First Bus does a U-Turn on Rode’s 267

267 bus campaigners in Rode

300 people turned up for the public meeting in Rode Memorial Hall to hear Jonathan Barnard, general manager for First Bus in the West of England, announced the reinstatement of the 267 bus through Rode from Frome to Bath and also to say it would go to Sainsbury’s in Frome. 

However Rode’s 267 and the connection to Sainsbury’s have stopped as of Sunday 13th April as First Bus now need to gain approval for a new timetable and this takes about 30 days and then First will revert to its previous timetable.

The village of Rode has launched a huge protest to save the 267 bus. The announcement on 5th March by First Bus that the Bath to Frome 267 bus would no longer go through Rode or to Frome Sainsbury’s from 13th April. The campaign was spearheaded by local villagers and was strongly supported by Rode Parish Council and by Sam Phripp, Rode’s county councillor.

1500 people signed a petition calling for the reinstatement of Rode’s 267 and on 8th March a protest by 200 people blocked Rode’s High Street temporarily holding up the 287. The campaign was featured in the local press and on BBC Somerset radio. Even Rode resident, Stuart Hooper, Bath’s Rugby Captain got involved as he was affected by the changes! In Frome a petition calling for a reinstatement of the route to Sainsbury’s was signed by over 1000 people.

An outburst of cheering and clapping broke out when Jonathan Barnard, general manager for First Bus in West of England, said at the public meeting in Rode, “We are not only just a commercial bus operator so it is important for us to recognise the communities in the villages and all the important people that use our buses. We will reinstate the bus service into Rode (and to Sainsbury’s in Frome).”

Footnote: Application has to be made to the Traffic Commissioners and to Mendip and Somerset Councils to gain their consent to an emergency application by First Bus to restore the former timetable of the 267 that includes Rode and Sainsbury’s. Even an emergency application takes some 30 days.

Contacts: Steve Eyles, Chair, Rode Parish Council Telephone 01373 831174

Lucy Travis  an organiser of the ‘Save Rode’s 267’ campaign 07803886