Bus service changes

Please CLICK HERE for the latest information on the funding reductions for bus services in 2012.

Thirty bus routes could be protected by Somerset County Council after a huge consultation with passengers on future levels of transport subsidies.

They include funding services, running at least once per week, in areas that were facing the loss of buses, such as Babcary, Yeovilton, Winsham and West Fitzhead.

The Council will still invest around £1.9 million on subsidising routes across the county and supporting services taking children and students to schools and colleges.

Cabinet Member for Highways, Cllr Harvey Siggs, said: "We have talked to bus operators and bus passengers. We have always said this was about listening and have taken action where we can to help out.

"We have gone back to the budgets and found some areas where we can use money more flexibly to invest here."

Details were released today (29 February) of the new proposals which were approved by Cllr Siggs. 

There were more than 1,500 responses from the public and bus companies to consultation on subsidy reductions. These affected about half the 108 subsidised services in Somerset. The comments were reviewed and alterations proposed in many cases.

Bus companies and the Council are still negotiating some elements, but four routes mainly carrying fare-paying school children will be protected until at least the end of the summer term. Some local services are likely to continue to be run by companies with reduced or zero subsidies. 

Also, the number 99 (Taunton to Yeovil) could be re-routed to cover the loss to Winsham and Clapton of the 90 service (Chard to Crewkerne).

At a meeting of the Council on 15 February it was confirmed the authority faces a £45 million budget gap over the coming two years. The original proposals for bus subsidies were a £1.5 million reduction, but that will be adjusted once negotiations with operators are completed.

Cllr Siggs added: "The process doesn't stop now. We will keep on talking to the public, parish councils and bus operators - there is always room for improvement."

"It is important that people use these bus services or risk losing them in the future, but we will help and support passengers as far as possible in these tough and challenging financial times."