The 437 back in via Oriental Road
Abellio Surrey announced in September 2016 that they were to withdraw from a number of Surrey CC contracts and make changes to some of their commercial services.
Two of the SCC tendered routes Abellio are coming off are the 556 and 557, both of which currently link Woking, Sheerwater, West Byfleet (557 only) and New Haw, then Addlestone.
From Friday, the 556 is withdrawn, and the 557 is being curtailed to run only between Addlestone and Sunbury Tesco (now run by Cardinal Buses).
New hourly route 456 will partially replace both routes between Woking, Sheerwater, West Byfleet and New Haw (although running via West Byfleet, so the current 556 section via Woodham Victoria is lost).
To maintain three buses an hour between Woking and Sheerwater, Arriva service 436 is being put back up to half hourly.
This reverses the change from last year where it was cut to hourly, and the 437 extended from West Byfleet to Weybridge to maintain frequency over that section.
That change created a pretty horrendous timetable, with sizable gaps to service, particularly the 437, with two+ hour gaps where buses had to do 436 journeys still at certain times.
Some 437s were also withdrawn from Warren Farm, for running time reasons, to fit in with the timetable.
So... now, the 437 is going back to Woking - West Byfleet only, albeit with a couple of trips to/from Brooklands Tesco to maintain the link there for shopping. It will now run every 90 minutes, rather than hourly like it did prior to the 2015 change.
~~~~~~
As part of this all, it now has two journeys into Woking routed via Oriental Road again, after they were withdrawn in 2014!
Having run one of the new journeys along Oriental Road, Arriva Kent & Surrey 1607 (GN04 UCX) is seen passing the Community Hospital on Heathside Road (the next road along), before reaching the town centre.
Heathside Road, Woking, Surrey.
The 437 back in via Oriental Road
Abellio Surrey announced in September 2016 that they were to withdraw from a number of Surrey CC contracts and make changes to some of their commercial services.
Two of the SCC tendered routes Abellio are coming off are the 556 and 557, both of which currently link Woking, Sheerwater, West Byfleet (557 only) and New Haw, then Addlestone.
From Friday, the 556 is withdrawn, and the 557 is being curtailed to run only between Addlestone and Sunbury Tesco (now run by Cardinal Buses).
New hourly route 456 will partially replace both routes between Woking, Sheerwater, West Byfleet and New Haw (although running via West Byfleet, so the current 556 section via Woodham Victoria is lost).
To maintain three buses an hour between Woking and Sheerwater, Arriva service 436 is being put back up to half hourly.
This reverses the change from last year where it was cut to hourly, and the 437 extended from West Byfleet to Weybridge to maintain frequency over that section.
That change created a pretty horrendous timetable, with sizable gaps to service, particularly the 437, with two+ hour gaps where buses had to do 436 journeys still at certain times.
Some 437s were also withdrawn from Warren Farm, for running time reasons, to fit in with the timetable.
So... now, the 437 is going back to Woking - West Byfleet only, albeit with a couple of trips to/from Brooklands Tesco to maintain the link there for shopping. It will now run every 90 minutes, rather than hourly like it did prior to the 2015 change.
~~~~~~
As part of this all, it now has two journeys into Woking routed via Oriental Road again, after they were withdrawn in 2014!
Having run one of the new journeys along Oriental Road, Arriva Kent & Surrey 1607 (GN04 UCX) is seen passing the Community Hospital on Heathside Road (the next road along), before reaching the town centre.
Heathside Road, Woking, Surrey.