Bus Services in Selsey

Public transport links to Chichester and beyond

Bus services provide the main public transport link between Selsey and the outside world. With no railway station and only one road in and out of the town, the bus is the primary alternative to the car for Selsey residents who need to reach Chichester, the nearest city, or connect with the wider transport network.

The main bus route connects Selsey with Chichester via the B2145, passing through Sidlesham and the villages of the Manhood Peninsula. The service is operated by Stagecoach and runs at regular intervals during the day, with reduced services on Sundays and bank holidays. The journey takes approximately thirty to forty minutes depending on the number of stops and traffic conditions. The bus terminates at Chichester bus station, which is adjacent to the railway station, providing connections to the wider rail network.

The bus service is well used by Selsey residents, particularly older people, students and those without access to a car. The service provides the lifeline connection to Chichester's shops, hospital, college, railway station and other services. For students attending Chichester College or sixth form provision in the city, the bus is the daily commute. For older residents needing hospital appointments at St Richard's Hospital in Chichester, the bus is often the only practical option.

Frequencies are reasonable during weekday daytimes but drop off in the evenings and at weekends. This limits the usefulness of the bus for social trips, evening activities and Sunday outings. The last bus from Chichester to Selsey runs relatively early, and anyone missing it faces a taxi fare of around twenty pounds.

The B2145 is the only route the bus can take, and during busy summer weekends, when holiday traffic queues on the approach to Selsey, journey times can increase significantly. This congestion is a regular frustration for bus passengers and car drivers alike.

Community transport schemes supplement the bus service for those with mobility difficulties or who live in parts of the town not well served by the main route. Dial-a-ride and similar services provide door-to-door transport for eligible residents.

For a town of Selsey's size and location, the bus service is adequate for essential journeys but not for the kind of flexible, frequent travel that urban residents take for granted. The car remains the dominant mode of transport for most households.