Bus Bits Blog (2)

Don't Go By Bus - Buy a Bike!

there are  number of schemes to encourage healthy and low-cost living by buying a bike. This one has numerous benefits as per the extract below.

Which organisation is supporting this campaign for cheap transport?

Stagecoach South West!

Subsidy Supports Somerset Services

1. Nuclear Powered Bus?

The bus route between Bridgwater and Minehead via Nether Stowey has had a tortured history.

At one stage the now-defunct Webber Bus ran very two hours ...

... with a re-jigged service 14 from Buses of Somerset in direct competition. 

Mysteriously, once Webber wobbled into ignominy, First decided that the route was not economic and cut back to a relatively local run only as far as Cannington ...

... with a couple of peak hour journeys to Nether Stowey.

This left a significant number of communities unserved, In steps EDF.

Many readers will be mystified as to why a major French energy company is running a bus between Bridgwater and Minehead. But there is a link via this bit of old news on First's web site.

EDF Energy has confirmed that it has awarded a ten-year contract to ‘Somerset Passenger Solutions’ ...

... a 50/50 joint venture between bus operator First Bus and family business Crosville Motor Services (part of the JJP Group), to provide bus services during the construction of the new nuclear power station.

Somerset Passenger Solutions will run the bus, which will be FREE, for 12 months! It will run three return trips Monday to Friday only on the old 14 route.

fbb can only guess how this came about. Presumably the mysterious "them" managed to persuade EDF that people who were agin this nuclear hing might be mollified if EDF did something kind and lovely for the poor folk of the area.

It is very unclear as to when it runs; nothing appears on Traveline, for example. It is also a bit woolly when it comes to who may use it. The introductory article says it will only serve places which do not currently have an alternative service.

Almost everywhere has a service (of sorts) on college days ...

... via First's route 15.

2. Mixed Money for Minehead

"Minehead without and Luccombe" has stumped the local press' team of observant sub-editor. Minehead Without (capital "W") is a parish to the west of Minehead itself.

The town service in Minehead and its links to Porlock have, likewise, been unstable for some time. First had agreed to run a reduced service as an interim measure ...

... following the departure of Webber; but this generous offer was due to run out at the end of this month.

Various parish councils have agreed to put their hands into their council taxpayers' pockets and sub a revised service now numbered 10 and 11. 10 trundles to and from Porlock every two hours (ish) ...

... and, in the gaps. the one bus in steam operates service 11, a revised (and revised yet again) Minehead town service.

All power to the elbows of Minehead's residents if they can understand the timetable. Or the maps?

Service 10 map

Service 11 map (Minehead town area)

And adding in road names etc, does NOT make it any easier. Maybe, when fbb has a week or so to spare, he will visit Minehead and settle down with the tranquilisers and sort it all out.

And Finally

fbb decided that entering into his 73rd year yesterday was an event well worth forgetting. But two reminders were unavoidable. This from RailUK Forums ...

... and this seemingly anonymous box of good things from Amazon.

Eventually, Mrs fbb discovered a very small piece of printout which explained that the gift came from No 1 son. The Cheddar Cheese nibbles were tested IMMEDIATELY.

And were delicious!

Rail snippets originally planned for today have been postponed.

 Next Navette Autonome blog : Monday 27th February