Somerset Council will provide subsidies for 82 bus services throughout this year to maintain essential transport connections for local communities. These subsidies support routes that would otherwise be unprofitable, enabling residents without cars to travel safely to school, work, leisure activities, and other destinations.
Approximately 30% of the subsidy—around £2 million—comes from the Department for Transport (DfT) through the Somerset Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP). The remaining funding is allocated from the council’s transport budget.
Following the announcement of funding in late July, the council has published the full list of supported routes for the upcoming 12 months, ensuring these services continue to operate. The routes include key connections across the county such as:
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- The 1 (Yeovil to Shepton Mallet via Sparkford and Castle Cary)
- Circulatory services in Taunton (1E, 3, 11, 12)
- Routes linking Bridgwater, Ilminster, and Yeovil with surrounding villages
- Long-distance services including the 374 (Taunton to Bristol) and the 126 (Weston-super-Mare to Wells)
- Local town services such as Yeovil’s circular routes (50, 51, 53) and Bridgwater’s town route (B1)
Councillor Richard Wilkins, Portfolio Holder for Transport and Waste Services, emphasized the importance of these subsidies: “We support a huge range of bus services up and down the county, because if we didn’t, there is a very real chance they could be lost. Our priority is to keep communities connected—helping people get to work, school, shopping, or enjoy a night out.”
However, Councillor Wilkins also highlighted the need for public support: “We need people in Somerset to value and use their bus routes regularly. If people do, services can become sustainable. We can’t keep supporting routes indefinitely if people don’t use them.”
Passengers also benefit from a £3 cap on single bus fares, which remains in place for all Somerset services (including cross-county routes) until at least March 2027. The government may extend this fare cap further to encourage greater use.
In addition to revenue support, the Somerset BSIP provides for major capital improvements to bus infrastructure. Feasibility studies are underway for new transport hubs in Bridgwater and Yeovil, with the Yeovil hub potentially integrated into the regeneration of the adjacent Glovers Walk site.
These investments aim to enhance the quality and reliability of bus travel throughout Somerset, securing accessible transport links for all residents.