Council urges bus users to take new Weston to Wells bus routes

The route was axed in October 2022 because of low passenger numbers

New bus routes have started in Weston-super-Mare this week, with a warning that they must be commercially viable.

The 126 between Wells and Weston-super-Mare, which was axed in October 2022, has been reinstated.

Hannah Young, North Somerset Council's executive member for highways and transport, said: "Use it or lose it, as we have no certainty of future funding for this route."

Funding for the service came from North Somerset and Somerset councils.

There will also be a new number 9 service running three times a day, Monday to Friday, between West Wick and the Alexandra Parade bus interchange, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

First Bus will be running the 126 Monday to Saturday approximately every two hours, along the full route between Weston-super-Mare to Wells, via Uphill, Weston Hospital, Bleadon, Hutton, Elborough, Sandford, Winscombe, Axbridge, and Cheddar.

When the service was cut, Somerset Council stepped in to keep it running but only between Axbridge and Wells.

Ms Young said: "It is challenging to find funds to support routes that are not well-used enough to be commercially viable but are nevertheless very important to our communities.

"Given the strong public call for the reintroduction of the 126 service, we are hopeful that it will be a popular, and therefore commercially viable route."