FROME Town Council has called for a number of improvements to the town’s bus service.
Proposed improvements include an “express” service to Bath; better connections between residential areas and the hospital, railway station, Asda/Edmund Park and Commerce Park; an evening bus service within the town; an hourly electric bus service between Frome and Westbury; and real time bus information at bus shelters.
They have made the suggestions – in partnership with Frome and Villages Bus Users Group (FAVBUG) and Somerset Bus Partnership – in response to Somerset County Council’s ‘Bus Back Better’ consultation. Responses to the county council’s consultation will inform their bid for funding to improve bus services from the government’s £3billion pot.
“Frome has got major issues with its bus service, said Peter Travis from FAVBUG at the town council’s Town Matters meeting earlier this month. “It’s had an inadequate bus service ever since First decided – because the services weren’t being backed by any funding from Somerset – that they, in 2015, were going to pull back on a whole range of bus services emanating out of Frome. And today, First only operates on the D2 route.”
The FAVBUG representative went on to explain the government’s national bus strategy, Bus Back Better’, was an opportunity to explore and create a “fit for purpose” bus service for the town.
“This is an opportunity to make buses run when people need them,” he said, “rather than when bus companies can make a lot of money out of them.”
At the meeting, town councillors agreed to submit their list of bus service improvement ideas to Somerset County Council’s consultation, and to continue to work with FAVBUG to lobby for improvements.
