Abellio is to continue operating two routes commercially in Surrey, following the county council’s award of its tendered services to other operators from 2 September.
These are the half-hourly 441 (Staines- Englefield Green) and 461 (Kingston- Addlestone), with an hourly Sunday service on the 441. An unnamed second operator has advised Surrey County Council that it intends to operate a competing half-hourly daytime/hourly evening service on the section of 461 route between Kingston and St Peters Hospital, Chertsey.
The council has confirmed final arrangements for the tendered routes, which differ in a few cases from preferred bidder information previously leaked by other parties (Buses last month).
White Bus Services is taking over the Monday to Saturday service on route 446 (Woking-Staines) on a commercial basis, while the contract for route 456 (also Woking-Staines) has been awarded to Falcon Coaches. White Bus Services will provide the supported Sunday services on both routes.
The leaked information suggested incorrectly that Stagecoach had been awarded contracts for both services. Nor is Stagecoach taking over route 48 (Woking-Frimley Park Hospital) from Dickson Travel, as this was not part of the retendering process.
In a separate development, also starting 2 September, Compass Bus will expand its presence in Surrey to take over routes 23/24/25 (Guildford-Cranleigh) from Buses Excetera.
