Bus services that enter private property (except shopping centres/supermarkets/works only)

[Hyebone]

EYMS 129 enters Sand le Mere holiday park in Tunstall. Lovely route by the way.

 

[AWWisher]

Transdev Keighley operates Nidderdale DalesBus 821 on Summer Sundays & Bank Holidays which uses a Yorkshire Water access road to serve Scar House Reservoir. The bus terminates in the car park by the reservoir and cafe.

Yes, the access road is 4 miles long, single track road. Nowadays they use a Mercedes mini but they have used a Solo in the past.

 

[EYFanatic]

EYMS service 79 enters a wind turbine factory down by Hedon Road and then turns round there to finish going up to Hedon

 

[coppercapped]

In Reading the 21 bus from the town centre to Lower Earley runs through the University of Reading’s campus via the central area as part of its route and during term times Reading Buses runs a limited stop 20 route from the University to the town centre and station.

 

[AWWisher]

The ferry company owns a long stretch of the road to Studland - so could be a contender for longest distance travelled on a private road.

Looks to be 2.5 miles. see post 32 - 4 miles

 

[steamybrian]

A mention for the limited days bus service between Warminster to Imber that travels over MOD property to the abandoned village.

 

[duncombec]

There are a probably a surprising number of private roads around that still allow public access.

University Road and Park Wood Road in Canterbury are private property owned by the University of Kent, and are closed for one day a year (usually Christmas Day) to retain their status as such.

 

[BULLSAREMAGIC]

Bradford City Transport in the early 70s diverted route 63 Wrose - Brighouse into Hanson School grounds at least twice a day. When Boots at Beeston was at its peak Bartons routes 18 and 32 diverted into the private bus station in addition to many works services

 

[Magrar]

Not if they were built and are owned by the Local Authority, surely? That will account for most of them.

Which for the purposes of your rights to drive motor vehicles on it, makes it private property....no?

I mean you'd like it to be a public highway, but you just know councils would prefer to be the ones controlling who can drive/stop/park where.

 

[kkong]

Stagecoach 5 and 6 serve the NEO NEXT+ (formerly Total) offices at Westhill, Aberdeenshire in the morning and evening peaks.

These are normal service buses.

I expect Stagecoach are/were paid for this, because:

• The premises are somewhat off-route and involve a round trip of ~1.6km from the previous stop to resume the original route.
• The employees used to (perhaps still do) receive free travel by showing their staff ID card.

First Aberdeen 19 serves Peterculter Retirement Park a few times a day.

 

[adam rogan]

The 96 from Wakefield to Barnsley enters Yorkshire Sculpture Park. The bus literally drives through it while sheep roam around freely.

 

[Hyebone]

The 96 from Wakefield to Barnsley enters Yorkshire Sculpture Park. The bus literally drives through it while sheep roam around freely.

Simiarly, Chatsworth House grounds in Derbyshire boasts 6 regular service bus routes. TM Travel's 218, High Peak's Sunday-only extended 58 service and Stagecoach's 160, 170 as well as the red and blue sightseer services.

 

[James H]

Dorset Community Transport's three-days-a-week route 88 leaves the public highway to serve the National Trust's Kingston Lacy house, turning round in the car park


In Kent, there are also TfL and GoBus routes that serve Chartwell at weekends in the summer.

 

[richard13]

Exeter service C uses Tan Lane to short cut from the City to Marsh Barton commercial area, via a very tight bridge under the railway. Tan Lane is private. I suspect the electric buses won't fit - a route change happens on Aug 30th, but not yet published.

Exmouth open top 95 ends by doing the full length of Devon Cliffs Haven Holiday Park (over 1600 caravans).

 

[Lloyds siding]

IN the 1950s there was a 'bus' that provided a summer service tween Ainsdale and Southport by driving along the beach. It was made from a converted ex-War Department 4WD lorry. The local authority owns the beach down to the low water mark round Southport. The beach is 'public', but then, and now, is treated as a council owned car park (pay to park).

 

[SalopBuses]

Regional Transport T1 enters Attingham Park on its return journey to Ironbridge, and infact the driver has to open a goat to get into the stop once in the car park.
It is a sightseeing bus service however so not sure if it would count for this list.

 

[richard13]

Thames Valley 1 at Windsor serves the Royal Estate, Windsor Great Park via the gates.

 

[Merle Haggard]

In the more distant past now, but Birch Brothers and later United Counties had services that went into Chicksands USAF base. From my (not always reliable) memory, there were armed guards at the entrance, but, once inside, it was exactly how you thought a small town in the U.S. would look.

