New Year’s Day Bus Service For Hailsham Residents

Working with Hailsham Town Council and other parishes in the Wealden district, local bus operator Cuckmere Buses has stepped in again to fill a big gap in the seasonal timetables over the festive break.

Hailsham Town Council, along with Polegate Town Council and Heathfield & Waldron Parish Council, is part-subsidising the cost of running a special service on New Year’s Day on Cuckmere Buses route 50 from Heathfield to Eastbourne via Hailsham and Polegate.

Cuckmere Buses, which is run entirely by volunteers was concerned that Hailsham would be left without any public transport on 1^st January 2016, as the commercial bus companies normally serving the town do not operate on this day, leaving Hailsham residents without a transport link to Polegate train station or Eastbourne town centre.

The number 50 service will start operating from Heathfield at 9.35am (Hailsham 9.57am and Polegate 9.06am) and hourly until its last return journey at 17.40 from Eastbourne.

This is the fifth consecutive year that Cuckmere Buses has run this special bus service.

Barry Marlowe, lead member of the Wealden Bus Alliance said: “We are delighted that Hailsham Town Council is supporting Cuckmere Buses New Year’s Day service again, which will enable people to visit friends and loved ones in neighbouring towns, allow bargain hunters to reach Eastbourne town centre easily to do a spot of shopping, or just to simply to go for a festive pint in Hailsham town centre.”

“This service is vital for those who will use it and I’m delighted to hear about the positive feedback received from passengers who used the service in previous years, expressing their delight and thanks to the volunteer drivers.”

Town Clerk John Harrison said “It’s a privilege for Hailsham Town Council to support this essential service financially and the Town Council will continue to work with Wealden Bus Alliance, Cuckmere Buses and other local bus operators to help provide public transport services aimed at benefiting everyone locally.”

Cuckmere Buses Managing Director, Philip Ayers, said: “Cuckmere Buses is really pleased to be able to serve its local communities by providing this important service at a time when commercial operators are not running. We know from previous years how much the service is valued and we hope that passenger numbers will increase again as people get used to the fact that it is there.”

“A big thank you to the three Parish and Town Councils, including Hailsham, for supporting this service — and to our volunteers for giving up their New Year’s Day to run it!”

Full details of the New Year’s Day number 50 service are available now on the Cuckmere Buses website (www.cuckmerebuses.org.uk) and via the Wealden Bus Alliance’s website: www.wealdenbus.org.uk.

Demand for the Cuckmere Buses service means that additional volunteer drivers are needed. If you are over 25 years of age, able to offer your services and would like more information on volunteer training opportunities, contact Philip Ayers on 01323 870920 or John on 07802 305155.