MP Rachel Gilmour is set to hold crunch talks next month over the No 28 and No 25 bus services in West Somerset.

Mrs Gilmour has been campaigning for First Bus to improve services on both routes, from Minehead to Taunton, and Dulverton via Wiveliscombe to Taunton.

Now, First Bus managers have agreed to meet her on September 26, a week before senior Civil Servants from the Department for Transport (DfT) are due to visit to discuss transport issues across the constituency.

Mrs Gilmour is pressing the case with the DfT for linking the West Somerset Railway to the mainline in Taunton, and also wants to raise Somerset Council’s plans to permanently close the B3191 Watchet to Blue Anchor road, as well as other issues.

But first, Mrs Gilmour wants action over the hundreds of complaints she has received about bus services, including the ‘unreliable, overcrowded, and not fit for purpose’ No 28.

She also wants to highlight a wider issue of travel cards for disabled people which do not allow free travel before 9.30 am, meaning they cannot commute using the passes.

Mrs Gilmour said: “Hundreds of constituents have contacted my office to express their concerns about the quality of both the No 28 and 25 First Bus services in the Tiverton and Minehead constituency.

“The 28 is simply not fit for purpose.

“It is often late and overcrowded, particularly on Mondays and Fridays.

“I know there are also major concerns about the 25 service.

“I look forward to meeting First Bus officials, including their operations director, to voice the concerns I hear regularly from constituents.

“The fact that I am also due to meet officials from the Department for Transport just a week later is positive news.

“Constituents both need and deserve better public transport, and I will be making it clear that services must improve.”