Contact Us | Privacy

WEYBRIDGE

latest:  

Home | Travel & Roads | Bus Services in Weybridge - Surrey Review

Surrey County Council Bus Review

Why is a review needed?

Surrey County Council is concerned at rising levels of subsidy, and declining use of some bus services

Over the past 10 years, costs in the bus industry have been rising much faster than general inflation. Many main bus services, including those in towns, have stopped being commercially viable, requiring Surrey County Council to spend much more in order to keep the network running.

Many of the 250 or so bus services in Surrey require some degree of financial support. In 2001 the subsidy cost was around £4million. Now, Surrey give over £11million net support each year. This amount of subsidy is continuing to rise. Hence the review.

Aims of the bus review

Through the review Surrey County Council say they want to:

  • focus on the areas with strong demand

  • make the network work better, with routes that complement each other

  •  make the network simpler and easier to understand; reduce the need for subsidy in the long term

  • increase some services where needed; service those areas of greatest social need

  • shorten routes to improve reliability

  •  reduce services which are under used

  • and where possible, evenly space out services running along common sections of route.

Useful links

Surrey County Council Bus ReviewExternal Link

Proposed route changes in Elmbridge, Runnymede, Spelthorne and east WokingExternal Link.

 

Bus services in Weybridge - Surrey Review

451 Bus from Weybridge to Kingston
451 Bus - Weybridge to Kingston

There is concern locally about what will happen to bus services following the Surrey review (see details below). Surrey County Council proposes that some routes are to be cut, and other services through Weybridge are to be adjusted in an attempt to meet changing needs while saving money.

We believe that good bus services are essential to the community.  Services succeed when they are frequent enough to be a convenient way of travelling. One positive proposed change is an increase in frequency of service between Weybridge town centre and Weybridge Station -- an improvement which your local Lib Dems have consistently lobbied for.

The Surrey bus review

451 Bus leaving Weybridge
451 bus departing

Surrey County Council is reviewing the whole bus network, where people are travelling to and how often. They have proposed specific route changes (see below). Their stated goal is to focus investment where it is needed the most. 

Elmbridge Borough Council has provided a response, with input from your local councillors. The response reflects a large number of valuable comments and concerns gathered from the community. Download a copy of the Elmbridge BC responseExternal Link (draft prepared by the Environmental Affairs Overview and Scrutiny Committee)

Subsidised services - the background

Surrey bus services are provided in two main ways:

  • By bus operators as commercial ventures, without subsidy, contract or control from the Council.
  • By bus operators with subsidy from Surrey County Council.

The subsidies are for service that are felt necessary, but not commercially viable. The bus company runs these under contractual arrangement to routes, frequencies and times set by Surrey County Council.

Annual subsidies have risen from £4million in 2001 to £11million now, putting pressure on stretched Surrey finances. 

Main bus route changes affecting Weybridge (proposed)

Service 436 (Woking-Sheerwater-West Byfleet-Byfleet-Brooklands-Weybridge Station):

  • To be extended from Weybridge Station to Weybridge town centre via Heath Road (at 30 minute intervals), replacing service 451. 
  • Diverted in West Byfleet to operate via Sheerwater Road and Old Woking Road, instead of Madeira Road and Station Approach.
  • Diverted via Manor Farm in Byfleet and the forecourt of Brooklands Tesco.
  • To remain every 30 minutes, but on a constant interval 15 minute frequency between Woking and east end of Albert Drive in Sheerwater, in conjunction with service 446.
  •  Evening and Sunday service to be considered.
451 bus service to be scrapped?

Service 451 (Kingston-Walton-Weybridge-Byfleet-Addlestone-Chertsey-Staines):

To be withdrawn

Service 461 (Kingston-Walton-Weybridge-Addlestone-St. Peter’s Hospital-Chertsey-Staines)

  • To be withdrawn between St. Peter’s Hospital and Staines.
  • Diverted between Rydens Road and Walton town centre to operate a standard route via Ambleside Avenue and Cottimore Lane and not via Walton Station and Rodney Road.
  • To operate every 30 minutes, replacing current one bus per hour on each of 451 and 461.
  • Possibly diverted via Brox Road in Ottershaw.
  • Evening and Sunday service to be considered.

Service 471 (Kingston-Esher-Weybridge-Addlestone-Rowtown-New Haw-West Byfleet-Sheerwater-Woking)

  • To remain hourly between Kingston and Woking.
  • Between Addlestone and Woking, alternate journeys could take different routes, each every two hours:
  • A: via Orchard Way, Coombelands, Rowtown, Parkside, New Haw Black Prince, Woodham Lane, Six Cross Roads, Shores Road and Kettlewell Hill, or
  • B: Chertsey Road, Addlestone Moor, Fordwater Road, Weir Road, Chertsey, St. Peter’s Hospital, Ottershaw, Six Cross Roads, Shores Road and Kettlewell Hill.
  • Extended from Woking Station to Cawsey Way and Morrisons.
  • Continues to give half-hourly service between Kingston and Hersham in conjunction with service 218.
  • Route option B gives new link for Fordwater Road/Weir Road residents to access Chertsey, Addlestone and beyond.
  • A new facility to St. Peter's Hospital would also be available from the Kettlewell Hill/Chobham Road area of Woking.

See all proposed route changes in Elmbridge, Runnymede, Spelthorne and east WokingExternal Link.