Somerset Council is to examine whether bus franchising could improve the county’s bus network after securing funding from the Department for Transport for a pre-feasibility assessment.
The work will consider different franchising models for the future delivery of services and compare them with the council’s existing Enhanced Partnership, Bus Service Improvement Plan measures and targeted support for individual routes. The arrangement would see the authority retain control over routes, fares, timetables, and service standards.
The council says recent legislative changes, revised guidance and the availability of central funding have prompted the decision to undertake an evidence-based assessment of whether franchising could suit Somerset. A spokesperson confirmed to routeone that an application had been made for funding to carry out pre-feasibility work in June, alongside the announcement that Bridgwater Town Council was seeking to become a pilot location for a new publicly owned bus company.
“We are grateful to government for providing this opportunity and will thoroughly test whether franchising can realistically deliver better outcomes for passengers than Somerset’s current approach,” says Cllr Richard Wilkins, Somerset Council’s Lead Member for Highways and Transport. “This is a fantastic opportunity to provide a robust evidence base to inform future decision making.
“We are going to work really closely with stakeholders, including bus user groups to understand current shortcomings that could be fixed either by a revised and improved Enhanced Partnership or a franchised approach. This is about unpacking all the options and seeing what could work in Somerset to deliver improved bus services.”
