{{Short description|Bus route in England}} {{EngvarB|date=June 2017}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2017}} {{Infobox bus line |number = Coastliner 700 |logo = File:700 Coastliner logo.jpg |image = YX23OPP, Commercial Road, Portsmouth, August 26th 2023.jpg |caption = Alexander Dennis Enviro400 MMC in the current Coastliner livery in Portsmouth in August 2023 |bgcolor = #006BB5 |titlecolor = #FFFFFF |operator = Stagecoach South |vehicle = {{Plainlist| *Alexander Dennis Enviro400 MMC *Alexander Dennis Enviro400 (formerly) *Alexander Dennis Enviro300 (formerly) *Alexander ALX400 (formerly)}} |pvr = 51<ref group=Note name=Note01/> |predecessors = Route 31 |night = Route N700 |start = Brighton |via = Hove, Shoreham-by-Sea, Worthing, Durrington, Goring-by-Sea, Littlehampton, Wick, Bognor Regis, Chichester, Havant, Portsmouth |end = Portsmouth |length = {{convert|56.8|mi|km}} |level = Daily |frequency = 12 minutes (Mondays-Saturdays)<br/>15 minutes (Sundays)<ref name="Uplift">{{cite web |url=https://www.stagecoachbus.com/promos-and-offers/south/worthing-changes-2025 |title=Changes to bus services in Littlehampton and Worthing |website=Stagecoach |date=2025-04-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250430014234/https://www.stagecoachbus.com/promos-and-offers/south/worthing-changes-2025 |archive-date=2025-04-30}}</ref> |time = 4 hours 20 minutes |map = {{Coastliner 700 map|inline=y}} }} '''Coastliner 700''' is a bus service operated in West Sussex and south east Hampshire, England, by Stagecoach South between Brighton and Portsmouth via Hove, Shoreham-by-Sea, Worthing, Durrington, Littlehampton, Wick, Bognor Regis, Chichester, Havant, and Portsmouth with a daytime frequency of every 12 minutes on Mondays to Saturdays; the service runs every 15 minutes on Sundays.<ref name="Uplift" /> The route has its own livery and is usually operated with double-decker buses.<ref name=newlv>{{cite web|publisher=Transport Illustrated|title=Hants & Sussex Part 1|url=http://transport-illustrated.blogspot.com/2011/02/hants-sussex-part-1.html|accessdate=24 August 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120331044125/http://transport-illustrated.blogspot.com/2011/02/hants-sussex-part-1.html|archive-date=31 March 2012|url-status=live}}</ref>
==History==
[[File:Stagecoach South Downs 27649 GX10 KZB.JPG|thumb|Coastliner 700 liveried Alexander Dennis Enviro300 at The Hard Interchange, Portsmouth in October 2010 showing the Coastliner 2010–2015?) logo]] [[File:STAGECOACH South East - Flickr - secret coach park.jpg|thumb|Alexander Dennis Enviro400 bodied Scania N230UD in Worthing in May 2016 showing the 2014-2021 Coastliner logo]] The route was introduced in 1975, as the 'Stagecoach 700'<ref name=newlv /> operated by Southdown Motor Services, a subsidiary of the state-owned National Bus Company (NBC). A similar route numbered 31 had existed since the 1920s, but was broken up into shorter routes in the early 1970s to improve reliability; the 700 initially ran as a limited stop service to avoid the same reliability issues.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Osborne|first=Julian|title=Plus ca change, as they say in Worthing|journal=Buses|issue=719|date=February 2015|page=36}}</ref> It was operated by ECW bodied Bristol VRs and Charles H Roe / Park Royal bodied Leyland Atlanteans. Southdown became an independent operator following the privatisation of NBC in 1986, and was taken over by the Stagecoach Group in 1989.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Kraemer-Johnson |first1=Glyn |last2=Bishop |first2=John |title=The Heyday of Southdown |publisher=Ian Allan Publishing |year=2003 |isbn=0711029199}}</ref><ref name=C&BW>"All change" ''Coach & Bus Week'' issue 1137 15 May 2014 pages 23–25</ref>
