A RESCUE plan swung into action to keep West Somerset and other county bus users on the move after Somerset’s second largest bus operator suddenly stopped operating last week.

Webberbus Ltd, which included services around West Somerset and the rest of the county, told Somerset County Council last Thursday it would cease operating the next day, Friday May 13, due to financial difficulties.

Somerset County Council and bus service providers worked flat-out to make alternative arrangements – and although some buses have been busier than normal, no problems have been reported.

Where there were not alternatives for people, the council arranged like-for-like replacements.

But where there were competing services, it is expecting passengers to use these and has been working with operators to add capacity at peak times.

Services affected in the county included six schools, four colleges and more than a dozen public routes, and wherever possible the authority arranged for other bus companies to take on the routes provided by Bridgwater-based Webberbus Ltd.

In West Somerset, bus company First West of England, which with its sister company Buses of Somerset is the largest operator in the county, has been providing replacement or additional services on a number of routes.

These include services in Minehead, and from Minehead to Porlock, to Cannington, to Bridgwater and to Taunton.

The company also announced this week it has been able to offer jobs to 20 former Webberbus staff, with more anticipated.

Full story in the Free Press (May 20)