Somerset County Council is stepping in to make sure dozens of important bus routes in the Burnham-On-Sea area are covered after one of its key operators today (Thursday) informed it that it will cease to operate.
Wherever possible the authority is arranging for other bus companies to take on the routes provided by Bridgwater-based Webberbus Ltd which informed the Council today that it will cease to operate from tomorrow morning (13 May) due to financial difficulties.
Affected services include those serving six schools, four colleges and more than a dozen public routes. Council staff are working flat-out to make the alternative arrangements and are confident that all services taking students to schools and colleges will be covered by replacement services from tomorrow morning.
From Friday 13th May, there should also be cover for the public routes where there are no other reasonable alternatives. On routes already covered by other operators, they will be doing their best to fill the gaps.
Affected schools and colleges are being contacted, and parents of students sent texts informing them of the new arrangements, where they have opted into the text alerts.
“We put our contingency plans into action immediately and are doing everything we can to keep disruption to an absolute minimum in what is a very difficult situation,” said Cllr David Fothergill, Cabinet member for Highways.
“Webberbus is by some distance the second largest operator in the county and organising replacement services at very short notice is a significant task.
“Thanks to the hard work of staff and flexibility of other providers, we’re getting there.”
Click here for details of the routes affected and the alternative services.
