A Battle Lost Before It Started!
Back in May, Stagecoach made a tentative incursion into the domain of GoAhead's Brighton and Hove Buses territory. 
With much excitement the company introduced an hourly service between Brighton and Eastbourne via the University campuses at Falmet. 
This was a route not followed exactly by any B&H service.
It was not clear what Stagecoach's motive might have been, but the most optimistic bus watcher would opine that Stagecoach were just putting a very small toe into this very well served bus water.
Maybe the occasional use of single deck vehicles was prophetic?
B&H services appear on the map below.
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Following a longer but possibly more entertaining route via the Uni(s), service 28, part of the Regency brand) ...
... offers two through journeys and a short working every hour.
But the coastal route 12 network has developed fantastically over the years. It is now branded Coaster ...
... and just look at the timetables.
There is a 20 minute service sort of fast, plus another 20 minute frequency wiggling around Newhaven, with a further 20 minute headway terminating at Seaford.
fbb has ridden a 12 all the way and it is a gorgeous ride and very well used!
You would have to pour in a huge amount of resources if you really wanted to compete.
Anyway, in a massive shock revelation (NOT!) stagecoach has announced that it will be withdrawing its 701.
You would never have expected Stagecoach's hourly service to fail as it feebly competed with eight buses an hour between Brighton and Eastbourne from GoAhead (B&H).
And GoAhead didn't have to lift a fuel cap to respond!
Next Torquay mini blog : Sunday 20th Oct
Of course before about 2005 the 12 (and most of the 28/29) belonged to Stagecoach, before they pulled out of the area first time around.. perhaps if they’d realised the potential of these services then instead of clearing off, they wouldn’t be trying to get a bit of that business back?
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