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All across the Great Western territory / Buses and other ways to travel / Re: Threat of bus service cuts in Somerset from April 2024.
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on: February 21, 2024, 17:41:07
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The threatened bus routes have been safeguarded for another 12 months. I'd like to think that the campaigning, politician badgering and news coverage has had an effect. Services 25 and 54 will continue to receive support from the Bus Service Improvement Grant. First Buses of Somerset has agreed to continue running the 28 and 58 without subsidy. From Somerset Council: Four at risk bus routes safeguarded after Council and Buses of Somerset reach agreement
Somerset Council and First Bus South which operates Buses of Somerset have reached an agreement to ensure four routes in the county can continue to run for another year.
The four services, 58, 54, 28, and 25 were at risk of being stopped or reduced due to low passenger numbers. Last autumn, Somerset Council stepped in with Government money to keep the routes running and launched a campaign to drive up passenger numbers.
The campaign achieved some success, with more passengers using the services, but not enough to negate the ongoing need for financial support.
However following talks, Buses of Somerset and Somerset Council have reached an agreement to keep the services running until the end of March 2025. The 54 and 25 will continue to be supported using Government funding from the Bus Service Improvement Grant (BSIP Plus), provided by Somerset Council, and Buses of Somerset has agreed to run the 58 and 28 services without subsidy.
Buses of Somerset will continue to run and promote the services for a further year while working with Somerset Council and Somerset Bus Partnership to maintain an ongoing campaign to encourage bus use.
In summary:
• Services 54, 58 and 58a all remain unchanged.
• Service 25 from Dulverton – Wiveliscombe – Taunton will continue to serve all points of the route, but in order to ensure the service remains viable, the timetable will see some changes. Some daytime journeys will divert on the Service 28 through Cotford St Luke and North Fitzwarren at certain times of the day, these will be renumbered 28a.
• Service 28 will be revised, including some direct journeys between Taunton and Minehead, with an express service to Butlins numbered X28, which will operate Mondays to Fridays. Following feedback from stakeholders, the evening services will be retimed to align with trains serving Taunton station.
Further detail on the changes will be announced shortly.
continues...
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48
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All across the Great Western territory / Buses and other ways to travel / Re: Threat of bus service cuts in Somerset from April 2024.
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on: February 10, 2024, 07:45:31
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I can only speak for the 58/58A but the 'use it or lose it' 'Bus It' call to action made by the Somerset Bus Partnership has been loudly answered. From my own observations the loadings have increased significantly in the last six months. So much so that the single deckers used are often full and standing from Yeovil in the afternoons and evenings. Half full plus is the norm throughout the day in both directions. Despite this First continue to claim that the service is not commercially viable. Although there's some disagreement on the passenger count methodology being used and whether it is up to date. Notwithstanding that, if council support is needed for this, and the other services threatened with the axe or drastic reduction, the funding should be found.
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49
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All across the Great Western territory / Buses and other ways to travel / Threat of bus service cuts in Somerset from April 2024.
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on: February 09, 2024, 22:53:17
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I've documented elsewhere that I'm back driving my own vehicle. One reason is the poor bus service in my neck of the woods. Buses of Somerset 58/58A. It was hourly when I moved here, with services to around 8pm. Is currently two hourly with the last bus starting from Yeovil at 6.45pm. Could be axed entirely at the end of March. Other services in Somerset are facing either the axe or a drastic cut in journeys. There are many, many people for whom these buses are a lifeline. I've got to know fellow regular users of the 58/58A who don't have the option I've taken to switch to a car. Whilst they may have the option to take the train to and from Sherborne or Gillingham for shopping trips, for access to other services they need the bus. Health and local authority services are nearly always county specific, so travelling on the train to Sherborne or Gillingham in Dorset is no good for residents of Templecombe. There are outpaitent facilities in Wincanton, and Yeovil has its district hospital, social care and mental health facilities. Yes, there's the train service from Templecombe to Yeovil Junction, but that also requires a bus journey to and from the town. With not always reliable connections, despite nominally being timed to coneect with trains. A bit of traffic congestion on the bus route and you can easily find yourself arriving at Yeovil Junction having just missed your train. I know, it's happened to me on more than one occasion. From ITV News: 'It would be a disaster': Concerns bus routes could be cut in Somerset
A number of bus routes in Somerset are at risk of being cut in a move which people who rely on the services to get to work, doctors appointments and shops say would be a 'disaster'.
It comes as Somerset Council say they might not be able to continue subsidising four routes, including the 54 which travels between Yeovil and Taunton, past the end of March.
The council has been subsidising 54, 25,28 58 and 58A operated by Buses of Somerset since the autumn, but that funding is due to come to an end by April.
Linda and Mary Snelling live in Yeovil and rely on the 54 bus service which goes between the town and Taunton every two hours.
Linda told ITV News West Country: "It's much more than just a person getting on a bus to go shopping, which it's so hard to convey, especially when you can drive, you get in a car and you can just go. But there are a lot of people out there, elderly, disabled people who are ill, people who can't afford it. Who just don't have that luxury. I lead the Yeovil Bus Users Group in Somerset Bus Partnership, and I obviously I am quite involved in trying to protect the services that we have. And I'm getting an awful lot of communication from really concerned people all across the route that need it to continue. It's going to impact the hospitals, people going for appointments, obviously there's a merger with Taunton and Yeovil and a lot of our services are being transferred to Taunton Musgrove and it is vital that we get that connectivity so that we can still continue to get to hospitals."
Mary, Linda's mother, has mobility issues and says she would not be able to walk far enough to get a different bus if the 54 route is cancelled. She said: "My legs are not great so I can't walk too far. So if they take it away I'm stuck."
