In my report on the 4th March Full Meeting of Surrey County Council I wrote about the answer to a written question on concessionary Bus Passes. This said four authorities  in  Surrey (Epsom and Ewell, Mole Valley, Elmbridge, and Woking) had at the last moment decided to go it alone on offering bus passes to the elderley and disabled. They would continue with the present start time of 9.00 am rather than the later 9.30 am that had been planned throughout Surrey.  I found this a considerable but pleasant surprise.

Back in Woking, Borough Councillors I spoke to knew nothing of the change. One of them told me it was impossible, the answer to the question in Council must have been misleading.

Yesterday I wrote my regular monthly column for the Goldsworth Park Community Association newsletter, and tried to check whether there was any obvious development I had missed by putting the terms ‘concessionary bus fare changes Surrey’ into Google. I was immediately led to a page on the Epsom and Ewell Borough Council’s website dated that very same day - Friday 21st March. This gave 9.00 am as the start time, referred their residents to a local number to apply for the pass, and gave an explanation in terms of proximity to Transport for London, which also has 9.00 am. 

I have tried to find an equivalent page for Woking, Elmbridge and Mole Valley, but failed.

April the first - April fool’s day - seems an extraordinarily appropriate time for the new arrangements to start.

 ps I have just discovered that Surrey issued a press release on the 20th saying: ‘The National Concessionary Bus Scheme will begin at the start of April and Surrey County Council is doing everything possible to make sure the start goes smoothly.Surrey administers the scheme across the county and is working with the 11 borough and districts across Surrey who will implement it, giving free bus travel to the over 60s and disabled people within certain times.Surrey had asked for a unified scheme across the county but, in the event, districts and borough authorities could not agree to this leaving six councils starting at 9am and five at 9.30am.’