COMMERCIAL bus services for the least populated parts of Exmoor would never be viable, members of the national park authority were told.

The authority's principal management planning officer, Martin Evans, said the development of community transport schemes would have to become a priority for such areas.

Community transport projects such as car sharing or community bus services would provide accessibility for residents in areas where a commercial service would not work.

Mr Evans said a decision was awaited shortly on a £90,000 bid by Somerset County Council for Government funding via the Rural Bus Challenge.

The county wanted to use cash over three years to set up a social car scheme for West Somerset.

A central co-ordinator and administrator would work with village or area based volunteers providing local information, recruiting drivers and promoting use of the scheme to residents.

Mr Evans said, even if the funding bid was unsuccessful, Exmoor would still benefit from local transport partnerships being set up in both West Somerset and North Devon.

He said Somerset and Devon county councils were committed to maintaining funding for bus services.

Summer buses had gradually improved in the past five to six years to the point where a reasonably effective network had been created.

It allowed the visiting public to gain access to most areas of the national park and was a viable alternative to the car for visitors travelling in the park.

Mr Evans said the summer buses benefited both the environment and the local population.

"As far as possible, services have been provided which link places to and from which people want to travel and which go through areas of Exmoor attractive to walkers," he said.

An important aspect was the need to maximise potential demand by offering services into and through the park from the larger towns outside the national park, such as Minehead, Taunton, Tiverton, Ilfracombe and Barnstaple.

Mr Evans said, while most of the experimental new services were proving successful, the 295 Dulverton to Ilfracombe bus had disappointed again this year.

Various attempts were made to increase use of the service but without success and it now seemed the two county authorities were unwilling to fund the 295 bus for the summer of 2000.

Mr Evans said it generally took at least three years before the success of a service could be judged.

He said: "Success itself should not necessarily be judged on numbers of passengers or revenue obtained alone.

"Other factors such as the effect of buses in reducing car use in sensitive or crowded areas of the park and the need to provide opportunities for access to services and facilities for those without access to a car also need to be considered.

"The loss of the 295 service would reduce accessibility to the heart of the national park for visitors and residents alike, particularly those in Withypool who would be left with only one bus on Saturdays to Taunton in the summer.

"Although it is clear demand for travel between Lynmouth, Dulverton and Ilfracombe is limited, an attempt should be made to retain a cross-park service."

Mr Evans said the possibility of funding a revised 295 service was currently being discussed with the two county councils and other agencies.

Park authority members agreed Mr Evans should report back on options for keeping an amended 295 service in operation even if county council funding was not available in 2000.

It was also agreed to look at ways of improving the image of buses to encourage more people to use them.