A bus company is heading for the bright lights after being nominated for the industry's most prestigious awards.

Brighton and Hove Buses has been nominated for the 'Bus Oscars', along with two Sussex community bus services.

Late services, cancellations and cutbacks are forgotten at the Bus Industry Awards, which reward initiative among operators.

The Brighton and Hove Bus and Coach Company has been nominated in two sections of the marketing initiative categories for successfully encouraging teenage passengers with bus ID cards through special offers.

Eighty per cent of teenagers in Brighton and Hove who are given bus ID cards - which entitle them to half fare - have taken up the offers and remained bus users.

The popular No 77 Summer service from Palace Pier to Devils Dyke has been nominated in the Buses for Pleasure Category, along with the Cuckmere Community bus, which links Berwick and Polegate railway stations and provides links with services to Hastings and Brighton.

The British Airport Authority Bus Service, which takes passengers and staff to various points in the airport complex and parts of Crawley, has been nominated in the Local Authority Joint Operator sector.

Roger French, managing director of Brighton and Hove Buses, said: "In 1998 we won an award for our Metro services and several other towns and cities followed our ideas.

"Let's hope we can continue our success with our ID marketing initiative."

The awards will be presented by transport minister Keith Hill at the London Hilton Hotel on November 21.