Review of local bus services

Surrey County Council (SCC) is looking at bus services in Epsom & Ewell and Ashtead in Phase 3 of their countywide review, which started in 2010.

In Surrey bus services are provided in two main ways:

• As commercial ventures, without any subsidy.
• Subsidised by SCC, where services are necessary, but not commercially viable.

Costs in the bus industry have risen faster than inflation. Many bus services have stopped being commercially viable, requiring subsidies to keep the network running.

Surrey's buses carry over 29 million passengers per year on 240 or so services, many of which are subsidised. By 2009 SCC were paying over £11million per year, which continued to rise.

SCC say that some bus services are not used much and may need to be cut, but other routes may be used more if there was a better service.

Services 460 and 480 between Epsom and Redhill via Reigate were reviewed in phase 1 and an improved service is already in operation.

School specials were reviewed in phase 2 and reduced services started in September 2011.

SCC will run a three-month public consultation about their proposed service changes in Epsom & Ewell and Ashtead from Tuesday 1 November 2011 to Tuesday 31 January 2012.

Brochures listing these changes, with a feedback form, will be available at libraries from 1 November. Alternatively feedback can be e-mailed to busreview@surreycc.gov.uk

"Have your say" surgery sessions, with staff to listen and advise, will be held at:

• Epsom Library - 25 November 10 am - 1 pm
• Ashtead Library - 30 November 10 am -1 pm

For details see:

• Proposed changes to bus services in Epsom, Ewell and Mole Valley document
• Map of current bus network in Epsom, Ewell and Mole Valley
• Map of proposed bus network in Epsom, Ewell and Mole Valley

For fuller information see here.

Local services provided by SCC that are affected by the Review include: 318, 408, 478, 516 and 623.

Services E5, E9 and E16 run by Quality Line (Epsom Buses) and 479 run by Countryliner are not controlled by SCC and are not formally part of the Review. However comments and suggestions on these services are also invited and will be passed on to the bus company to assist the planning process.

Services 166, 293, 406, 418, 467 and 470 are controlled by London Buses (Transport for London). Howevew SCC will also welcome comments on these services, even though they are not formally part of the Consultation.