Cobham councillor, Mary Lewis, has been busy, putting together a local coalition of the willing to set up a new bus service for Cobham, Stoke D'Abernon and Oxshott. Elmbridge Borough Council, Surrey County Council and Chelsea FC have put £20,000 each towards the proposed new Cobham Chatterbus. Cargill plc have given £5,000, with local churches and charities also chipping in.

 

The idea is to supplement local transport services with a much needed new service (route map below), which would help children get to local schools, link commuters with local stations, and provide residents with better access to shops (including Brooklands retail park) and leisure facilities, including at weekends. This is particularly important for those living locally without a car, who have found themselves increasingly isolated given the reduced number of bus services (over time) in the area.

The target date to launch the Chatterbus is 7 April 2015. So, please spread the word, as it will only be sustainable over the longer term if enough people use it. Congratulations to Mary - and all those involved - on a great initiative.