In 2006 the route, by now operated by the Stagecoach South division, was upgraded as part of a partnership between Stagecoach and several local authorities led by West Sussex County Council.<ref name=C&BW/> The partnership, initially marketed as "coastal fastway", included the introduction of new vehicles and electronic passenger information systems with the aim of increasing passenger numbers by 50% in five years. The upgrade provoked some criticism from Derek Deedman, county councillor for the Bramber Castle area, for failing to include benefits to other services linking the coast to towns such as Steyning.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.wscountytimes.co.uk/news/local/horsham_blamed_over_bus_failure_1_819297 |title=Horsham blamed over bus failure |work=West Sussex County Times |date=3 February 2006 |access-date=14 March 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304004108/http://www.wscountytimes.co.uk/news/local/horsham_blamed_over_bus_failure_1_819297 |archive-date=4 March 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref>
Further upgrades, initially centred on Shoreham-by-Sea before being extended to the section of route between Worthing and Brighton, were announced in 2009, including bus priority measures at busy road junctions.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.sussexexpress.co.uk/news/local/all_aboard_for_ride_on_the_coastal_expressway_1_1510389 |title=All aboard for ride on the Coastal Expressway |work=Sussex Express|date=18 February 2009}}</ref> By 2010 the service carried four million people per year;<ref name=TheNews>{{cite news |url=http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/news/local/east-hampshire/south_coast_bus_travel_gets_a_green_upgrade_1_1248666 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130421021711/http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/news/local/east-hampshire/south_coast_bus_travel_gets_a_green_upgrade_1_1248666 |url-status=dead |archive-date=21 April 2013 |title=South coast bus travel gets a green upgrade |work=The News |date=2 March 2010 }}</ref> in 2012, this figure was 4.9 million.<ref name=BRO>[http://www.bognor.co.uk/news/local/passengers-to-gain-from-more-buses-on-major-service-1-6029848 Passengers to gain from more buses on major service] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150122151444/http://www.bognor.co.uk/news/local/passengers-to-gain-from-more-buses-on-major-service-1-6029848 |date=22 January 2015 }} ''Bognor Regis Observer''</ref> Stagecoach introduced new vehicles in March 2010.<ref name=TheNews/>
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, with individual buses having livery related to a certain town along the route, and slogans such as 'We took the Coastliner 700 to fun and fashion'.<ref name=newlv/><ref name=brandsurgery>{{cite web|title=The Brand Surgery|url=http://www.thebrandsurgery.co.uk/blog/2011/06/digital-marketing-campaign-is-a-royal-success/|publisher=The Brand Surgery|access-date=9 February 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303213827/http://www.thebrandsurgery.co.uk/blog/2011/06/digital-marketing-campaign-is-a-royal-success/|archive-date=3 March 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref><!-- This *IS* a reliable source, it has photographs and references to other sites. So don't go getting rid of it quoting WP:SPS, because that policy isn't valid here. Thanks. -->
Since May 4th 2014, the Coastliner has been split into three services. One route runs between Brighton and Littlehampton, with the services extending to Wickbourne, just North of Littlehampton, another between Littlehampton and Chichester and a third between Bognor Regis Chichester and Portsmouth.<ref name=BCB>[http://www.busandcoachbuyer.com/coastliner-700-improved/ Coastliner 700 improved] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150122152222/http://www.busandcoachbuyer.com/coastliner-700-improved/ |date=22 January 2015 }} ''Bus & Coach Buyer'' 17 April 2014</ref> Other changes made at the same time included a higher frequency of service between Chichester and Portsmouth and between Littlehampton and Arundel, and the introduction of later evening journeys.<ref name=BRO/><ref name=C&BW/> * '''700''': Brighton - Worthing - Littlehampton/Arundel * '''700''': Littlehampton - Bognor Regis - Chichester * '''700''': Bognor Regis - Chichester - Havant - Portsmouth
Since April 2017, the Coastliner service no longer serves the tourist town of Arundel. Instead, the town is now served by an hourly service Number 9 from Arundel to Littlehampton, Shoreham-by-Sea, and Holmbush Shopping Centre. This connects with the Coastliner at Littlehampton.
