The council plans to supports services on routes that bus companies say are not commercially viable. It also plans to extend existing services to areas and times that the bus companies do not cover.

Entire routes that will be supported include the no. 47 from Brighton Station to Saltdean and the no. 56 from Knoll Estate to Patcham and specific journeys on school days to enable children to get the bus to Cardinal Newman, Patcham, Longhill and Hove Park schools.

Councillor Geoffrey Theobald, chairman of the Environment Committee said, “I’m delighted that the city council is able to support bus services in this way.

“More people across the city will now be able to use buses which means less car journeys and less isolation for those who have no other means of transport.”

The tenders for the services are advertised in the European Journal, a local paper and a trade publication to ensure that the most competitive price is obtained. The contracts are let on a four yearly basis and these contracts will begin in September 2008.