrived at Lewes Road depot in the early hours of 1 September 1939 - two days before the start of World War II.

Distinctive timber shelters were built at many stops in the early years of the network. Some of these are still standing today [cite web|url=http://www.mybrightonandhove.org.uk/page_id__5651.aspx|title=Pictures of tram shelters|accessdate=2007-08-19] . The remains of the shelter on Lewes Road at the Vogue Gyratory can be seen in the "Kwikfit" store. Also some of the rails still exist beneth the road surfaces, since it would have been too costly to dig them out

Cycle routes

Brighton and Hove has a disjointed and incomplete cycle lane network. [cite web|url=http://www.weirdcyclelanes.co.uk/|title=The weird cycle lanes of Brighton|accessdate=2007-08-19]

References

External links

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