Somerset County Council is to work with bus operators to deliver better services – and local people have a pivotal role to play.

Following the Government’s announcement in March of the new National Bus Strategy, ‘Bus Back Better’, a £3 billion pot of funding is being made available to improve bus services across the country.

Somerset County Council can bid for a share of this in partnership with operators.

But first, the council needs to know about residents’ experience and where the gaps in services are.

To take part in the survey, log on to somerset.inconsult and following the links.

The public survey will feed into a Bus Service Improvement Plan – a blueprint for future service provision across Somerset. It will be published in October.

“The most important people in all of this are bus users in Somerset,” said Cllr John Woodman.

“We need to hear about their experiences and what they think the council and operators need to be providing terms of services.”