THE bus service between Wiveliscombe and Taunton is to be subsidised with Government money to safeguard its future until next spring.

Somerset Council has agreed to use some of the Bus Service Improvement Plan Plus funding (BSIP Plus) it received from the Government.

It stepped in to ensure bus services with low passenger numbers can continue as they are until the end of March, 2024.

The extra finance will be spent on the No 25 Taunton to Dulverton bus, which runs Monday to Friday and also serves Wiveliscombe, Milverton, Cotford St Luke, and Watterow, as well as supporting the No 28 Taunton to Minehead route and two others in the Yeovil area.

The council will work with bus operator First South to encourage more passengers to use the routes as part of its ongoing ‘Bus It’ campaign

The campaign aims to make the routes financially viable.

First South has signalled it will review the routes later in the year, taking into account new data on passenger uptake.

Roads Minister Richard Holden said: “People up and down the country deserve a clean, reliable, and affordable public transport system.

“That is why we have provided Somerset Council with over £12 million to boost and retain its bus services.

“Supporting the council to retain these vital services is fantastic for local residents, who will be able to continue to get to work, attend medical appointments, and visit loved ones for less and more easily.”

Somerset executive Cllr Mike Rigby said: “We want to get the message to people that using the bus for commuting or leisure can save you money and hassle.

“It costs just £2 each way. That is incredible value when you compare making the same journey by car.

“Think of the savings you could make just by using it a couple of days a week.

“All these routes link key towns and many village communities in between, but simply not enough people are using them.

“Unless more people bus it, it is unlikely any commercial operator will be able to run these services without subsidy.

“The unfortunate reality is that in the current financial climate the council will not be able to subsidise them indefinitely and that inevitably means people need to use their buses or lose them.

“We have shown we can get more people onto buses on key routes if we get the message out there, and that is what we will continue to do. 

“Whether you are heading to Minehead for a day, commuting from Watchet to Taunton, or travelling from Yeovil to Wincanton, it has to be worth your while to think about the savings you can make, and the convenience of not having to use your car.

“It is close to a 50-mile round trip from Taunton to Minehead for just £4 on the 28.

“What else can you buy for £4 these days that offers that kind of value? 

“We will be drumming home that message over the coming months and trying to persuade more people to Bus It on these routes and across Somerset.”

The council and the Somerset Bus Partnership launched the ‘Bus It’ campaign last summer to try to encourage more people onto buses.

More information about the campaign is here.

Figures show that bus use has increased by 14 per cent across the county in the past year and 24 per cent in Taunton thanks to initiatives such as fare capping and the ‘Bus It’ campaign.