Coastliner 700
Encyclopedia
Coastliner 700 is a popular bus service operated in West Sussex
by Stagecoach in the South Downs between Brighton
and Southsea
. The route travels via Worthing
, Littlehampton
, Arundel
, Bognor Regis
, Chichester
, Havant
, and Portsmouth
; it also has its own livery. The general daytime frequency of the routes is every ten minutes, and the route is a popular tourist lifeline in the summer as it travels between major tourist destinations on the south coast. Double-decker bus
es are normally used to operate the route, although there are also single deckers. The route has its own website.
The service has had its own livery from the beginning. It began with a coloured strip along the side of the green Southdown bus; now it is the regular Stagecoach livery, blue, white, orange and red, with the route description on the side, and different buses having livery related to a certain town along the route, and slogans such as 'We took the Coastliner 700 to fun and fashion'.
In Brighton, the bus is often though of as a bit of a 'foreigner' or visitor to the rest of the buses in Brighton with their cream and red livery. It is the only bus route in the UK that stays so close to the shoreline throughout the whole route; for the majority of it the bus is on the very front, so that one could look out and watch the boats on the sea or the beach. It is operated from three Stagecoach depots, Worthing, Chichester and Portsmouth, and normally run with branded Enviro 400s and 300s.
. The Worthing Birdman competition at Worthing pier also attracts lots in the summer, as the route travels right along the road next to the promenade where it is held and takes people back to their various hotels and caravan sites, of which there are many in that region.
West Sussex
West Sussex is a county in the south of England, bordering onto East Sussex , Hampshire and Surrey. The county of Sussex has been divided into East and West since the 12th century, and obtained separate county councils in 1888, but it remained a single ceremonial county until 1974 and the coming...
by Stagecoach in the South Downs between Brighton
Brighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
and Southsea
Southsea
Southsea is a seaside resort located in Portsmouth at the southern end of Portsea Island in the county of Hampshire in England. Southsea is within a mile of Portsmouth's city centre....
. The route travels via Worthing
Worthing
Worthing is a large seaside town with borough status in West Sussex, within the historic County of Sussex, forming part of the Brighton/Worthing/Littlehampton conurbation. It is situated at the foot of the South Downs, west of Brighton, and east of the county town of Chichester...
, Littlehampton
Littlehampton
Littlehampton is a seaside resort town and civil parish in the Arun District of West Sussex, England, on the east bank at the mouth of the River Arun. It lies south southwest of London, west of Brighton and east of the county town of Chichester....
, Arundel
Arundel
Arundel is a market town and civil parish in the South Downs of West Sussex in the south of England. It lies south southwest of London, west of Brighton, and east of the county town of Chichester. Other nearby towns include Worthing east southeast, Littlehampton to the south and Bognor Regis to...
, Bognor Regis
Bognor Regis
Bognor Regis is a seaside resort town and civil parish in the Arun district of West Sussex, on the south coast of England. It is south-south-west of London, west of Brighton, and south-east of the city of Chichester. Other nearby towns include Littlehampton east-north-east and Selsey to the...
, Chichester
Chichester
Chichester is a cathedral city in West Sussex, within the historic County of Sussex, South-East England. It has a long history as a settlement; its Roman past and its subsequent importance in Anglo-Saxon times are only its beginnings...
, Havant
Havant
Havant is a town in south east Hampshire on the South coast of England, between Portsmouth and Chichester. It gives its name to the borough comprising the town and the surrounding area. The town has rapidly grown since the end of the Second World War.It has good railway connections to London,...
, and Portsmouth
Portsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
; it also has its own livery. The general daytime frequency of the routes is every ten minutes, and the route is a popular tourist lifeline in the summer as it travels between major tourist destinations on the south coast. Double-decker bus
Double-decker bus
A double-decker bus is a bus that has two storeys or 'decks'. Global usage of this type of bus is more common in outer touring than in its intra-urban transportion role. Double-decker buses are also commonly found in certain parts of Europe, Asia, and former British colonies and protectorates...
es are normally used to operate the route, although there are also single deckers. The route has its own website.
History
The route was introduced in 1975. Passenger numbers increased dramatically in the early 2000s, and by 2010 the service carried four million people per year. New vehicles were introduced by Stagecoach in March 2010.The service has had its own livery from the beginning. It began with a coloured strip along the side of the green Southdown bus; now it is the regular Stagecoach livery, blue, white, orange and red, with the route description on the side, and different buses having livery related to a certain town along the route, and slogans such as 'We took the Coastliner 700 to fun and fashion'.
In Brighton, the bus is often though of as a bit of a 'foreigner' or visitor to the rest of the buses in Brighton with their cream and red livery. It is the only bus route in the UK that stays so close to the shoreline throughout the whole route; for the majority of it the bus is on the very front, so that one could look out and watch the boats on the sea or the beach. It is operated from three Stagecoach depots, Worthing, Chichester and Portsmouth, and normally run with branded Enviro 400s and 300s.
Route
The service operates along the south coast, stopping at several landmarks, among which are Brighton Pavilion and Chichester CathedralChichester Cathedral
The Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity, otherwise called Chichester Cathedral, is the seat of the Anglican Bishop of Chichester. It is located in Chichester, in Sussex, England...
. The Worthing Birdman competition at Worthing pier also attracts lots in the summer, as the route travels right along the road next to the promenade where it is held and takes people back to their various hotels and caravan sites, of which there are many in that region.