Connex South Central, which runs rail services in most of Sussex, is making a determined bid to win the franchise again.

It has replaced managing director Geoff Harrison-Mee with Olivier Brousse, who appeared before a screen yesterday saying: "We could do better."

Connex is trying to solve the current problems of driver shortages, dirty trains and poor services by recruiting more staff and making sure they do their jobs properly.

It has also put in an impressive bid to the Strategic Rail Authority which would introduce new, faster trains on the Brighton line and reopen the Lewes to Uckfield line.

Rival Thameslink is also pledging immense improvements in services should it win the franchise.

Why are they so eager? Despite all the drawbacks, this franchise covers a swathe of the South East which as a whole is seeing unprecedented prosperity.

Train travel is booming as more people than ever want to visit places such as Brighton.

Even with investment programmes for each franchise of around £1.5 billion, the winner is likely to make plenty of money.

What the hard-pressed commuter wants to see are assurances that whoever wins will put all those promises into practice.

Homeless blow Boxer Chris Eubank was hailed a hero when he bought a large building in Brighton and converted it into a hostel for the homeless.

Now councillors are slating him because he is selling the property in Buckingham Place to a company which will convert the flats into privately-rented studios.

Chris Eubank has the freedom to do what he likes with his money and in selling his property investment he is doing nothing wrong.

But in the town with the worst housing problem in the South East outside London, he is delivering a knockout blow to the homeless.

Lovely loos The Hotel Peliroco in Regency Square and the Regency Tavern in Russell Square have something in common apart from being near to each other in Brighton town centre.

Both have been nominated for prizes in the Ultimate Loo Contest, commonly known as the toilet Oscars.

Pubs and hotels are often only as good as their loos, which in the case of these two establishments are excellent.

The contest will be harder than any paper either of them uses and the winner deserves to be flushed with success.