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The Big Lemon
Marshall bodied Mercedes-Benz in April 2009
ParentTom Druitt
Founded2007
HeadquartersBrighton
Service areaBrighton & Hove, East Sussex, Bristol, Bath
Service typeBus services, coach hire, festivals, Sunday walks
RoutesBrighton: 16, 16A 47, 47A 52, 52A, Brighton Metropolitan College, Legal & General
Bristol & Surrounding Areas: 2V, X10, 20, 40, 61, X91, 99, 515, K1, P1, Y8
DestinationsBrighton, Sussex, UK, Bristol
Fuel typeBiodiesel, Solar Powered Electric
Websitewww.thebiglemon.com

The Big Lemon[1] is a bus and coach operator in Brighton, East Sussex, Bristol and Bath. It is registered as a Community Interest Company.

History

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Norman Baker (MD 2017–2018)
Alexander PS bodied Volvo B10M in July 2012
East Lancs EL2000 bodied Dennis Dart on in Brighton in January 2011
Plaxton Pointer 2 bodied Dennis Dart SLF in Brighton in September 2013

The Big Lemon was founded by Tom Druitt in 2007.[2] After gaining an operator licence, the first public transport route was launched on 1 September 2007. Route 42X originally operated from Brighton Station to Falmer Station, with hopes to expand the operation with more routes. After lower than expected passenger numbers, and competition from Brighton & Hove, the company scaled down the level of service, re-launching it in January 2008,[3] and to reconsider its operating model. From 7 to 29 January 2008, the service operated on a reduced frequency, ending once the original route registration expired after the mandated period.

Route 42/42A/N42 was The Big Lemon's first public bus service, originating from its service 42X. Service 42 operated from Churchill Square to Sussex University via Lewes Road. During the evenings the route number changed to 42A and served West Street. It would later be renumbered N42. The N42 charged higher fares as it operated from 00:00 – 04:00. In 2011 the company renumbered routes 42A and N42 to 42.

Route 43 ran from September 2010 - January 2011, focusing on student trade and operating from Old Steine during the day and Hove during the evening up to Brighton University's Falmer campus.

Route 44 was introduced at the same time as route 43 in September 2010, operating from Churchill Square to Saltdean.

In September 2012 The Big Lemon successfully tendered to operate route 52 between Brighton Marina and Woodingdean which also goes to Ovingdean under contract to Brighton & Hove City Council.[4]

On 17 March 2017, it was announced that Norman Baker, the former Liberal Democrat MP and Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Department for Transport, had been appointed managing director of the Big Lemon.[5] Baker resigned in January 2018.[6]

On 17 September 2017, The Big Lemon took over routes 16, between Portslade and Hangleton, 47, between Brighton station and East Saltdean, 56, between Knoll estate and Patcham, 57, between Brighton station and East Saltdean and 66 which goes in a circular route around Portslade and Hangleton.[7] Additionally, one Saturday morning journey on Brighton & Hove's route 21A, from Goldstone Valley to Brighton Marina, has been operated by the Big Lemon since 16 September 2018. From 29 April 2019, Route 66 was withdrawn and incorporated into route 47,[8] and Route 56 was replaced with an extension to Routes 47 and 52.[9]

Seaford & District

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The Big Lemon had partnered up with Lewes-based Seaford and District to create a coach company called "Brighton Horizon Coaches" on 4 August 2020. Together they had set up a fleet of 11 coaches.[10]

Five months later, on 9 January 2021, Seaford and District was acquired by The Big Lemon, with Ryan Wrotny taking over management of the company. David Mulpeter, Seaford & District's Managing Director, was said to be taking his first steps into retirement following 10 and a half years running the company since its founding in 2010. The operating licences, however, will remain separate.[11]

Expansion into the West of England

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In September 2022, following the closure of the HCT Group in Bristol, The Big Lemon announced that they would be operating services in the city[12] supported by subsidy from the West of England Combined Authority.[13][14] On 30 September 2022, the traffic commissioner approved the licence for The Big Lemon to operate bus services in Bristol. The Big Lemon's four Bristol routes (505, 506, 515 & 516) commenced operations on Monday 3 October 2022 initially using a batch of Enviro 200s previously operated by Bristol Community Transport as well as four Optare Solos transferred from the company's Brighton operations. On 28 November 2022, The Big Lemon started operating services 11, 12 and 20 in Bath following these routes withdrawal by First West of England in October. Their routes in Bath are operated using 3 hired-in Wright StreetLites and an electric Higer Steed transferred from the company's operations in Brighton.[15]

Services

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As of November 2024, The Big Lemon operate 17 services (6 in Brighton; 16, 16a, 47, 47a, 52, 52a and 11 in Bristol and Surrounding areas; 2V, X10, 20, 40, 61, X91, 99, 515, K1, P1, Y8). Additionally, they operate shuttle buses for Brighton Metropolitan College and Legal & General[7] Coaches ran on biodiesel that was refined from waste cooking oil until 2017.[16] Buses run on diesel and batteries charged via mix of solar power and the main grid.

Fleet

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As of April 2020, The Big Lemon has a fleet of 19 vehicles, including 3 minibuses and 16 regular buses. The minibuses don't operate regular bus routes, rather operating on the Legal & General and Brighton Metropolitan College shuttles.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Companies House extract company no 6075786 The Big Lemon CIC
  2. ^ Bright bid for bus franchise The Argus 16 October 2008
  3. ^ Lemon buses squeezed off road The Argus 3 December 2007
  4. ^ Council funded bus services just the ticket Brighton & Hove City Council
  5. ^ "Norman Baker joins The Big Lemon as Managing Director for Brighton and Hove". The Big Lemon. Retrieved 11 June 2017.
  6. ^ "Norman Baker says goodbye to The Big Lemon". Sussex Express. 8 June 2018. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
  7. ^ a b "Bus Services". The Big Lemon. 8 November 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2017.
  8. ^ "Route 66". thebiglemon.com. 14 September 2017. Retrieved 3 January 2021.
  9. ^ "Route 56". thebiglemon.com. 14 September 2017. Retrieved 3 January 2021.
  10. ^ "Brighton bus operator links with Seaford firm to create new coach company". Brighton and Hove News. 4 August 2020. Retrieved 10 January 2021.
  11. ^ Druitt, Tom (9 January 2021). "Seaford & District joins The Big Lemon family". thebiglemon.com. Retrieved 10 January 2021.
  12. ^ "We're coming to Bristol!". The Big Lemon. 15 September 2022. Retrieved 29 September 2022.
  13. ^ "Scrapped Bristol community bus routes set to be saved by Brighton operator". www.bristolworld.com. 16 September 2022. Retrieved 29 September 2022.
  14. ^ Pipe, Ellie (14 September 2022). "The Bristol bus services set to be saved". Bristol 24/7. Retrieved 29 September 2022.
  15. ^ "We're coming to Bath!". The Big Lemon. 20 November 2022. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
  16. ^ Biodiesel from Waste Cooking Oil The Big Lemon
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