South West council drives forward bus improvements with £6m funding boost

Bus services in Somerset are set for a £6m boost after the council received Government funding.

Initiatives under Somerset’s Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) will incorporate improved services for Yeovil and Bridgwater including evening journeys, continued evening services for Taunton and on-going support for bus routes across Somerset including in Frome, Dulverton and Wiveliscombe.

In line with bus priority measures at traffic signals in Taunton, similar schemes are to be rolled out in Yeovil and Bridgwater.

Taunton’s Park and Ride fare will remain £1 for a single journey as part of the package.

With the end of the £1.50 fare trial in Taunton on March 31, bus users are encouraged to check operators websites for up-to-date fares. The government’s £3 national fare initiatives continues until December 31 2025.

Somerset Council’s Richard Wilkins said: “We are really delighted to be able to make this vital investment in bus services across Somerset.
“Making bus travel a more attractive, reliable option is crucial to increasing bus patronage and ensuring more routes are financially viable.
“It is also really important in terms of ensuring our transport choices are more sustainable in Somerset.”

Key 2025/26 Somerset Council Bus Service Improvement Measures:

Yeovil:
Extending the 376 service from Bristol to Street to Yeovil – to include evenings and Sundays.
Sunday service for 51 Yeovil Town; Service CR6 (Bridport to Yeovil) extra later return journey. A review of the town centre network, repurposing service 11 to remove some duplication and provide a service to areas of Yeovil currently not served.
Continued Council support for: Services 1, 54, 58, 68 and 81 which provide links from Yeovil to Shepton Mallet, Taunton, Wincanton, Yeovil rail stations and South Petherton.
Bus Priority Signal Improvements

Bridgwater:

Evening service for 21 Taunton to Bridgwater service – extended to Burnham-on-Sea.
Increased daytime frequency for the B1Bridgwater Town Service, plus Sunday service.
Roll out of Digital Demand Responsive Transport to the existing Sedgemoor Slinky
Support for service 14 – Bridgwater to Cannington
Improved access for buses at Bridgwater Train Station.
Bus Priority Signal Improvements

Taunton:
Continued support for evening services, 1E, 21, 22, 28 and 30 serving Bridgwater, Wellington, Minehead and Chard.
Continued support for service 3 (Bishops Hull – Taunton) and re-routing part of the service to provide an improved transport links in the South Road/Shoreditch Road/Chestnut Drive area of Taunton.
£1 single fare for park and ride
Roll out of Digital Demand Responsive Transport to the existing Taunton and Wellington Slinky Service
Support for Comeytrowe Transport Hub

Elsewhere there will be continued support for:
The Frome Town service 30, which will also see the introduction of an Electric Vehicle;
The D2 Frome to Bath service
The 126 Axbridge-Wells service, with an increased service on Saturdays.
Improved service 25 Dulverton to Taunton; Service 26 Dulverton to Wiveliscombe and a trial of Service 27 Wiveliscombe to Wellington and West Buckland (2 days a week).

As well as the ongoing work on Taunton’s Transport hub on the site of the former bus station, and a pilot rural transport hub in Langport, there will be feasibility studies for transport hubs in Yeovil and Bridgwater.