A COMMUNITY bus service running through rural Rother has been offered a lifeline.

Battle Area Community Transport (BACT), a charity that provides subsidised or free outings to Tunbridge Wells and Eastbourne, has been given £10,000 by Rother District Council.

This will be used to buy a new bus to add to the charity's fleet, allowing more services to be run between Ticehurst, Flimwell, Etchingham, Sedlescombe, Hurst Green, Burwash and Robertsbridge.

They also organise monthly trips to shopping centres such as Eastbourne, Rye Market, Jempsons Peasmarsh, Tunbridge Wells, Maidstone, Ashford and the Bluewater shopping centre.

"This money will be a great help towards us improving the services we offer our villages," said Colin Harmer, chairman of the charity.

The money has come as part of the first phase of the community grants distributed by the district council.

The BACT has been in particular need since last year, when one of its specially designed disabled access 16-seater buses was deemed unfit for purpose.

"We may be looking now at getting a new bus," Mr Harmer said.

"It is a continual process of keeping them in a good condition, and obviously it sends out a good message if we can run a more frequent service."

Established in 1999 due to a lack of rural public transport, the role of the BACT is potentially due to change as East Sussex County Council conducts a major review into the way it provides public transport.

Consultations with community bus schemes, mainstream providers and town and parish councils were carried out in March, and the council is in the process of setting out a new strategy.

"There are a lot of things happening at the moment and we are not entirely sure what is going to be required of us," said Mr Harmer.

"However, whatever happens, that money will be very useful for us and for our rural passengers."