BUS FARES TO BE CUT FROM JANUARY 1ST FOR 3 MONTHS

CHEAPER BUS FARES ON FIRST BUS, FARESAVER AND SELECTED FROMEBUS ROUTES

From January 1st it will cost £2 single fare on all Frome’s bus services operated by First Bus or Faresaver Buses. So, whether you travel between Frome Sainsburys and Bath bus station or between Frome Market Place and Chippenham, the single fare will only be £2.

In these times of prices always going up, it’s good that travelling by bus is going to be even cheaper!

Additionally, Wiltshire Council has decided the £2 flat fare will ALSO apply on bus services it supports. This means the FromeBus services from Frome to Westbury (47) and to Warminster (53), a single will only costs £2.

Somerset County Council has decided not to extend the scheme to services that Somerset supports so bus ticket prices to Radstock, Midsomer Norton and Shepton Mallet will be unchanged, at least for the time being. So Somerset County Council service 30, Libra Travel 184 and other Frome Bus service prices will also be unchanged.

It should be noted that coach operators aren't part of this scheme.

Dedicated school buses aren't part of the scheme either.

If travelling within Frome we believe the £1.50 single fare offered by First Bus won't change.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON £2 FARE SCHEME

The major fare cut is part of an initiative funded by the Government aimed at boosting bus use while helping passengers to save money as the cost of living crisis continues to hit.

The £2 single fare is available from all participating operators from 1st  January to 31st March. 130 bus operators across the country will introduce a £2 fare cap on single tickets. The initiative will apply to most routes in Somerset. You can check here https://www.somerset.gov.uk/busit  to see find out more about the scheme.

Other routes may be added to the above list during the period that the £2 fare cap is in force, and we will do our best to inform you promptly if and when that happens.

Some changes to the blog

Regular users will notice that we have removed our timetable and attractions sections this is because of out dated information and links not working. 

To access bus timetable information please visit our bus operators section to the R of the main blog. Nearly all of the operators are in that section except the new 30 operator which we are looking to address as soon as we can. This will ensure that bus users get the correct and up-to-date information

 The evening and Sunday D2 bus service is under threat. 

Frome and Villages Bus User Group (FAVBUG) would like to invite everyone to come to a photo call for a FAVBUG group photograph by the D2. 

This will be happening in the Market Place, Frome on Saturday 13 August at 820am. Please come and join us by Costa Coffee. 

We really need as many people as possible to come so really appreciate your help and support on this.

We have nearly 800 signatures on Cllr Sarah Dyke’s petition. If you haven’t signed it, please do https://www.somertonandfromelibdems.org.uk/d2

 SAVE THE D2 BUS - PLEASE SIGN THE PETITION

Sign Cllr Sarah Dyke  petition to save the D2 bus service from significant cuts.

Click here to sign the petition: https://www.somertonandfromelibdems.org.uk/d2

Sarah is the prospective LibDem prospective candidate for the Somerton & Frome parliamentary constituency. She is also Cabinet Member on Somerset County Council and South Somerset Council.

Somerset is now a LibDem County Council.

So it makes every sense to sign her petition NOW and thereby exert every pressure we can to ensure Somerset County Council finds the cash to protect our D2.

And just a reminder to the changes that will be made in October to the D2

D2 BUS SERVICE TO BE SLASHED FROM OCTOBER

Somerset County Council have informed us today that the D2 bus service will be slashed from October. 

See details below:

• A reduction in services from 190 services a week reduces to approximately 90 services. The first bus service to Bath / Frome could also be threatened as this is what normally happens when a bus service hours of operation is reduced. We know key workers use this bus to travel to the Royal United Hospital and other places in Bath.

• Revised timetable on Mondays to Fridays on an hourly frequency with evening service removed. Last buses from Frome at 1755 and from Bath at 1910.

• Revised timetable on Saturdays on an hourly frequency which retains an evening bus service. Last buses from Frome at 2210 and from Bath at 2310.

• Sunday and Public Holiday SERVICE WITHDRAWN

 The story about the 30 service cuts is on Page 7 of this week's Frome Times

 D2 BUS SERVICE TO BE SLASHED FROM OCTOBER

Somerset County Council have informed us today that the D2 bus service will be slashed from October. 

See details below:

• Revised timetable on Mondays to Fridays on an hourly frequency with evening service removed. Last buses from Frome at 1755 and from Bath at 1910.  

• Revised timetable on Saturdays on an hourly frequency which retains an evening bus service. Last buses from Frome at 2210 and from Bath at 2310.

• Sunday and Public Holiday SERVICE WITHDRAWN 

Also see in comments further bus changes across the First West of England network. Information provided by Somerset County Council.

Road closure to Oldford Hill from Monday 1st August 2022

 Oldford Hill in Frome will be closed to service D2 from first bus on Monday 1st and will remain fully closed until last bus on Friday 12th August (including weekend) for carriageway works.

Beckington village will be served as normal.

HOW DOES THIS AFFECT THE BUSES?

FIRST BUS D2

Service D2 will be diverted via A361, Clink Road and Rodden Road to resume normal route at Princess Anne Road.

Service D2 heading towards Bath will operate the reverse of the above.

Regretfully the Bay Leaf, Frome College and Grange Road bus stops will not be served in either direction and passengers are advised to board or alight at the Sports Centre bus stops in Stonebridge Drive for travel in either direction.

FARESAVER BUSES X34

Between 1st Aug and 12th Aug the X34 will be unable to serve the following stops due to a road closure at Oldford Hill:

Oldford, Frome College and Grange Road.

 The following journeys on route 162 ( Frome - Shepton) will be suspended today 29th July 1215 F-S, 1315S-F,1615 F-S,1715 S- F,and 1800 service from Shepton will run as usual 

 IMPORTANT NEWS ON FROME BUS - 30 FROME TOWN BUS

Statement by Frome Bus:

'We took over operating route 30 from First  Group nine years ago when they were no longer able to do it. Since then we have continued to operate the route reliably until recently when as you are aware it has become increasingly difficult to maintain proper schedules due to the current industry wide shortage of drivers. nfortunately this situation doesn't look like improving in the short to medium term,  and as we have no desire to provide a  patchy unreliable service to you, it's with great regret that we have decided to give notice of our intention to terminate this route; the last day of operation will be Saturday 20th August 2022.

We thank you for your patience over the last month or so whilst we have struggled to maintain services and we assure you we will do our very best to provide a reliable service up to and including the last day of operation. 

In the meantime we are currently in discussion with Somerset County Council, with a view to then providing some sort of alternative service and we will advise you straight away when we have a better idea of what's happening. 

Frome Bus Limited 

22-07-2022'

FAVBUG understands that all other Frome Bus routes serving Frome and neighbouring towns will continue,

We are very aware that Frome Bus has done everything possible to recruit more bus drivers and they continue to look for more bus drivers. Other bus operators are similarly in need of more bus drivers.

If you know anyone who would like to work for Frome Bus as a bus driver please do give them a call: 01373 471474

Please note that the 30 will operate all morning until 1234 today, Thursday 21st July 2022.  Unfortunately it looks unlikely that the service will run this afternoon