Taunton’s postcode lottery on bus fares

Taunton was to be the lead in bus renaissance following the initial funding from Government under the BSIP funding. This saw a new town fare of £1.00 for all services and all residents and visitors. This brought a growth in bus travel around the town with a simple and affordable hop on hop of for just a £1.00.

Come forward to the present day and if you live in some parts of Taunton and within reach of the P&R route you can still travel for £1.00 from Gateway P&R to Silkmills P&R via Parade and the Hospital. This is not the case for residents in Wellspings, Staplegrove, Lyngford, Holway, Killiams, parts of Bishops Hull or Galmington where the fares are either £2.40 or £2.60, depending on which company you travel on.

This difference means while numbers are buoyant on the P&R , services across the town are seeing stagnant and on some declining levels of usage. If this continues our commercial routes will be forced to contract further and the only tool companies have is to raise fares further in a desperate cycle, which has a negative impact.

Our campaign is to fight for sustainable investment in our bus network , seeking funding from housing developers that’s is meaningful and deliver services to where people want to travel.

Please sign today and help us reach our target.

David Northey - Lead Taunton Bus Users Group