Great result for all bus users

This message was posted onto Favbugs Facebook page by Favbug committee member Peter Travis
Special congratulations to Favbug co founder and Frome bus campaigner Tracey Harding who has been named as a 'Woman of the Year' by the Frome Standard.

Also congratulations to all members of the Save the Rode 267 bus campaign which got 'Campaign of 2015' according to the Frome Standard. More information on their campaign visit its Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/228718297320512/?fref=ts

Changes to Faresavers 267 service from 11/ 1 /16

Faresaver will be making some changes to their 267 service from the 11 January next year for these reasons.


Service number changes from 267 to X67 to make it easier for passengers to distinguish between our service and First.
•Minor timing changes from Bath, 3 minutes earlier, with exception of 1453 and 1553 which change to 1510 and 1610 respectively – we had a lot of feedback about the 1610 changing back in August and so this reverts to its original time.
•An additional trip departing Bath and 1740 as we have found that our 1715 leaves Bath with a standing load most nights. We hope this might ease this issue.
We are aware of the issue with the grouping of our service and Firsts’ 267 following the August changes but because of the way in which our 267 (X67) works with our X31, Bath – Chippenham service between 0900 – 1500 it is very difficult to change our times on one service without affecting the other


Please use the link provided to view the new timetable changes
http://www.faresaver.co.uk/timetables/5677c6c3e3bfe.pdf

Film to save buses

Do you use local bus services? Do you or anyone you know have a story you could tell about why bus services are important to you? If so please get in touch before 18^th December.

 The two areas we want to emphasise are:
1) Social need – would cuts to the buses have an impact on your quality of life? For example, would it make it harder to visit medical services or friends and family, to do your shopping and / or to access local facilities?
2) Economic – would bus cuts mean you weren’t able to access employment, education or training or mean that your staff, students or volunteers can’t get in easily?

The film will be used to lobby councillors and decision makers to continue their support for local services. The filming would take an hour or two at a time that suits you.

 

 

Anna Francis

Direct Tel: 01373 475574
General: 01373 465757

 

Core working days: Tuesday - Friday

Changes to the X34 from 7/ 12/ 15

Faresaver will be making slight changes to their X34 service on the 7th December the reasons for these changes are stated below.

The main issue we had was with the timing of the current 0802 departure from Frome as this had been getting to Frome about 0802-0805 and then having loaded was departing about 10 minutes late each day. This was then compounded further as on entering Trowbridge is was hitting the school/college traffic along the Frome Road. We have therefore retimed this trip to 0806 and given it more time along the whole route into Chippenham to reflect what it is currently achieving. In addition to this we have introduced an additional trip departing Frome at 0736 arriving in Trowbridge for 0806 for those who are finding that the following trip arrives too late into Trowbridge.

 

We have also removed the Medical Centre from the X34 to improve journey times and punctuality between Frome-Trowbridge. Since the X34 stopped going up to Sainsburys along The Butts the usage to the Medical Centre on the X34 has all but disappeared as people now catch the 267 instead. Those wishing to travel between the Market Place and Medical Centre are still able to catch the 267.

BBC News article about the protest in Taunton against Scc's proposed cuts to bus funding and concessionary fares

A protest has been held against proposed cuts to bus services and discounts for pass holders who use community transport in Somerset.

Somerset County Council is conducting two consultations as part of efforts to balance its budget for next year.
Cabinet member, David Fothergill said: "We currently subsidise 75 services and there are 25 of them we're looking at."
Protesters said the move would increase rural isolation and price some people out of using community buses.
The cuts would hit some weekend routes and services between most towns in Somerset, including Yeovil, Langport and Taunton.

Mr Fothergill added: "They're the ones with low usage or there's alternative means we can provide or it's just not economical to run them any more."
Tracey Harding, co-founder of the Frome and Villages Buses Action Group, which campaigns for better public bus services, said: "Frome has already lost three of its Saturday services in the last round of cuts made by First Bus.
"To have more cuts would be devastating."
The proposals would also halve the 50% concession bus pass holders receive on community transport to 25%.
Community bus Wiveylink is run by the Wiveliscombe Area Partnership
Pauline Homeshaw from the group said: "We're addressing rural isolation which so many people who use Wiveylink are absolutely suffering from already and Wiveylink has rescued them from that isolated state.
The council said the consultations would run until January, with a final decision taken later

Favbug and Friends of Yeovil bus staion Protesting in Taunton against Scc's proposed bus cuts

Protesting at Somerset County Council offices in Taunton today about the proposed cut by Somerset County Council to funding for all (but 1) Saturday bus services.Managed to speak to Council leader, Transport Chief and Councillor Linda Oliver.

FAVBUG's trip to the Lords in the local press

Our visit to London was picked up by a couple of local papers this week:

Bus campaigners take cause to Parliament

Frome Times, 03/11/15

LOCAL bus campaigners recently visited the House of Lords in Westminster as part of a Campaign for Better Transport networking event.

Tracey Harding and Emma Russell of the Frome and Villages Bus Users’ Group (FAVBUG) recently went to the Campaign for Better Transport meeting alongside around 200  politicians, academics and national campaigners.

The campaign hopes to improve the quality and availability of public transport for people across the country.

Tracey, who lives in Frome said, “We went to the meeting to try and find out more about possible funding cuts for buses, the potential for local authorities to have more power over bus services, and the upcoming southwest branch of the Campaign for Better Transport.

“We met Chris Todd who will be setting up the southwest campaign alongside David Warburton MP.

“Finding out more about the buses bill and how the councils can devolve will give us a greater understanding of the effects on public transport in Frome and across the region.

“We are hoping that the new powers might see an improved bus service in the area, and that rural areas won’t be overlooked in favour of improving services for larger regions.”

Somerset bus services have been some of the worst hit in the southwest in the past five years. More than a quarter of funding has been lost for the county; the annual budget for 2014/15 was £4,076,300, compared to £5,569,300 in 2010/11.

Tracey continued, “This month George Osborne could cut the central government’s bus service operators grant, which is a ring-fenced sum paid to local authorities to fund bus services in the area.

“Martin Abrahms at the Campaign for Better Transport hasn’t told me what would happen to that money if it were cut from the grant.”

FAVBUG continues to campaign for improved bus services for residents in and around Frome, and will next weekend be attending the launch of Campaign for Better Transport South West in Bristol.

For more information about what the group does, visit its blog at www.favbug.blogspot.co.uk or find the group on Facebook.

Frome bus campaigners join transport rally at House of Lords

Somerset Standard, 03/11/15

Campaigners battling to retain decent bus services for Frome and its villages have taken their fight to the House of Lords.

They travelled to London to hear discussions on the Queen's speech and the Buses Bill, which gives any area with an elected mayor powers to take control of their bus services. These powers will allow the mayor to franchise bus systems.

One of the campaigners is Tracey Harding, a founding member of Frome and Villages Bus Users Group(FAVBUG) recently fought to retain threatened bus services including the 161, 184 and the Rode part of the 267.

She said that the new bill would hopefully see a more integrated transport system with ticketing that will allow travel on more than one operator's bus for one fare.

Mrs Harding said that the Chancellor George Osborne planned to discontinue the £345 million government's bus service operators' grant to be announced on November 25.

The bus operators' grant paid from central government to local councils to fund bus services is currently ring fenced.

Meanwhile the pressure group, Campaign For Better Transport is launching a branch to cover the South West on November 14 at Hamilton House in Bristol.

The event is open to any campaign groups along with anyone interested in public transport.

Mrs Harding, who traveled to London with Emma Russell, added: "This event will also be for campaign groups to meet up to discuss the way forward for public transport across the region."