Brighton and Hove's fledgling all-night bus service is to be extended from September.

Clubbers, shift workers and late-night commuters who currently face a walk or taxi journey home will be able to take advantage of the new 24 hour, seven-day-a-week service, the N25.

The service will run between Falmer and Portslade, following the success of the city's first all night bus, the N7, which has been running for two years.

The N25 will run every half hour between Falmer via the Lewes Road into the city centre and continuing to Hove and Portslade on a circular route, taking in Western Road, Church Road and New Church Road, returning via Portland Road and Blatchington Road.

Timetables will be arranged so that convenient connections can be made between buses on the N7 and N25 in North Street, allowing easier late-night journeys between, for example, the marina and Lewes Road.

The N7 from the marina to Brighton and Hove stations has proved popular with night workers, commuters and late night revellers since its launch in autumn 2004.

Roger French, managing director of Brighton and Hove Buses, said: "We've been very pleased with the gradual increase in passengers making use of the N7 night bus service and are confident the N25 will become equally popular, especially as it will serve such a wide catchment area of west Hove and east Portslade as well as the university sites in Lewes Road and at Falmer.

"The N7 is used by a huge range of people, not just clubbers but those who have to get to work early in the city and people working late at restaurants and casinos.

"Our regulars include a journalist from Southern Counties radio and a chef at the Hotel Seattle. These are not rowdy buses full of clubbers, we've had no trouble on the N7 and we envisage the N25 will be the same."

East Brighton councillor Craig Turton, a member of the city's community safety forum, welcomed news of the N25. He said: "It's long overdue."

The University of Sussex currently subsidises night bus the N85, which ferries students between the city centre and Falmer campus.

Spokeswoman Alison Field said: "We will probably cancel the N85, which runs hourly up to 3.30am, so students can take advantage of this later, all-night service. Because it links up with the N7 it will cover a lot more of the Brighton area than the N85 does, and as it will also be available to university staff and the general public it will be a much more comprehensive service."

The bus company has still not decided on fares and the ticketing structure for the N25. Students currently pay £1 to use the N85.

Mr French said there could be scope to develop the service further, saying feedback from the new service will be used to determine where there is demand.