In answer to Mr Kennard's question about who pays for bus lanes (Letters, May 4), finance comes from the local transport plan budget, the amount the Government allows councils to borrow to provide transport schemes etc.

While welcomed, only a tiny percentage of this budget is actually used to help bus services keep the city moving and offering many people a realistic alternative to using the car.

As for being part of a big group, while there is little choice, Brighton and Hove Bus Company generally does an excellent job at providing bus services.

The profit figures it published before the last fare increase were surprisingly low, indicating it cross subsidises some of its more socially useful services from its more profitable services.

While this business model is unusual, it has contributed to continued growth of bus usage in the city, unlike much of the UK.

Also, if the bus company had to pay for improvements, it would be passed on to bus users through higher fares.

We have great hopes for the Rottingdean bus lanes but this is likely to be the last bus lane to significantly help conventional bus services.

We argue that much of the council's transport programme is image over substance, and more should be done to help bus services. This does not need to be at the expense of other road users.

We hope the newly elected councillors will continue to view bus services positively, and provide buses with the help they need.

  • Peter Elvidge, secretary Bus Users UK (Central Sussex) group Wish Road, Hove