99 Flex - South of Petworth

Book-a-Bus 99 Flex

99 Flex - Fully Flexible - go anywhere in the zone, serving the Chichester and Petworth area:

  • Monday to Saturday: 7am to 7pm

Book on-demand travel up to 48 hours in advance to a destination within the 99 Flex zone.

Latest news

Advance notice: New booking app for 96, 98 and 99 Flex Book-a-Bus users from Monday 11 May 2026. 

From 11 May, the Ride Pingo app will no longer be supported or used to book journeys with Book-a-Bus. We are moving to a new, dedicated Book-a-Bus app.

Journeys with the 96, 98, and 99 Flex services until 9 May 2026 will not be affected and can be booked as usual via the Ride Pingo app.

Bookings by phone through our call centre remain the same.

You can prepare for the change by downloading the Book-a-Bus app from the App Store and Google Play Store. You can only book rides with the 96, 98 and 99 Flex via this app from 11 May 2026.

If you’re a 97 Flex rider, you already have the app and can access booking other Book-a-Bus services from 11 May 2026.

Get to know the 99 Flex zone

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How to book the 99 Flex Book-a-Bus

Online

The easiest way to use Book-a-Bus is via our app.

For the 99 Flex, download the Ride Pingo app:

Phone 01243 858854 (operating hours 6.30am to 7.30pm).

From 11 May 2026, Ride Pingo will no longer be supported. To continue journeys on these services, download the Book-a-Bus app.

Book up to 48 hours in advance.

To travel on the 99 Flex, first check to see whether your journey starts and ends within the zone or if you are travelling to locations outside of the zone which the bus serves.

You can’t Book-a-Bus to travel along an existing public transport route, including during hours before or after the traditional bus services starts or finishes. The app or our call centre will advise you on an alternative service to take instead.

How to use the Ride Pingo app

1 mins

Fares and tickets

Until March 2027, Book-a-Bus fares are fixed at £3 per trip, thanks to the national bus fare cap.

The cost will be clearly displayed on the app or stated when booking over the phone.

If you’re a new user, use the code BookABusFree when booking a ride for the first time.

Fare structure

Adult

Child (Age 5 to 18)

  • single - £1.50
  • return - £2.50

Under 5s

  • free

Day riders (valid for unlimited use for one day across all Book-a-Bus services)

  • adult day rider - £9
  • child day rider - £5

Group and family fares

  • group fare (up to 4 adults) - £15
  • family fare (up to 4 people, minimum 1 adult and 1 child) - £12

Frequently asked questions (specific to the 99 Flex)

  • No. The new app won’t change how you use Book‑a‑Bus. The update brings the 96, 98 and 99 services into the Book‑a‑Bus app used for the 97 Flex service. Booking to use the 97 service remains unchanged.

  • Existing journeys booked on the 96, 98 and 99 Flex services before Monday 11 May 2026 will not be affected. Journeys from Monday 11 May 2026 will need to be booked in the new Book-a-Bus app or by calling the booking centre.

  • The 99 Flex zone locations served can be seen on our interactive map below.

    View interactive map (external link)
  • Bus pick-up locations for the 99 Flex are at designated bus stops or areas within the zone. A full list of pick-up or drop-off points, and onward connection points for the 99 Flex can be viewed on the Ride Pingo app.

  • This is a trial Demand Responsive Transport service set up to target areas with limited access to public transport.

  • In some cases, within the zone, certain booking restrictions have been applied where there is a public transport service already in place.

  • 99 Bus

    The Bus 99 is a conventional bus service, meaning the route is timetabled with fixed stops. You cannot book a ride with the bus.

    99 Flex

    The 99 Flex is a fully flexible bus service, meaning there is no conventional bus timetable. This bus can travel flexibly within the zone, taking on passengers determined by live bookings. This bus service can be booked up to 48 hours in advance.

  • No, the timetabled 99 bus is not part of Book-a-Bus. The Bus 99 is a conventional bus service meaning the route is timetabled with fixed stops. You cannot book a ride with the bus.

  • The existing 99 Bus will remain the same, operating the current timetable. A new fully on-demand service has been added to the Bus 99 offering, known as the 99 Flex. This will operate between 7.00am to 7.00pm, Monday to Saturday, offering more public transport to people in rural areas.

Bus it! is part of the wider Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) which is funded by the Department for Transport.