Residents say a bus company has "failed" them badly over recent months.

Brighton and Hove City Council has stepped in to help The Big Lemon after cancellations and late running services.

Councillor Trevor Muten, cabinet member for transport, parking and public realm, said the services provided by the bus company are a “lifeline” that cannot be allowed to fail.

He said the council will give The Big Lemon, which also operates in Bristol and Bath, more funding to help with the issues while also starting a retendering process for the routes.

Tom Druitt, chief executive of The Big Lemon, said the company, which provides services with electric buses, had been experiencing issues with one of its suppliers resulting in a shortage of vehicles.

He said the company has had to bring in six more vehicles at its own expense.

Colin Morris, The Big Lemon’s general manager, said the company has taken a temporary measure to reintroduce diesel buses back into service.

The Big Lemon runs the 16/16B Hangleton to Portslade, 47/47A Hangleton to East Saltdean and the 52/52A Patcham to Woodingdean.

“We’ve heard from residents that the service provided by The Big Lemon and subsidised by the council has failed badly over recent months,” Cllr Muten said.

“These services are very important to the communities they serve, helping to link people with friends, family, workplaces as well as shops, GP surgeries, schools and hospitals, which is why we’ve now stepped in.

“They’re a lifeline we cannot allow to fail.

“Problems with The Big Lemon’s fleet have caused cancellations and late running buses, especially in the evening. But we believe we’ve found a solution which will mean the return of good, reliable services.

“With agreement from the Department for Transport, we’re going to be using funding from our Bus Service Improvement Plan to provide additional funding to The Big Lemon so that they can address their failures in service. At the same time, we will get underway a retendering of this contract which will take place early next year.”

Mr Druitt said the company is “fully engaged” with the upcoming retendering process and looks forward to the opportunity to "continue providing sustainable transport options for Brighton and Hove".

“At The Big Lemon, we are committed to providing sustainable and innovative public transport solutions,” he said.

“In 2022, we were proud to be the first independent operator in the UK to run all our services with electric buses, showcasing our dedication to environmentally friendly transport.

“Unfortunately, this year we have encountered significant challenges due to issues with one of our key suppliers.

“These issues have resulted in a shortage of vehicles, which has unfortunately impacted the reliability of our services.

“Despite these difficulties, we have taken all the steps we can to address the situation, including bringing in six additional vehicles at our own expense. However, the costs of running these services have exceeded £400,000 beyond the funding provided by the council since April 2023.

“This level of expenditure is unsustainable for a community-focused organisation like ours, so we have presented the council with a solution that will help us remove our reliance on the problematic supplier and restore reliable services for our passengers.

“We remain committed to working closely with the council and our partners to ensure that we continue to serve the community effectively, and we welcome the additional funding that will help us deliver the service our passengers deserve.”