FAQs

Will the bus really travel to my house just to pick up one person?

How far in advance do I need to book?

Do I need to meet the bus at a bus stop?

How much will the service cost me?

Can anybody use the service?

Do I need to become a member?

Can I use the bus to get to an appointment at the East Surrey Hospital ?

Can the bus be booked for group outings?

Is the minibus accessible to wheelchair users?

Will the bus really travel to my house just to pick up one person?

Yes! The demand responsive service will travel to where ever a customer has booked from, even for just one person. If you can arrange to travel at the same time as your neighbours or friends even better; but if this is not possible it is perfectly acceptable to book the bus for one. If there is another person travelling from your area when you make your booking the travel centre may ask you if you can travel earlier or later to combine the two bookings.

How far in advance do I need to book?

All journey requests must be made at least 1 hour before you wish to travel. You may book upto 7 days in advance and the more notice you can give and the more flexible your timings, the more likely your journey can be accepted. All bookings are made on a first come first served basis.

Do I need to meet the bus at a bus stop?

Not necessarily. You can arrange to meet the bus wherever is convenient, this might be a bus stop, a local landmark e.g. by the village pond or right outside your house. Please do remember the following things when choosing where to be picked up or dropped off:

• the minibus must be able to stop in a safe place where it is not in the way of other traffic or a danger to pedestrians
• the road or driveway must be suitable for a minibus to drive up e.g. wide enough, good ground and the minibus must also be able to get out again

How much will the service cost me?

Please see the section on fares for information on prices in your Buses4U service area.

Can anybody use the service?

Absolutely! Buses4U can be used by anyone living in the areas of service described. The only limitation is where a person lives on or near an existing bus or train route that can meet their journey requirements. To check the availability of other services use the Public Transport Traveline:

Do I need to become a member?

Membership is required for the Reigate & Banstead service (daytime not evening). Membership is £15.00 per year; to request a registration form telephone 01883 732 791 or click here to download one.

Buses 4U Registration Form

For all other services no membership is required.

Can I use the bus to get to an appointment at the East Surrey Hospital ?

Yes, you may use Buses4U to get to an appointment at the East Surrey Hospital . The Rural Transport Partnership also has information on volunteer car schemes that may provide hospital transport. For information telephone 01883 732 791 or see the ESRTP website.

Can the bus be booked for group outings?

Yes. Group outings can be made to anywhere within the area of service, please book in the usual way stating the number of people travelling. This could be for an organisation or just a group of friends that wish to travel together.

Outings to destinations not more than half an hour from the area of service may also be considered dependant upon the number of people travelling. Please contact the ESRTP if you would like to discuss a possible outing.

Is the minibus accessible to wheelchair users?

Yes. The buses have a passenger lift at the rear of the vehicle. All the buses have webbing and restraints to make sure your wheelchair is secure and ensure your safety whilst travelling. It is recommended that you advise the travel centre that you are a wheelchair user, just in case another wheelchair user has booked at the same time as you. All the buses have space for one wheelchair user but more can be accommodated if the travel centre is advised.