Useful Local Transport Information
In particular that
older people with bus passes will be able to use them prior to 9.30 am in order
to take advantage of the hours allocated to them by supermarkets and the
reduction of the school bus service post 23rd March.
General Picture of Service Delivery
Operators are presently providing the vast majority of timetabled services as
normal.
Services or journeys that normally operate on school days only in general will
not do so from 23 March.
Additional in-vehicle cleaning is being employed.
Some operators are encouraging more contactless card payments.
Operator Plans for COVID19 Sickness
General staff attendance is still good across the bus industry in Surrey.
However, operators are expecting staff sickness levels to increase in the
coming days / weeks.
School closure will have an impact on staff too.
Operators have plans in place for service frequencies to be reduced, at present
more due to significant drop in patronage and revenue, rather than staff
shortage.
Timetable Changes
Safeguard and Southdown will move to a Saturday timetable on Mondays to Fridays
commencing Monday 23 March 2020. Others are planning to follow and we will
confirm if this happens.
Transport for London (London Buses) will operate a Saturday timetable on
Mondays to Fridays from 23 March. There are 24 TfL services that cross the
county boundary.
Timetable changes will be notified to the national journey planning system
Traveline and on our Real Time Passenger Information as well being placed on
the bus pages on the SCC website.
Concessionary Travel
Certain supermarkets are now allowing preferential access for the elderly
before 9.30am, to avoid the impact of the ‘panic buyers’.
Requests have been received to allow free travel for elderly / disabled ‘free
bus pass-holders’ before 9.30, in this ’emergency situation’. 12 operators are
already honouring this (Arriva, Metrobus, Carlone, Southdown, Hallmark,
Compass, Safeguard, White Bus, Falcon, Cruisers, First Berkshire and Reptons
Coaches, ie. the great majority) and free travel is already available on TfL
services in Surrey in any case.
The following link to the latest information on the SCC web site. It includes
the bus pass 09.30 offer and will be updated as things change: https://www.surreycc.gov.uk/roads-and-transport/buses-and-other-transport/bus-timetable-changes/temporary-changes-to-bus-services-and-road-closures