Towns near Bath to benefit from new bus service

WECA metro mayor Dan Norris with local residents in Paulton

A new bus route will restore services to areas where people felt cut off.

When it launches, the bus will run five times a day through Midsomer Norton, Radstock, Radford, Timsbury and Tunley on its way to Odd Down Park & Ride on the edge of Bath.

It is the first bus funded through the West of England Combined Authority's (WECA) WESTlocal scheme.

Local resident Janet Stevens said; "It's been a long fight but worth fighting for."

"It's a big thing for the village. A lot of people had given up but we didn't," she added.

North Somerset Council and WECA set up the WESTlocal £2 million funding initiative as part of the region's Bus Service Improvement Plan.

Paulton residents Janet Stevens and Margaret Dando said they are "delighted" bus services are returning

Community groups - including schools, faith groups and town and parish councils - can apply for a share of the money to design their own public transport.

Some residents were left without buses after services were axed in 2023.

The three councils which make up WECA did not increase their "transport levy", which the combined authority uses to support commercially-profitable buses, said the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

'Empower the community'

Speaking about the WESTlocal fund, metro mayor Dan Norris said: "I want to empower the community to come up with their own solutions and I look forward to more people applying in the future."

"They rightly are concerned about the bus services and this is a really good way for them to come up with a way to meet their needs."

Bath and North East Somerset (BANES) councillor, Fiona Gourley, said although she was "delighted" about the new service, it was "frustrating" that councillors had not been contacted about the plan.

"We would much rather talk to all the people involved to create a proper network for our residents," she said.