 

[richard13]

Not if they were built and are owned by the Local Authority, surely? That will account for most of them.

Local Authority Land is the private property of the authority - it is not public highway or public open space. It can be gated and closed as many P&R sites are at night.

 

[YorkRailFan]

Quite a few National Trust properties have buses stop on their land.
Cragside in Northumberland is served by Arriva's X14 and Northumberland Travel's 471.
Fountains Abbey is currently served by East Yorkshire 82/83/84, Procters 139, DalesBus 820, DalesBus 822 & DalesBus 825.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 27 Jul 2026 ==

Local Authority Land is the private property of the authority - it is not public highway or public open space. It can be gated and closed as many P&R sites are at night.

For York:
Rawcliffe Bar - First York 2
Askham Bar - First York 3
Designer Outlet - First York 7
Grimston Bar - First York 8
Monks Cross - First York 9
Poppleton Bar - First York 59

There are also National Park Centres that buses stop at.
For the Dales:
Grassington - Transdev Keighley 72, North Yorkshire Council 72A, Upper Wharfdale Venturer 72B, DalesBus 74, DalesBus 874, DalesBus 875 & DalesBus 876.
Hawes - DalesBus 80, Little White Bus 113, DalesBus 831 & DalesBus 857
For the Moors:
Danby - Moorsbus M3 & M6
Sutton Bank - Moorsbus M4

 

[CMBS]

West Coast Motors service 480 enters Hunters Quay Holiday Village. Some of the facility, including the leisure centre is open to locals/the public but the 480 passes through the barriers where most caravans are.

 

[Lloyds siding]

There's toll roads, bridges and tunnels too. Both of the The Mersey tunnels are both used by regular services. Historically there were bus services round the Great Orme at Llandudno and Douglas Head on the Isle of Man (both toll roads at the time).

I've been on an express coach down the M6 Toll when there were major roadworks on the M6 that weekend.

 

[EYFanatic]

Danby - Moorsbus M3 & M6

Point of order, Mr Speaker...

Officially the M3 and M6 finish at the stop on the main road which is a public highway - although they de facto use the car park to turn around in, its not an official thing

(edited to clarify)

 

[YorkRailFan]

Point of order, Mr Speaker...

Officially the M3 and M6 finish at the stop on the main road which is a public highway - although they de facto use the car park to turn around in, its not an official thing

(edited to clarify)

The M3* also has a layover in Danby Lodge car park for the driver to have their break.

*Midday journey between Guisborough & Danby only (operated by Compass on Saturdays and by Arriva on Sundays and Bank Holidays) and is interworked with the M4.

 

[EYFanatic]

Isn't the little jaunt from the stop to the car park technically not in service at that point?

 

[YorkRailFan]

Isn't the little jaunt from the stop to the car park technically not in service at that point?

I suppose it depends if its still carrying people or not.

 

[RUK]

Stephensons of Essex’s Route 14 is the one that goes to Foulness Island.

First Norfolk’s 25, 26, and 26A, and I believe Konectbus’/Central Connect’s 3, 3B, 3C, 4, and 512, though I’m not as familiar with their routes, and some National Express and Flixbus coaches, go through the University of East Anglia’s campus in Norwich, which I assume is private, as they have non-standard road direction signs with squared-off rather than rounded corners, in various locations, as shown on Google Street view: https://maps.app.goo.gl/44bmUFozMCcAQj3B8

Street View · Google Maps

Explore a place in a more immersive way in Google Maps.

maps.app.goo.gl

Street View · Google Maps

Explore a place in a more immersive way in Google Maps.

maps.app.goo.gl

Street View · Google Maps

Explore a place in a more immersive way in Google Maps.

maps.app.goo.gl

 

[Buzby]

CityLink 900 between Glasgow and Edinburgh. Every second departure of this service routes via Maxim Park a rather soulless wasteland of office buildings in the middle of nowhere off the M8 motorway. Clearly the landlords will be paying for this, as the number of folk using it are small.

 

[JohnofWessex]

Regional Transport T1 enters Attingham Park on its return journey to Ironbridge, and infact the driver has to open a goat to get into the stop once in the car park.
It is a sightseeing bus service however so not sure if it would count for this list.

Poor Goat............

Is it some sort of soothsaying exercise to see if its safe to proceed

 

[Acathater]

Regional Transport T1 enters Attingham Park on its return journey to Ironbridge, and infact the driver has to open a goat to get into the stop once in the car park.
It is a sightseeing bus service however so not sure if it would count for this list.

a goat drawn bus? That's rare

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 27 Jul 2026 ==

Does the Porlock Hill toll road still have any buses or do they now use the normal road?