Arriva have decided to discontinue the 28 bus route for the stretch from Woking to Sainsbury’s in Knaphill, except for one bus back towards Knaphill after school.

Surrey thought it had told Woking High clearly enough what was happening, but I learned this morning that the information has not reached everyone, and there is a risk that on the first day of term some children may be waiting for a bus that never comes.

The current advice is that if you live in Knaphill and used to pick up the 28 bus in the High Street you can catch the No 48  instead, coming from Brookwood and scheduled to reach Knaphill at 7.59 am. It then goes to the school via St. Johns and Woking. It arrives at Woking High at 8.27 am. 

If you live in Goldsworth Park, unless you’re willing to take a ten or fifteen minute walk from the 91 stop at Bulbeggars, you’ll need to get a 91 bus into Woking early enough to catch either the no 48, leaving at 8.17 am, or the the 462 leaving at 8.25 am

The 48 is a Countryliner, while the 28 is run by Arriva, which means that if you want a mix of services, the best season-ticket option is a Woking Travelwide Ticket, either weekly or monthly. Although this is going to be more expensive than the present arrangement, it does have the silver lining that children will then by able to travel widely by bus in Woking outside school hours.

(These times are correct to the best of my knowledge, but do check for yourself)

New Bus - welcome to the 97

The loss of the 28 has caused particular distress among some older people in Horsell. However Countryliner have decided to try out a new weekday service, the 97, also starting in September. This will travel from Woking via Brewery Road, Horsell High Street, Bulbeggars and Sythwood, then along the 91 route as far as Barnby Road turning up Beechwood Road and Inkerman Road. It will go back to Woking via Hermitage Road, Anstel Way, and Lockfield Drive before returning the way it came.

I am a concerned about Beechwood road, because there are already times when it feels hazardous to drive through, but there are currently no restriction on it so the bus company cannot be stopped from using it. The 97 will be day-time service, so at least this is the time when there are fewest parked cars around. It’ll also be a ‘hail and ride’ service - if it’s safe for the driver to stop and pick up passengers, he will do so on a hand-signal.

Recess continues … back to dealing with the plums and the blackberries …

 In the words of Franz Ferdinand: ‘it’s so much better on holiday’.

 Back mid-September.