Somerset County Council has this week given a new financial lifeline to a bus service running between Burnham-On-Sea and Wells.
Funding for the 67 bus service was due to run out in March but is to be extended until July 21st to allow more time for a community-funded replacement to be found with local parish councils.
The service has been funded by the County Council since the collapse of defunct bus firm Webberbus last year.
The council’s cabinet member for Highways and Transport, Cllr David Fothergill, said in a statement this week: “Thanks to a lot of hard work from parish councils, local members and council officers a solution for a community-funded replacement is taking shape.”
“But it’s complicated and there is still much to do to agree how the funding from the parishes will work.”
“It’s important that we have the time to go through this and come up with something that everyone can agree on, and that is why we have put this temporary funding in place.”
“I’m delighted by the way communities in Somerset are coming together to support a service that we are unfortunately not in position to step in and fund.”
The council says that ‘constructive discussions’ are ongoing with local councils to set up a replacement service, hence the extended funding to July.
An interim service starting on Monday March 7th will be provided by Mendip Community Transport and another bus operator who has not yet been announced.
Further details will appear on Burnham-On-Sea.com.
