Local bus campaigners have launched a ‘Somerset Catch the Bus Campaign’ to encourage even greater usage of existing bus services across the county of Somerset.
The organisers of this new campaign are Frome and Villages Bus User Group (FavBug) along with Rode’s Save the 267 team.
“Our organisations have campaigned to protect and enhance bus services in the Frome area,” said FavBug chair and Frome councillor, Tricia Golinski. “We in Frome and Rode have led the way by protesting against bus cuts in Somerset and we will continue to do that. However the best way of protecting our existing bus services is to encourage people to catch the bus more often. That’s why we’ve launched this campaign.”
A nationwide ‘Catch The Bus Week’ begins on July 4th with the support of major bus operators. The Somerset campaigners will be backing this national campaign.
The Somerset campaign plans to challenge Somerset’s MPs and county councillors to ‘catch the bus’ during this week in July and then to upload ‘selfies’ on the new Somerset Catch the Bus Campaign Facebook page to show them experiencing going by a Somerset bus. Local MP David Warburton has already pledged his support for the Somerset initiative.
Leading Rode 267 campaigner, Lucy Travis, explained, “We want selfies not just of our councillors and MPs catching the bus but we’d like everyone to upload ‘selfies’ of themselves travelling by a bus in Somerset. Let’s make going by bus the ‘in thing’ this Summer in Somerset.”
As part of Catch The Bus week FavBug plans to choose Frome’s favourite bus driver and will be inviting bus passengers to nominate their favourite bus driver. It’s hoped Frome’s mayor, Toby Eliot, will present the award to Frome’s Favourite Bus Driver. Bus operators First Bus and Frome Minibuses are also looking to provide a range of offers and discounted tickets.
For more details or to take part visit: www.facebook.com/groups/SomersetCTBC/
