Bus Back Better update
Here is the link for Somerset’s Bus Service Improvement Plan. Go to the following link and scroll to “The full Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP)” https://www.somerset.gov.uk/roads-and-transport/transport-strategy/#The-National-Bus-Strategy-2021:-Bus-Back-Better
The above YouTube video gives you access to the full meeting that received the consultation update in November 2021.
- The Bus Back Better group have applied for £163 million to improve bus services in the county.
- Running an existing bus costs around £150k p.a. and a small electric midi/mini bus is around £225,000 based on a fleet in Brighton.
- Private occupancy singe cars are a challenge. Somerset currently has a 1% usage by bus and 84% by car.
- Somerset is the 2nd worst county for bus use in the country.
- It is likely that rural services will not get much improvement as they are concentrating on improving major routes where there is more likelihood of creating a sustainable service to continue after the grant money has run out. However there is a project looking at ‘demand services’.
- Starting a bus service route where there is none is very difficult.