CHRISTMAS TIMETABLE INFORMATION 2017/18

First bus Bath & Bristol Christmas timetable information https://www.firstgroup.com/bristol-bath-and-west/more/christmas-and-new-year-bus-services-201718

Faresaver buses Christmas timetable information
Saturday 23rd December - Normal Saturday service
Sunday 24th December - Please refer to usual provider website.
Monday 25th December - No service
Tuesday 26th December - No service
Wednesday 27th December - Normal weekday service
Thursday 28th December - Normal weekday service
Friday 29th December - Normal weekday service
Saturday 30th December - Normal Saturday service
Sunday 31st December - Please refer to usual provider website
Monday 1st January - Please refer to usual provider website
Tuesday 2nd January - Normal weekday service

Buses of Somerset Christmas timetable info 

Frome Christmas Light Switch On: Friday 1st December

Bus Service changes due to Frome Market Place road closure: 1630-2100
The following bus services will avoid Market Place and pick up on Christchurch Street East & at Gore Hedge (opposite The Corner House Pub) :
...

First Bus 267 (To Bath) 17.31 19.55 ( Christchurch Street East )
First Bus 267 17.31 18.28 19.54 ( Christchurch Street East )
Frome Minibuses 53 Warminster at 1715 and 1815 ( Gore Hedge)
Frome Minibuses 58 Westbury 1710 (Pick up Berkley Road)
Frome Minibuses 58A Westbury at 1713. 17.40 (Drop off Berkley Road)
Frome Minibuses 162 Shepton Mallet at 1620
Frome Minibuses 414 Midsomer Norton at 5.20
Frome Minibuses 30 Berkley Down and The Mount from 1605 onwards
Frome Minibuses 67 Terminate Berkley Road
Frome Minibuses 669 Gorge hedge (Shepton 1830 drop off)
Libra Travel 184 Midsomer Norton at 1750

All other services:
Faresaver Service X34 Chippenham at 1650 and 1725 starts from Berkley Road
Faresaver X34 To Frome 16.40. 17.15. 18.00
Faresaver X67 16.33. 16.57. 17.57. 18.26. 18.56
Faresaver X67 (To Bath) 17.20

Council steps in following Nippybus decision to cease operating

Somerset County Council has stepped in to organise alternative transport after a local bus company ceased to operate.
The Council was given no prior notice of a decision by Nippybus taken late yesterday (Sunday) to cease operating with immediate effect.
Nippybus ran several school and public bus contracts as well as a number of demand responsive transport (DRT) services and private services.
More than 300 students were affected across 4 schools – Stanchester Academy, Huish Episcopi Academy, Ansford Academy and Keinton Mandeville Primary School – this morning. Although the majority of services did run, some were delayed by up to an hour.
With the support of other operators, council officers have managed to find replacement services for all of the routes for this afternoon and from tomorrow, and will be making permanent arrangements as soon as possible.
Text messages were sent to parents to advise them of delays and alternative arrangements.
A number of public bus services were also affected and council officers have been working with bus operators to find replacements.
County Tickets will continue to be valid on all replacement services.
The following information was correct at 5pm on 30 October – please check back for updates
N8 Yeovil to West Coker / N9 Martock to Yeovil.  
A new combined service 52 operated by Buses of Somerset will be in place from Wednesday 1 November. Details of the new timetable will be available shortly.
667 Street to Wincanton
South West Coaches have taken on this service and will run the same timetable as before from Tuesday 31 October
669 Shepton Mallet to Street
We are currently in discussions with an operator regarding a replacement service on this route, but it will not be in place tomorrow. For Tuesday 31 October, extra capacity will be made available on service 649 provided by Frome Minibuses, which will operate via the route of the 669 between Shepton Mallet and Strode College. The vehicle will have capacity for an extra 30 passengers to provide transport for College students.
N6/N8/N11 – Demand Responsive services
In the short term we are talking to Community Transport providers about establishing a limited Dial-a-Ride service in the areas previously served by Nippybus DRT. We hope to provide details in the next 24/48 hours

Nippy bus update

According to Nippy buses website the company ceased trading on the 29th October 2017
http://www.nippybus.co.uk/

Rumours on socila media suggest that Nippy bus has ceased trading 2017

Online post is suggesting that NIPPY BUS has ceased trading. This will affect 1000's including students at the following schools & colleges Gryphon School, Strode College & Yeovil College. Nippy bus covers YEOVIL, IIMINSTER, GLASTONBURY & WINCANTON.  Nippy have also closed their Twitter account.  Use this link to read the full story on Somerset live  http://www.somersetlive.co.uk/news/somerset-news/online-post-suggests-nippy-bus-698440

After the 15th October the old £ coins will no longer be accepted on buses. The old coins  will be accepted & given out in change up until the 15th.  If you have any old £ coins left after the 15th October they will need to be exchanged at a bank.

267 bus route during the Frome carnival 2017

Closures associated with the Frome Carnival, taking place on Saturday 23rd September, will mean service 267 will be unable to serve Market Place & Critchill Road whilst the closures are in place.