Somerset Council have been running the 'Bus It' campaign, trying to encourage more people to use the bus for two pounds.
Cllr Richard Wilkins, from Somerset Council, said the council had been told by Buses of Somerset that the four routes were not financially sustainable. The council then subsidised the routes from the autumn until March.
Cllr Wilkins said more people need to use the services if their future is to be secured. He said: "These are particularly important routes for Somerset and a lot of people rely on them. So we will look at every opportunity but the bottom line is if we can get more people onto the bus, we can make the service sustainable, then it will keep running."
James Eustace, commercial director, First Bus South (which operates Buses of Somerset) said: “We’re currently reviewing our entire network in Somerset, which we do twice a year in line with our Enhanced Partnership agreement with Somerset Council. Through this period we’re working closely with Somerset Council, local councillors and bus user groups on our plans for bus services, and no decisions on the four routes currently being subsidised by the council have yet been made.” There is a bus users gathering in Yeovil, tomorrow (Saturday 10th February, 2024) at 11am, which I will be attending. One thing about this situation that is really pissing me off is the carping from the Conservatives on Somerset Council. Blaming the current Liberal Democrat administration of Somerset Council for the gaping hole in its budget. The council is on the verge of bankruptcy. That hole didn't suddenly appear when the LibDems took control of the shadow unitary authority in May 2022 and full control of the new unitary authority in April 2023. From 2009-2022 Somerset County Council was controlled by the Conservatives. For most of the same period to 2022 the Conservatives were in control of four of the five district councils too (latterly three out of four after the merger of the Taunton Deane and West Somerset councils). They did lose Mendip District to no overall control in 2019, but remained the largest party. It was the Conservatives who pushed through the creation of the unitary authority that started life in 2023. Going against the result of a referendum that the district councils organised.* The barely concealed desire of the Conservatives was to have complete control of all council functions in Somerset. That didn't work out for them in the 2022 election for the new unitary authority. The blame for the dire financial straits Somerset Council are now in lies squarely with the Tories. A decade or more of mismanagement from them. A craven attempt to gerrymander the county. And now others have to pick up the pieces, while the no longer in power Tories carp from the sidelines. Shameful behaviour. *Which goes to prove that the Tories can ignore a referendum result when it suits their plans. Even if the plan goes awry. |
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50
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Sideshoots - associated subjects / The Lighter Side / Dogs looking like owners.
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on: February 06, 2024, 13:09:14
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It's often the case that dogs look like their owners. I've never thought that of Finn. That is until today. Folk who know me well know that I'm rarely seen outside without a flat cap on. My neighbour gave me a doogie flat cap this morning. Here is Finn rocking his new look as we travel to collect a car.  Personally, I think he now bears more than a passing resemblance to Brian Johnson, lead singer of AC/ DC▸ .  |
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54
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Journey by Journey / South Western services / Re: Axle counter failures at Sherborne
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on: February 01, 2024, 20:38:57
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By this time next week I should be behind the wheel of my own transport once again. I can no longer rely on the rail service on the West of England line. Strikes, landslips, basic maintenance failures... And there's every liklihood the only bus serving Templecombe will see either cuts or cancellation later this spring.
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55
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Journey by Journey / Wales local journeys / Re: Ebbw Vale Town - improvements
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on: January 31, 2024, 13:08:29
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Pragmatism on the ground, as I suspected.
I also asked via social media and got the same response from Gwen. Last train from Ebbw Vale you can catch when holding the day ranger is 1936 she told me. Her reply regarding this operational convenience ahead of customer service was:
"The team have gotten back to let me know that the Cardiff & Valleys ranger ticket is a product that was specifically designed for stations within the Valleys and Cardiff area, and Newport was not in the scope to be included as it is outside of the geographical boundary. Transport for Wales have no plans to add Newport to the list of stations under this ticket. If you would like to travel on a service that goes via Newport you would need to purchase a valid ticket, a standard single ticket price from Ebbw Vale Town to Cardiff via Newport would be £5.20 ^Gwen"
So customer services in liaison with the fares team say there are no future plans to include Newport in the day ranger area of validity. They may argue they're worried that folk will use GWR▸ services between Newport and Cardiff but that can be prevented with T&Cs just as they currently do with the day ranger on journeys between Bridgend and Cardiff. I guess time will tell as to whether they do include Newport in the future.
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56
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Journey by Journey / Wales local journeys / Re: Ebbw Vale Town - improvements
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on: January 31, 2024, 10:20:07
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The day ranger should have the same route validity as the corresponding walk up tickets within the area of validity.
In practice I suspect you'd have no problem taking a service via Newport using the day ranger when there is no alternative journey. A word with the guard before boarding should allow travel. It'd be a very hard hearted guard who'd either strand you in Ebbw Vale or demand another fare.
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57
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Sideshoots - associated subjects / The Lighter Side / Re: Where were Finn and I today, 30th January 2024?
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on: January 30, 2024, 21:26:58
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All correctly identified.
Finn and I have been enjoying a couple days away in Cardiff. I got myself an Explore Cardiff & Valleys day ranger to tick off a few lines I'd not travelled over before. The journeys were thus:
Cardiff QS - Penarth
Penarth - Grangetown
Grangetown - Bridgend
Bridgend - Maesteg
Maesteg - Cardiff Central
I had intended to go up one of the valleys after returning to Cardiff, but I was flagging a little by mid-afternoon.
The journey to Penarth was on one of the new(ish) Class 231s. Another example of the excellent and versatile Stadler FliRT family of multiple units. I really do hope we see FLiRTs in the Greater Western area in the not too distant future. They'd also make a great replacement for the SWR» Class 159 fleet which is approaching 35 years old.
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