Extra journeys added to bus services in Somerset

8th Nov 2023All areas

Location

Somerset
Cause

Timetable change
Responsibility

First Somerset
Effective

27/11/2023 - 27/11/2023

From Monday 27 November, changes to Buses of Somerset’s timetables will further improve punctuality and reliability
Following customer feedback, earlier buses added to help locals get to work
Evening services extended on the 21 service

As part of our programme to improve bus services for local people, we are adding extra journeys to a number of our services.

Following customer feedback, wer're making some changes to timetables from Monday 27 November. These changes include adding earlier journeys to some routes to support workers, as well as extending evening services on the 21.

We have also been monitoring punctuality and reliability, and some other minor amends will be made to timetables to improve the running time of buses.

James Eustace, Commercial Director at First South, said: “Our customers are at the heart of everything we do, and we’re making these changes after listening to their feedback. People told us they needed earlier buses to get to work, so we’re adding these journeys in on weekdays. We’re also adjusting some journey times to improve punctuality and help students get to school.

“At the same time, we are also seeing improvements in punctuality on our services, following the timetable changes during September. Our focus is on running a reliable service for local people and we’re working hard to make that happen.”

Here is what is changing:

Services	What is changing
Services 1, 6 and 7 (Taunton Town Services)	Some changes to journeys in the morning peak to support people to get to work. No changes to Saturday journeys.
Services 21, 21a (Taunton – Bridgwater – Burnham-on-Sea)	A new timetable will be introduced to allow additional journey time to improve punctually. Following customer requests, an earlier journey on the 21 will be added from Taunton at 0500 to Burnham-on-Sea (Monday to Friday) and 0515 from Taunton to Bridgwater (Saturday). During the evenings Monday to Saturday buses on service 21 will be extended from Bridgwater Bus Station to Dunball, Admiral’s Table providing an hourly service to the North of Bridgwater. The 0750 21 journey will become a 21a, departing at 0755 to allow students to get to Heathfield Community School. There are no changes to the Sunday timetable.
Services 22, 22a & X22 (Taunton – Wellington – Tiverton)	A new timetable will be introduced to allow additional journey time to improve punctually. Some changes to early morning departures on Monday to Friday to allow earlier arrivals in Wellington from Taunton.
51 (Yeovil Town service)	Minor changes on Mon-Fri only at 0900 to remove waiting time at Asda. Buses will now wait in Yeovil Bus Station.
Services 623 and 625 (Bridgwater College)	Minor Changes to the timetable to improve punctuality.
The Exmoor Coaster	Services will stop running for the winter from Sunday 26 November. The service will return in early 2024.
Services 55, 77/77a	Service 77 will have an additional journey added from Yeovil at 1820 Monday to Friday and 1810 on Saturdays. No other changes will be made to the timetables, but these services will be operated by First West of England and Wales from Wells depot, rather than Buses of Somerset’s Yeovil depot. This does not affect customers.
Service Y4	Dorset Council have requested that the service now becomes the CR4. No changes to the route or timetable.

New timetables will be available on our website by mid November. Customers will also be able to check timetables via the First Bus app and get updates via Buses of Somerset on Twitter

Bus of Somerset - Network Change - 14 April 2024

From Sunday 1 April 2024, we will be introducing new timetables across our network as part of our twice-yearly network review.

Working closely with Somerset Council and local user groups, the changes take into account amends to the 25 and 28. These include retiming evening services on the 28 to align with trains serving Taunton station, as well as the X28, a new express service from Taunton to Butlins in the summer.

In addition, a brand new service 22B will serve the Wellesley Park area of Wellington.

Please see a list of what is changing below:

Service	What is changing
22/22a/X22 and New 22B	A new service (22B) will operate every two hours serving the Wellesley Park area of Wellington. It will operate as the 22 between Taunton and Wellington, Rockwell Green then will continue back along the Oldway Road to Swains Lane/Barn Meads Road.
25	From Dulverton – Wiveliscombe – Taunton will continue to serve all points of the route, with some timetable amends. Some daytime journeys will divert on the Service 28 through Cotford St Luke and North Fitzwarren at certain times of the day, which will be renumbered 28a providing some additional journeys between Taunton and Cotford St Luke.
28 and New 28A/X28	Service 28 will be revised, including a new direct service between Taunton and Minehead. The 28 will operate every 45 minutes instead of every 30 minutes on Mondays to Friday. On Saturdays the 30 minute service will remain. Following feedback from stakeholders, evening services on the 28 will be retimed to align with trains serving Taunton station. Journeys that operate via Cotford St Luke will be numbered 28A. During the Summer, an express service to Butlins will be introduced. Numbered X28, it will run direct from Taunton to Butlins.
29	Change of number to service 374
51	A new timetable will be introduced
54	No changes to the timetable or route
58	No changes to the timetable or route
Exmoor Coaster	The Exmoor Coaster will restart from 31st March, running all season until 28th September. Different service levels will operate during the Summer months based on Low, Mid and Peak season.

Buses of Somerset network changes on 14th April follow First West of England changes which come into effect in Somerset on 7th April, Read more here: New bus routes from Somerset to Bristol will cost passengers as little as 4p per mile (firstbus.co.uk)

The new timetables will be available on our website under forthcoming changes soon.

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Extra journeys added to bus services in Somerset