Sussex Coaches route 63 bus service.

[stadler]

Sussex Coaches apparently run two journeys on the route 63 service according to their site. Stagecoach run the main service. They run one morning from Slinford to Horsham service and one evening from Horsham to Slinfold service. Their website has a timetable and even some fare information.

You can download the timetable here:

Public Bus Routes – Sussex Coaches

sussex-coaches.co.uk

But yet there is no trace of this route anywhere else online. There is nothing on bustimes or traveline at all. Plus there is nothing i can find on the government local bus registration search either. It appears to not even be registered.

So what is going on here? How are they operating a route that is not even registered? Are they illegally operating it or am i missing something here?

 

[markymark2000]

I have found this on a Parish Council website https://slinfold-pc.gov.uk/update-from-wscc-on-63-bus/

Update from WSCC on 63 bus​

Published on June 6, 2025
The Parish Council has received the following update from WSCC re the no 63 bus
‘Since the announcement by Stagecoach that they were withdrawing route 63 from Slinfold the County Council has been working with all four local bus operators to assess options.
WSCC has arranged Sussex Coaches to run additional journeys to and from Horsham for Slinfold village. The first 63 journey to Horsham Station (dep Slinfold 0641) and the last one back (dep Horsham Station 1915) will be covered.
The journeys can run only with funding provided by the County Council. Services to Guildford are prohibitively costly and would not provide good value for money – retaining the Guildford service would cost over £200,000 per year.
The route will be labelled the 63 and will continue from Broadbridge Heath as the 68, which Sussex Coaches already operate.
The fare from Slinfold to Horsham will be £3. Officers will monitor usage over the next few months.’

Looking at it, it's an emergency tender and seemingly set up quite last minute and hence why it's not appearing on Traveline yet (and subsequently Bustimes given Sussex Coaches data comes from Traveline). Similarly, given it seems quite last minute, it won't be on the Govt registration search, they are taking over 6 weeks now to process normal registrations with registrations being formally accepted after the service has started, despite ops giving the legally required notice. As such, I wouldn't be surprised if this route isn't showing up on the search for a few weeks yet.

 

[stadler]

I have found this on a Parish Council website https://slinfold-pc.gov.uk/update-from-wscc-on-63-bus/



Looking at it, it's an emergency tender and seemingly set up quite last minute and hence why it's not appearing on Traveline yet (and subsequently Bustimes given Sussex Coaches data comes from Traveline). Similarly, given it seems quite last minute, it won't be on the Govt registration search, they are taking over 6 weeks now to process normal registrations with registrations being formally accepted after the service has started, despite ops giving the legally required notice. As such, I wouldn't be surprised if this route isn't showing up on the search for a few weeks yet.

Ah thank you for the information. I forgot they were accepting registrations after the service started. I am surprised it takes so long to process registrations now. It never used to be that slow.

But anyway it seems like the registration finally got processed yesterday or today as it is showing online on bustimes now:

63 - Slinfold Post Office - Horsham Railway Station

Sussex Coaches

bustimes.org

I do find the choice of number 63 very odd as the main 63 will stop serving Slinfold soon. It will actually follow a much more similar route as the 100 does so perhaps 100 would have been better. I think chosing a different number would have been better. Maybe even a new number that is not used by another operator in the Horsham area.

 

[Flange Squeal]

I do find the choice of number 63 very odd as the main 63 will stop serving Slinfold soon. It will actually follow a much more similar route as the 100 does so perhaps 100 would have been better. I think chosing a different number would have been better. Maybe even a new number that is not used by another operator in the Horsham area.

The Guildford to Horsham Stagecoach 63 has already ceased serving Slinfold, from close of service Saturday just gone, with the re-route avoiding Slinfold having started Monday of this week (9th June), along with a range of other Guildford and Farnham area changes effective Sunday 8th June.

Given both these journeys and the main 100 operated by Compass are financially supported by West Sussex County Council, I agree it would have made more sense to perhaps number these as 100s and included on the one timetable (one hopes being council funded that tickets might be able to be interchangeable over the common Slinfold to Horsham section?). Or, if it was desired to keep these journeys numbered differently, call them 68 as per the main Sussex Coaches service which they are essentially short extensions of.

 

[stadler]

The Guildford to Horsham Stagecoach 63 has already ceased serving Slinfold, from close of service Saturday just gone, with the re-route avoiding Slinfold having started Monday of this week (9th June), along with a range of other Guildford and Farnham area changes effective Sunday 8th June.

Given both these journeys and the main 100 operated by Compass are financially supported by West Sussex County Council, I agree it would have made more sense to perhaps number these as 100s and included on the one timetable (one hopes being council funded that tickets might be able to be interchangeable over the common Slinfold to Horsham section?). Or, if it was desired to keep these journeys numbered differently, call them 68 as per the main Sussex Coaches service which they are essentially short extensions of.

It seems that Sussex Coaches do indeed accept Compass Bus and Stagecoach tickets:

Tickets – Sussex Coaches

sussex-coaches.co.uk

"We accept Compass Bus and Stagecoach tickets on the 63 Service only when issued for the corresponding locations."

So at least passengers could buy a Return ticket on the Compass Bus 100 from Slinfold to Horsham and then go back on the Sussex Coaches 63 from Horsham to Slinfold on the same Return ticket.