126 bus route is partially saved

The 126 bus route that is being axed by First from October 9, will still operate at least part of the route.

It has been announced today (Wednesday, September 28) that from October 10, family-run bus and coach company Libra Travel will operate the route between Wells and Axbridge, subsidised by Somerset County Council.

The service will operate between Axbridge and Wells bus station only, and will take in Wells Blue School during term time. It will run Monday to Saturday. It will not run on Sundays or Bank Holidays.

Fare information is yet to be released.

It was revealed that the route between Wells and Weston-super-Mare was in line for the chop earlier in the summer, prompting outrage from bus users who rely on the service to get to school, college, work and medical appointments. Campaigners branded the route a "lifeline" for those living in rural communities in the Cheddar Valley, and there were also fears that losing the route could have a negative impact on tourism.

The Liberal Democrats, Wells MP James Heappey and Wells Bus Users Group all launched petitions in a bid to save the service, collected thousands and thousands of signatures.

Now Somerset County Council has stepped in to subsidise part of the route which will be run by Libra Travel – but the reprieve could still only be temporary as the funds coming from the Bus Recovery Grant from the Government have only been extended to March 2023.

Somerset County Council's Lead Member for Transport and Digital Cllr Mike Rigby said: "We're delighted we've been able to step in and keep these lifeline services running.

"We know how important they are to local people and since the announcement that they were going to be withdrawn our team has been working really hard to find a solution to keep some of the routes running.

"We'll continue to do all we can but we can't stress enough that people need to support their services to ensure they are maintained.

"In March Government funding runs out again and many of these services will be under threat – we're working hard to ensure they continue but we need people to use them."

James Heappey MP said: "This is a great victory for residents along the Cheddar Valley. I'm hugely grateful to everyone who signed my petition and utterly delighted that the route has been saved."

Somerset County Councillor for Wells, Theo Butt-Philip, who was a key player in the Liberal Democrats' campaign to save the service said: "I am delighted that the Liberal Democrat administration at Somerset County Council has stepped in to save the Somerset leg of the 126 bus. This will mean the communities between Wells and Axbridge will not be cut off as they otherwise would have been. Children will be able to use these buses to get to and from school, students will be able to connect to the 376 for Strode College. However, what is being provided is still a way away from what is needed. We need a bus that connects Wells and the communities of the Cheddar Valley directly with Weston-super-Mare, with its college, hospital, employment and tourism offer. We need the bus to be more frequent and to run later. The announcement that Libra Travel Ltd will be running the bus service, with subsidy from Somerset County Council is just a first step in securing a service from Wells, through the Cheddar Valley and on to Weston-super-Mare."

Wells City Councillor and Wells Bus User Group representative Denise Denis, said: "We are delighted that the 126 will have a service from Wells to Axbridge. Wells Bus User Group has been well supported in this effort and would like to thank you all.

"For those bus users that need the service through Weston super Mare, we have no news, other than it is unlikely to happen in the next 3-6 months. There needs to be pressure put on North Somerset Council- and we urge bus users in N Somerset to form a pressure group which covers Weston to Axbridge. Wells Bus User Group cannot be that pressure group unfortunately, although it has written in support of the connections needed to WECA and Somerset."

North Somerset Council would not be drawn on whether they plan to offer any subsidy to cover the Axbridge to Weston section of the route. A spokesperson for the council simply said: "We continue to work with our colleagues at Somerset County Council to explore options for the North Somerset section of the 126 bus service route."