Charges for suspending bus stops will increase from October onwards to encourage shorter interruptions and reduce the inconvenience to passengers.

The move by Surrey County Council (SCC) also hopes to put off companies from suspending bus stops for an extra day when it is not needed. 

Bus stops can be suspended when a utility company (like gas, water or electric) needs to do work around a bus stop. SCC charges a fee for the disruption to the service. 

Since 2017, utility workers would pay £150 for suspending a bus stop per day for a maximum of two days (£300 overall). But SCC have agreed to bump up the costs to £175 per day for a maximum of three days (£525) starting from October. 

The report reads that there was a “high number” of three-day suspensions from April 2023 in comparison to two and four days. It adds it could be workers adding an extra day for “comfort” as there is currently no additional cost for day three. 

A new charge of £600 per stop per day has been introduced to “act as a deterrent” if works take place at any bus stop without prior authorisation by SCC. Officers explained that sometimes utility companies do not alert SCC if they are working on the highways or at bus stops and there is no current incentive to do so.

People with mobility issues, disabilities or those who are pregnant or travelling with young children can particularly be affected by sudden bus stop closures, the report noted. 

Unknown works will be identified and reported by four so-called ‘Infrastructure Inspectors’ travelling around the county, along with bus operators and residents, according to SCC documents. The Inspectors also put signs up when bus stops are not in use and alert passengers to the nearest available stop.