As part of the changes, the popular Coastliner buses will run in two sections – 700 between Durrington and Brighton and 701 between Littlehampton and Lancing, taking a faster route to avoid delays at level crossings. A new service 11 will run between Worthing and Littlehampton through Ferring and East Preston.
Over the last year Stagecoach South has engaged with local authorities and Network Rail to highlight delays caused by level crossings at Roundstone and Ferring, which close the road for more than 30 minutes each hour. With no alternative way to avoid delays to bus customers, the company has taken the difficult decision to route fewer buses over the crossings to try and reduce the number of buses getting stuck.
"We’re committed to delivering a bus network that meets the needs of our passengers and the wider community," said James O’Neill, Commerical Director, at Stagecoach South, "These changes have been designed with bus customers in mind, focusing on reliability, connectivity, and accessibility. We know we need to improve services and reduce the number of buses running late. We look forward to hearing feedback from local residents to ensure we’re providing the best possible service."
The new route 701 will operate from Wick to Lancing, passing through Littlehampton, Rustington, Goring, Worthing, and Worthing Hospital. Running every 15 minutes on weekdays and Saturdays, and every 20 minutes on Sundays, this route will provide a direct service to Worthing Hospital and faster connections between Littlehampton to Rustington, Goring to Worthing. The route will replace the current Pulse service beyond Worthing to Lancing. Passengers can change at Worthing Marine Parade to connect to the 700 for travel to and from Brighton. Through tickets will be available for passengers needing to transfer between routes 700 and 701.
Route 11 will connect Littlehampton, Rustington, East Preston, Ferring, Goring, and Worthing. This service will run every 30 minutes on weekdays and Saturdays and hourly on Sundays. Starting from Littlehampton, it will pass through Beaumont Park to Rustington Shops before following the current 700 route to Worthing.
The new 700 route will run from Durrington to Brighton via Worthing and Shoreham. With an increased frequency of every 12 minutes on weekdays and Saturdays, and every 15 minutes on Sundays, this route will ensure more buses are available between West Durrington and Worthing. Passengers travelling between West Durrington, Shoreham and Brighton will benefit from a direct connection, and transfers between the 700 and 701 at Durrington Tesco will be supported by through tickets.
In addition to these changes, Stagecoach is introducing other improvements across the network. Route 5 will change to serve the growing West Durrington estate, with stops on Celandine Road and Cornfield Way. Later evening services will run until after 23:00 on weekdays and Saturdays, and after 21:00 on Sundays. This route will no longer run along Carisbrooke Drive but will continue to serve stops on Romany Road. Route 10 will now offer an hourly Sunday service, with a revised timetable to improve reliability. Passengers on this route can transfer at Tesco for service 5 to or from Adur Avenue and Broadwater.
These changes reflect Stagecoach’s commitment to providing more buses at the right time and place, while minimising disruptions.
Customer Feedback
Stagecoach is eager to hear from customers about these planned improvements. Passengers are encouraged to complete a short survey to share their thoughts on the proposed changes. The survey, as well as further information about the upcoming changes can be accessed here: stagecoachbus.com/promos-and-offers/south/worthing-changes-2025
These changes are designed to create a more efficient, reliable, and accessible network, ensuring that Worthing’s bus services are fit for the future. Stagecoach looks forward to working closely with the community and hearing your feedback.