Bus to heritage railway withdrawn after 20 years

A bus service that takes people to a heritage railway station is being withdrawn after 20 years

Campaigners have criticised a decision to scrap a bus to a heritage railway station after 20 years due to low passenger numbers.

The 28 bus, which runs from Taunton to Minehead, provides a direct transfer to the heritage railway service at Bishop's Lydeard from mainline trains.

First Group has confirmed that the stop will be "temporarily withdrawn" from 31 August, with Somerset councillor Richard Wilkins saying it was "not a cost-cutting measure".

Somerset Bus Partnership has called for an "immediate suspension of the withdrawal", adding: "This vital stop links Taunton Station with the West Somerset Railway, a major heritage attraction drawing thousands of visitors annually."

The 28 and 28A will continue to serve Bishop's Lydeard by stopping outside the Lethbridge Arms, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The Somerset Bus Partnership said: "By removing the stop at Bishops Lydeard Station and relocating it over 500m away, without proper accessibility infrastructure or a full equalities impact assessment, the company is potentially denying access to disabled passengers in violation of their rights.

"This mirrors the damaging impact of recent changes to Service 2 in Lyngford, Taunton, where the withdrawal of stops left many elderly and vulnerable passengers struggling to access their daily needs, including GP appointments and essential shopping."

Wilkins, portfolio holder for transport and waste services, said the changes would be reviewed ahead of the 2026 summer timetable.

"There will still be a bus stop close by the Lethbridge Arms in Bishop's Lydeard, which will require customers to walk to the railway – but this route is short and safe, using the underpass under the A358.

"This change is not a cost-cutting measure, as First is looking to redistribute the time taken to serve these stops, providing greater reliability for passengers."

James Eustace, commercial director for First Bus in Somerset, said: "These changes are about making sure our services run more reliably and reflect the needs of our passengers."