* '''9''': Arundel - Littlehampton - Angmering - Worthing - Shoreham-by-Sea - Holmbush Centre
* '''700''': Brighton - Worthing - Littlehampton - Wick * '''700''': Littlehampton - Bognor Regis - Chichester * '''700''': Bognor Regis - Chichester - Havant - Portsmouth
At the end of May 2021, Stagecoach applied their new yellow and gold 'long distance' brand to Coastliner buses and their associated publicity.<ref>{{Cite tweet |user=StagecoachSouth |number=1395412191134760963 |title=A new brighter look for #Stagecoach Coastliner 700 buses running between #Portsmouth #Havant #Chichester #BognorRegis #Littlehampton |access-date=28 May 2021}}</ref>{{needs update|date=June 2023}}
Since 2023, all Coastliner services from Portsmouth terminate at Chichester and connect with separate Coastliner services between Chichester, Bognor Regis, Yapton and Littlehampton. The service is now operated with buses in a light blue livery based on Stagecoach's 'local' livery instead of yellow and gold 'long distance'.
Since 6th April 2025, the service has been split further, with the 3 routes becoming 4 routes: * '''700''': Brighton - Worthing - Durrington * '''701''': Lancing - Worthing - Littlehampton - Wick * '''700''': Littlehampton or Yapton - Bognor Regis - Chichester * '''700''': Chichester - Havant - Portsmouth
The Coastliner service no longer serves the villages of Ferring and East Preston. These villages are instead served by a half hourly service 11 from Worthing to Littlehampton via Goring-by-Sea, Ferring, East Preston and Rustington.<ref>{{cite web|title= Changes to bus services in Littlehampton and Worthing |url=https://www.stagecoachbus.com/promos-and-offers/south/worthing-changes-2025?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR7TMUZ0ly9SU64bvmyAm2bOQ4t5izNyRIUqZzoDUxR-jrGyAuFYFNuiU5YKUg_aem_5yqwg6e4GXxADqNZi_aUHg |publisher=Stagecoach|access-date=7 April 2025}}</ref> This connects with the Coastliner at Littlehampton.
==Vehicles== The route is operated with a peak vehicle requirement of 51<ref group=Note name=Note01/> buses from three Stagecoach depots in Worthing, Chichester and Portsmouth.{{citation needed|date=June 2023}} Since 2023, the route is operated using branded Alexander Dennis Enviro400 MMCs, 30 of which were delivered in 2018 to run on the service between Littlehampton and Brighton due to Brighton's low-emission zone,<ref>{{Cite tweet |user=StagecoachSouth |number=998587307904131072 |title=Launching the new #Stagecoach #Coastliner 700 buses in #Brighton city centre with guests from @BrightonHoveCC & Brighton Area Buswatch |access-date=9 November 2022}}</ref> and 22 more featuring a revised Coastliner livery scheme being delivered in June 2023.<ref>{{cite web|last=Peat|first=Chris |url=https://www.busandcoachbuyer.com/stagecoach-rolling-out-22-enviro400s-on-coastliner/ |title=Stagecoach rolling out 22 Enviro400s on Coastliner |work=Bus & Coach Buyer |date=23 June 2023 |access-date=23 June 2023}}</ref>
Previously, the route was operated by Alexander Dennis Enviro400 and Alexander Dennis Enviro300 vehicles, which were delivered between 2010 and 2014.- whilst in 2014 newer batch of Scania Enviro 400s came to the 700 <ref name="TheNews" /><ref name=newlv/><ref name=BRO/><ref name=BCB/>
18510 - 18527 delivered in 2006 (Dennis Trident) 15585 - 15605 delivered in 2010 (Scania Enviro400) 27642 - 27663 delivered in 2010 (Enviro300) 15982 - 15993 delivered in 2014 (Scania Enviro400) 10941 - 10970 delivered in 2018 (Enviro400 MMC)
==See also== * The Wave, another South Coast route running from Dover to Eastbourne
==Notes== {{reflist|group=Note|refs= <ref name=Note01>Includes the singular additional service from Bishop Luffa School to Havant on school-day afternoons.</ref> }}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{commons category-inline|Coastliner 700 (bus route)}} * {{Official website|https://www.stagecoachbus.com/promos-and-offers/south/unpublished-coastliner}}
700 Coastliner Category:Bus routes in Brighton and Hove Category:Transport in Portsmouth Category:Transport in West Sussex Category:1975 establishments in England