A 24-hour bus service is being planned for Brighton and Hove.

The all-night route would link Hove station with Brighton Marina, seven days a week.

Brighton and Hove Bus and Coach Company is planning to make the No 7 route a round-the-clock service to run from Hove Station via Seven Dials, Brighton Station, Churchill Square, Old Steine, through Kemp Town to the Royal Sussex County Hospital and the marina.

The first bus on the No 7 route currently leaves Hove station at 5.27am and the last leaves Brighton Marina at 11.39pm. They would run every seven minutes during the day and every half hour throughout the night if the plan is approved.

It has the full backing of Brighton and Hove City Council.

Leader Ken Bodfish said: "This will be excellent for the whole city. I hope it will be the first of a series of all-night bus routes going through Brighton and Hove.

"Such routes already work well in London. It will compliment our excellent taxi service and encourage more people to use public transport."

It is hoped the new service would be included in the autumn timetable.

However, the company is in talks with drivers, who are paid a basic £8 an hour for day-time work but who want to be paid a night rate of time-and-a-half if the service goes 24-hour.

Negotiations over wages would have to be resolved before the scheme goes ahead.

Managing director of Brighton and Hove Bus and Coach Company Roger French said: "We are having talks on this but at present we have no comment to make.

"We hope to make an announcement shortly."

Wednesday August 11, 2004