I was very pleased to read Jon Sharman’s excellent piece (Hospital’s tricky transport links, February 6), airing the lack of effective and direct public transport, in particular to Epsom.

This is a major issue for the residents of Chessington, Hook, Southborough and a sizeable chunk of Surbiton and Long Ditton.

My rough calculation is that there are potentially some 40,000 people in this area who would like the option to use public transport to access Epsom for the hospital, shops, jobs, theatre, leisure centre and rail and bus connections to Ashtead, Reigate and Sutton.

But there is only one bus an hour, the 467, to Epsom, and only until 7pm, with no Sunday service. There are up to 10 buses an hour to Kingston, and even the two-an-hour 465s run seven days a week to Leatherhead and Dorking.

I am sure a more viable route would start from Kingston and connect the Surbiton, Chessington North and Epsom stations, and go on to Epsom Hospital.

IAN KIRKPATRICK
Chessington