Written evidence from Cllr A Turpin, South
Somerset District Council (BUS 84)
Severance of 30A evening and Sunday bus service—linking
Axminster (Railway Station) Chard, Ilminster and Taunton including
the main District General Hospital, Paddington Line/ South West
railway station and the National Express bus service.
I am a South Somerset District Councillor, Vice Chair
of the Somerset Public Transport Forum and use public transport
and my Brompton bike as my main mode of transport. I have also
been bombarded with very sad stories since this news was announced.
In this capacity I meet many bus users and continue
to learn much.
The effects of this termination of this service with
no impact assessment nor consideration of other initiatives has
had horrifying consequences.
In relation to the Sunday services I know of residents
along the route who:
— are now having
to look for alternative employment;
— use these
services to collect and return children of broken marriages and
who have week-end custody of the children. This will no longer
be possible;
— can no longer
attend the church of their choice;
— usually travel
to Taunton on a Sunday for shopping;
— use the service
to travel to and from relatives;
— use this service
as a link to main line rail and National Express services at Taunton;
— I don't know
how many, (though I know of one) who will be deprived of visiting
relatives and friends in Musgrove Park Hospital both on Sundays
and in the evenings. (His wife has just had a stroke);
— but I do know
that for many, many people (including those with disabilities)
this service is all they have to "get around" on a Sunday;
— we do know
that Taunton trade will be affected.
The evidence for all this is that most 30A buses
are at least half or two thirds full at the Taunton end. I travel
on the 30 / 30A regularly. Yesterday, I joined the 1510 bus at
the beginning of the route at Axminster. By the time the bus reached
my village (the first part of the journey) there were 10 passengers,
seven were young people who had been camping. This illustrates
the point these Sunday buses are very popular with holiday makers.
The evening services provide for those (some of whom
I know) returning from evening work:
— We have no
idea how many students will be affected either for evening studies
at the SCAT College or travelling to casual employment so as to
boost their grant.
— nor do we
know how many staff will no longer be able to work into the early
evening.
— nor do we
know how many young people like to travel to Taunton to socialise
in the evenings.
One of the problems that is less money is taken on
these evening services because travellers use return tickets or
they have passes.
One thing we do know is that as pump prices rise
so demand for bus travel will also increase.
I am particularly sorry that this has all happened
without looking at ameliorating initiatives such as more express
services with Parish Councils providing a local service to the
nearest interchange.
March 2011
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