Somerset Council is introducing wide-ranging support and improvements to bus services across the county following confirmation of a new £6 million tranche of Government funding for 2025/26.
Initiatives under Somerset’s Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) will incorporate improved services for Yeovil and Bridgwater including evening journeys, continued evening services for Taunton and on-going support for vital bus routes across Somerset including in Frome, Dulverton and Wiveliscombe.
In line with bus priority measures at traffic signals in Taunton, similar schemes are to be rolled out in Yeovil and Bridgwater. These will help buses avoid delays and should help ensure timetabled stops are more reliable.
Taunton’s Park and Ride fare will remain £1 for a single journey as part of the package.
With the end of the £1.50 fare trial in Taunton on 31 March, bus users are encouraged to check operators websites for up-to-date fares. The government’s £3 national fare initiatives continues until 31 December 2025.
Somerset Council’s Lead Member for Transport and Waste Services, Councillor Richard Wilkins said:
We are really delighted to be able to make this vital investment in bus services across Somerset.
Making bus travel a more attractive, reliable option is crucial to increasing bus patronage and ensuring more routes are financially viable.
It is also really important in terms of ensuring our transport choices are more sustainable in Somerset.
Key 2025/26 Somerset Council Bus Service Improvement Measures
Yeovil
- Extending the 376 service from Bristol to Street to Yeovil – to include evenings and Sundays.
- Sunday service for 51 Yeovil Town; Service CR6 (Bridport to Yeovil) extra later return journey. A review of the town centre network, repurposing service 11 to remove some duplication and provide a service to areas of Yeovil currently not served.
- Continued Council support for Services 1, 54, 58, 68 and 81 which provide links from Yeovil to Shepton Mallet, Taunton, Wincanton, Yeovil rail stations and South Petherton.
- Bus Priority Signal Improvements.
Bridgwater
- Evening service for 21 Taunton to Bridgwater service – extended to Burnham-on-Sea.
- Increased daytime frequency for the B1Bridgwater Town Service, plus Sunday service.
- Roll out of Digital Demand Responsive Transport to the existing Sedgemoor Slinky.
- Support for service 14 – Bridgwater to Cannington.
- Improved access for buses at Bridgwater Train Station.
- Bus Priority Signal Improvements.
Taunton
- Continued support for evening services, 1E, 21, 22, 28 and 30 serving Bridgwater, Wellington, Minehead and Chard.
- Continued support for service 3 (Bishops Hull – Taunton) and re-routing part of the service to provide an improved transport links in the South Road/Shoreditch Road/Chestnut Drive area of Taunton.
- £1 single fare for park and ride.
Roll out of Digital Demand Responsive Transport to the existing Taunton and Wellington Slinky Service. - Support for Comeytrowe Transport Hub.
Other
Elsewhere there will be continued support for
- The Frome Town service 30, which will also see the introduction of an Electric Vehicle;
- The D2 Frome to Bath service.
- The 126 Axbridge-Wells service, with an increased service on Saturdays.
- Improved service 25 Dulverton to Taunton; Service 26 Dulverton to Wiveliscombe and a trial of Service 27 Wiveliscombe to Wellington and West Buckland (2 days a week).
- As well as the ongoing work on Taunton’s Transport hub on the site of the former bus station, and a pilot rural transport hub in Langport, there will be feasibility studies for transport hubs in Yeovil and Bridgwater.
There will also be initiatives aimed at improving passenger information across the county.
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