40
MIDSOMER NORTON LIFE
RURAL TRANSPORT AND THE
NEED FOR FRESH THINKING T
he formation of a Rural Transport Partnership is being considered by B&NES, Parishes and local residents in a bid to address strong concerns of local people.
Why then, it was asked, can’t First Bus with its ‘fat profits’ just run the service anyway? It was explained that First Bus is owned by its staff and last year made a loss.
The new partnership, originally suggested at a B&NES Community Forum Workshop, has been given impetus by two local public meetings organised by Timsbury & Farmborough Parish Council and Dunkerton & Tunley Parish Council. Both these meetings focused on the recent reduction in services on the 179 route by First Bus and whose senior managers attended the Farmborough meeting. As concerns were raised by residents, what became clear was that, on the one hand the public were not aware of the structure and funding of local bus services whilst at the same time B&NES and the West of England Combined Authority lacked a joined-up coherent strategy on rural transport.
The Managing Director of First Bus went on to explain that the 179 service with two buses cost £400,000 a year to run but that the revenue amounted to £80,000. Cllr Mark Shalford, B&NES Cabinet Member for Transport noted that B&NES did not have the money to fill the £320,000 a year gap and First Bus certainly didn’t. The issue of the falling demand was raised and countered that with reduced services it would become a vicious circle. Late buses were cited as a reason for people not using services but First Bus explained that road works often held up their services and there was little or nothing they could do. Residents made the case that a bus service was none-the-less vital for local people who could not drive/did not have a car – namely the young and the elderly.
There were repeated questions as to how First Bus were simply allowed to cut the 179 service when they surely had a legal obligation to provide one. It was explained that there is no obligation for First Bus, B&NES nor anyone to provide a service – the service is simply a commercial undertaking.
As the debate progressed it was recognised that B&NES and First Bus had done all they could by saving the 179 Monday to Friday service through transferring the Sunday service subsidy. However both public meetings concluded that there was
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