The following journeys will terminate and commence service at the Medical Centre:
19:55, 21:55 from Critchill Road
17:30, 19:10, 21:10 from Bath Bus Station
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The following bus stops will not be served by the aforementioned journeys:
Whitestone Road (both directions)
Selwood School (both directions)
Frome Town Football Ground (both directions)
Windsor Crescent (both directions)
North Hill House (both directions)
Market Place (both directions)
Memorial Theatre complex – Weymouth Road
Portland Road – Royal Oak – Police Station
The Acorns – Westover – Critchill Close
 Westfield Road – Ecos Court

To clear up any ticketing issues between First & Faresaver

First will NO longer accept Faresaver tickets on any of their evening 267 buses

The Butts is now  re opened.

The x67 & 267 will now be going back along the Butts

Do you miss the old timetable booklets were everything was in one place? You could make your own just follow the instructions below

1) Unfold your timetables and lay them out flat on top of each other. ( this works if the timetables are similar sizes )
2) Staple them all together at the top left hand corner
3) Refold them all together along the creases
...

You will then be left with your own booklet & all of your timetables together

NEW 267 time table is out
Pick your new timetable up from our bus stall this Saturday. We will be outside Nationwide in Frome from 0815 until 1200. Along with the New 267 timetables we will also have all of your other local timetables along with plenty of information.

If you should miss us at our stall you can pick the new 267 timetable up from the following ...
Discover Frome at the Black Swan Frome
Frome Town Hall
Bath bus station 

Warning for 267 users

Their is an error at the end of the new timetable from Bath to Frome showing lots of dashes. I can assure bus users that the 267 will not terminate at Frome market place at any time of the day or night. These notices are on the 267 bus to explain the new route. View the NEW timetable here
https://www.firstgroup.com/uploads/maps/267_Web_0.pdf

New evening & weekend bus service for the Butts in Frome

Frome & Villages bus users Group have been working with First Bus on the 267 route.
After feedback First Bus have amended the 267 route. This has resulted in a new weekend & evening bus service to Sainsburys & The Butts in Frome from the 3rd September the 267 will be stopping at both locations.

Bus users will have a 1/2 hourly Mon - Fri service with the 267 & x67. ...
Evening bus service past 8pm until midnight
Weekend hourly Saturday service & 2 hourly Sunday service

267 Frome to Bath route change 3 / 9 / 17

The 267 will be take the following route

Departing Frome market place from Bath it will travel up Bath street into Christchurch Street West, Badcox, Broadway, Oakfield Rd, Critchill Rd, 9( Omitting Green lane & Critchill road)  Marston lane, SAINSBURYS, The BUTTS, Frome market place
...

Departing Frome to Bath
Frome Market place, Frome hospital, Brunel way, Oldford, Beckington, Rode, Norton ST Phillip, Hinton Chaterhouse, Bath

WARNING the following 4 stops will no longer be in use
The stop directly outside the Memorial Theatre new Stop  is on opposite side of the road
Stop near The Artisan pub new stop is the Weymouth Road stop on the opposite side of the road or at the bottom of Broadway
Green lane new stop is at the junction of Critchill road & Green lane
Eco's Court  closest new stop at the junction of Critchill road & Green lane or the stop at the bottom of Weymouth road

A date for your diary 4th August Save our Buses coffee morning at Minehead

I am all for promoting a Saturday bus service so am only to happy to promote this new service

Road works on B3090 Bath road out of Frome 12 - 25 July

Expect delays to all bus services that travel through that area. Please be patient with your driver as the situation is beyond their control and they are doing their best to get you to your destination. If you have an appointment I would advise you to travel on an earlier bus to be on the safe side

Access to public transport can aid in the recovey of mental illness

Mental illness is the largest single cause of disability in the UK. The economic and social costs in England are estimated at around £105 billion a year’1

Mental health is beyond doubt one of the most important issues of our times and successive governments have made clear statements of commitment to tackling the problems that poor mental health engenders both in individuals’ lives and in society as a whole. There has been an increased drive to improve social inclusion for those whose illness can so easily create barriers between them and their community. Given that public transport plays such a significant role in social inclusion it is surprising to find very little research about the relationship between good access to public transport and good mental health. Public transport is not, for example, generally recognised as being an integral part of a person’s ability to recover from a mental health crisis.  But have we overlooked its importance for too long?  Just how vital a part does it play and what barriers do those with less visible disabilities such as a mental illness experience?  This report seeks to address that deficit and examine both the importance of public transport and its accessibility. Drawn from the direct experience of sufferers from across the country it provides a compelling insight into this important subject.

Importance of Public Transport

The evidence produced from this survey speaks loud and clear.  It tells us that access to public transport is a key determinant in a person’s chances of achieving maximum recovery and being part of their community. 83% of respondents said it was ‘very important’ to their mental health.  It has the potential to ‘liberate’ a person from the downward spiral of poor mental health, social isolation, poor life opportunities and to engage them with education, cultural opportunities, voluntary employment and paid employment.  Respondents tell us that such opportunities are crucial to their ultimate recovery and without being able to access public transport they simply cannot achieve it.

