Introduction
The Department for Transport urged local authorities to continue to pay bus and coach operators for tendered services at the levels before any downturn in service provision or patronage, for the duration of the COVID-19 outbreak, which we have committed to do.
The local transport element of the Bus Services Support Grant is being allocated to support local bus services, such as tendered bus services that may be experiencing revenue shortfalls. The grant initially ran for a period of three months (12 weeks).
As a local transport authority, we received an allocation from the Government and have apportioned a total amount for the initial 12-week period of £112,954.54 to local bus operators in Somerset.
The grant has helped us support the following bus mileage within the county from the 17 March 2020 to 8 June 2020.
| Service number | Start location | Finish location | Kilometres operated in 2020 | Kilometres operated in the same period in 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Taunton | Bishops Hull | 6428 | 12856 |
| 5 | Babcary | Yeovil | 1062 | 1332 |
| 8 | Pilton | Yeovil | 1236 | 1432 |
| 10 | Minehead | Porlock | 8928 | 8928 |
| 16 | Huish Episcopi | Bridgwater | 10606 | 23005 |
| 19 | Greinton | Bridgwater | 422 | 422 |
| 23 | Williton | Taunton | 4716 | 10350 |
| 29 | Taunton | Wells | 45681 | 45681 |
| 39 | Bruton | Yeovil | 1603 | 1208 |
| 51 | Stoke St Gregory | Taunton | 12658 | 16034 |
| 52 | Martock | Yeovil | 13679 | 13881 |
| 56 | West Coker | Yeovil | 9462 | 9462 |
| 67 | Burnham on Sea | Wells | 11449 | 23344 |
| 96 | Chard | Yeovil | 28394 | 41898 |
| 98 | Broadway | Taunton | 1355 | 1231 |
| 99 | Taunton | Chard | 20855 | 20855 |
| 162 | Frome | Shepton Mallet | 17370 | 17370 |
| 184 | Frome | Midsomer Norton | 19506 | 19506 |
| 198 | Minehead | Dulverton | 17849 | 18540 |
| 414/424 | Frome | Midsomer Norton | 21537 | 24130 |
| 625 | Taunton | Bridgwater | 658 | 658 |
| 667 | Street | Wincanton | 27381 | 39625 |
| 668 | Shipham | Street | 17286 | 17286 |
| 669 | Shepton Mallet | Street | 23810 | 23810 |
| S1/2/3 | Surrounding villages | Ilminster | 6858 | 9066 |
| Total | 330789 | 401910 |
At the time of writing, these services continue to operate, but please check operators’ websites or Traveline South West for timetable details.