Countryliner bus contracts terminated

CONTRACTS with bus service provider Countryliner have been terminated after the company went into administration.

With effect from today (Wednesday October 10) Surrey County Council (SCC) has terminated all services the operator ran on behalf of the authority.

From today Abellio Surrey has taken over the 73 Woking to Chobham via Horsell route and the 81 Woking to Barnsbury Estate via Mount Hermon Road route. The routes will operate the same timetable.

School bus passes and season tickets purchased from Countryliner, including weekly and monthly tickets, will be accepted by the new operators until their expiry, without further charge. 

Countryliner has been unavailable for comment since it was announced the company had gone into administration.

A SCC spokeswoman said: "With effect from Wednesday October 10, 2012, Surrey County Council has terminated all contracts for the provision of local bus services that Countryliner runs on behalf of the authority. 

"To safeguard the interests of the travelling public, alternative operators have been engaged from 10 October, to continue all the services with the current routes and timetables.

"From information received, the council feels that Countryliner is no longer in a position to run these services to the required standards."

A spokeswoman for Abellio said: "Abellio worked closely with Surrey County Council to ensure the services continued today and will do so going forward. They will operate to the same timetable."