Frome could lose its evening bus service to and from Bath after Frome Town Council does not extend subsidy. Read the full story here http://www.somersetlive.co.uk/news/somerset-news/frome-could-lose-evening-bus-184362

Catch the bus week stall 9/ 7/ 17

My favourite part of being a bus campaigner running our bus stall, its a great way to engage with bus users. We had a good day giving out lots of timetables and information as part of Catch The Bus Week 2017. Even had time for a few photo's

FALSE RUMOUR

Several bus users on Saturday asked if the 162 Frome to Shepton bus is going to be cut.

I can confirm after talking to Frome minibuses that the 162 is NOT going to be cut. I was told by Frome minibuses that the 162 is going from strength to strength. The 162 operates 2 hourly Monday to Friday only. Hope this puts that rumour to bed.

As part of catch a bus week we will be having another bus stall this Saturday.
We will be outside Nationwide in Frome  from 8.30 until 12.30 giving out timetables & info. See below a sample of some of the bus timetables that we will be giving out

Don't forget that Glastonbury starts today so expect delays to bus services around that area

This was a warning posted on The Buses of Somersets Facebook page

***ADVANCED WARNING***
Please be aware that tomorrow (weds) is the start of Glastonbury festival. Judging by previous years we will encounter MAJOR delays on the 29/75/77 services Please plan your journey in advance and remember that traffic is completely out of our control but our drivers will do their very best to get you to your destination

Butts road closure to take longer than expected use the link provided to read the full story http://www.somersetlive.co.uk/news/somerset-news/butts-road-closure-frome-delayed-71819

Diversion for the 162 Frome - Shepton Mallet service during the Butts road closure 22nd May - 10th July

The 162 will leave Frome market place as usual then go past Gorhedge into Rossitors road before rejoining the Butts and travelling onto Sainsburys.

Bus users who usually catch the 162 along the Butts will have to use the Frome Market place or the Grove bus stops

x67 Diversion route during the Butts road closure in Frome

A section of The Butts in Frome will be closed to traffic between 22nd May and 10th July. During the closure X67s will operate as normal to Sainsburys before diverting via Marston Lane, Green Lane, Weymouth Road and Christchurch Street rejoining normal route at Frome Market Place.

Watch the 267 evening bus interviews on BBC breakafast 1/ 5/ 17

The fight to protect essential bus services across Somerset is covered on BBC Breakfast today with this report on the threat to Frome's evening 267 bus service to Bath.

Richard Westcott BBC transport correspondent interviewing Holly Suptka and Josh Lucas from Frome about how threatened  cuts to the 267 will affect them.  Also interviewed Giles Fearnley Managing Director, First Group Bus Division.
To watch the interviews use this link

https://youtu.be/em1t58L15OQ

New Faresaver timetables from 30/ 4 /17

Timetable changes from 30th April are available to download from our website. Hard copy timetables will be available on bus next week along with other outlets such as Tourist Information, Librarys and Town Council buildings.
http://www.faresaver.co.uk/changes.php

These road works may seriously affect the X67

Road works at Broadway in Frome 10th April until 5th June
Road closure Butts in Frome May 22nd until July 10th

Check back for future diversions to the Butts. They may also have to divert again in June when both road works overlap

Interesting article on buses on the BBC breakfast show 4/ 4/ 17.
if you missed the BBC1 breakfast show piece about buses it starts at 0753 and can be watched here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006v5tb
Great speech by Lianna Etkind from Campaign for Better Transport about bus cuts and bus franchising

Advance warning about a road closure along the Butts in Frome

The Butts will be closed for 7 weeks  from  May 22nd  until July 10th. This will affect Faresavers x67 and Frome Minibuses 162 that both travel along this stretch

http://www.somersetlive.co.uk/the-butts-in-frome-to-close-for-seven-weeks-with-12-mile-diversion-in-place/story-30245437-detail/story.html

Coming to a bus stop near you soon

From the 2nd April we are merging our Bath and Bristol Outer Zones, with no change to the price. Meaning you can travel anywhere in Bristol, Bath and as far as Clevedon, Midsomer Norton, Portishead, Nailsea all in one ticket. To view the new Outer Zones map visit https://www.firstgroup.com/…/Bath_Bristol_Combined_Zones_Ma…

To find out the prices for the BATH OUTER ZONE fares
Enter zone type as Bath outer and leave the other 2 options as all and click search
https://www.firstgroup.com/bristol-bath-and-west/tickets/ticket-prices -

BBC national News filming the 267 bus cuts story 21/ 3/ 17

Huge thank you to Holly, Bethany  and Josh who agreed to be interviewed by the BBC on the 267 at 2110 from Bath to Frome

If bus travel is good enough for the royal family it's good enough for anyone