Somerset County Council has provided a lifeline for bus users in Frome by stepping in to run an under-threat bus route with its own fleet.

The number 30 bus service which connects communities around Frome was set to end on Saturday (20 August) when the current commercial operator confirmed it could no longer operate the service.

Transporting Somerset invited tenders for a replacement service, with the successful bid coming from the Council's in house fleet.

There has been a seamless changeover starting today (Monday 22 August) with the Council operating the same timetable, route and fares from Monday to Friday, with the same route and fares on Saturday plus some minor tweaks to the timetable to allow the bus service to run more efficiently.

 Cllr Mike Rigby, Somerset County Council's Executive Lead Member for Transport and Digital said: "We're really pleased to be able to step in and keep this vital service running. These are difficult times, we're in the midst of a cost of living crisis and people depend on the bus."

"We don't have unlimited funding and we sometimes have to make difficult choices on which routes we can subsidise if operators cease to run them. In this case we were able to identify the necessary funding to ensure we keep the service running for now, with a view to finding a new commercial operator to run the route in the future, if patronage improves."

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