April 2025 Service Changes
Significant improvement in Bus Services in Somerset
Somerset's bus services will see the most significant bus service improvements in years as a result of a doubling of bus funding in Somerset by central Government.
Evening and Sunday bus services on some key routes, along with new bus services, are set to be introduced as part of a major shake-up aimed at increasing bus use.
​
​The enhanced bus services are part of Somerset’s Government-funded Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP).
Somerset also has new electric buses achieved through a collaboration between First Bus in Somerset and Somerset Council. The partnership was awarded £2.2m from the Department for Transport’s (DfT) Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas (ZEBRA 2) scheme and First Bus invested £12.5m in vehicles and electrifying the bus depot at Taunton.
​
Yeovil
​
-
Extending the 376 service from Bristol to Street to Yeovil – to include evenings and Sundays.
-
Sunday service for 51 Yeovil Town
-
Service CR6 (Bridport to Yeovil) extra later return journey. - timetable to be published in May.
-
A review of the town centre network, repurposing service 11 to remove some duplication and provide a service to areas of Yeovil currently not served.
-
NEW 50 and 53 Yeovil Town Services run by South West Coaches
-
Continued Council support for Services 1, 54, 58, 68 and 81 which provide links from Yeovil to Shepton Mallet, Taunton, Wincanton, Yeovil rail stations and South Petherton.
-
Bus Priority Signal Improvements.
​
Bridgwater
​
-
Evening service for 21 Taunton to Bridgwater service – extended to Burnham-on-Sea.
-
Increased Monday - Saturday frequency (including earliy morning and early evening services) for the B1 Bridgwater Town Service, plus Sunday service.
-
Roll out of Digital Demand Responsive Transport to the existing Sedgemoor Slinky.
-
Support for service 14 – Bridgwater to Cannington.
-
Improved access for buses at Bridgwater Train Station.
-
Electric buses on the 21 Taunton - Burnham-on-Sea service
-
Bus Priority Signal Improvements.
Taunton
​
-
Continued support for evening services, 1E, 21, 22, 28 and 30 serving Bridgwater, Wellington, Minehead and Chard.
-
Continued support for service 3 (Bishops Hull – Taunton) and re-routing part of the service to provide an improved transport links in the South Road/Shoreditch Road/Chestnut Drive area of Taunton.
-
Electic buses on Buses of Somerset all town centre buses in Taunton (the 1, 4, 6, 7 services) plus routes 21, 22 and 28 will also operate with EV vehicles.
-
£1 single fare for park and ride.
Roll out of Digital Demand Responsive Transport to the existing Taunton and Wellington Slinky Service. -
Support for Comeytrowe Transport Hub.
-
As well as the ongoing work on Taunton’s Transport hub on the site of the former bus station, and a pilot rural transport hub in Langport, there will be feasibility studies for transport hubs in Yeovil and Bridgwater.
Other
Elsewhere there will be continued support for
-
The Frome Town service 30, which will also see the introduction of an Electric Vehicle;
-
The D2 Frome to Bath service.
-
The 126 Axbridge-Wells service, with an increased service on Saturdays.
-
Improved service 25 Dulverton to Taunton; Service 26 Dulverton to Wiveliscombe and a trial of Service 27 Wiveliscombe to Wellington and West Buckland (2 days a week).
​
-
Somerset Council have worked with South West Coaches and GWR to ensure the South West Coaches service can access Castle Cary train station rather than dropping off on the main road.
-
668 - Extension of service to Avalon Marshes for 12 months. (Funding obtained for this service by Somerset Bus Partnership, Glastonbury on the Bus and other local partners.)
Full April 2025 Changes
Here is a unbaised full summary by Somerset Bus Partnership of Somerset April 2025 Timetable Changes - including confirmed associated changes that might end up being implemented slightly later than April - which you can find below. Note that in cases where the timetable change is so minor that it has no noticeable effect on the service structure, it has been omitted. Also, only confirmed changes are included, so for example the possible but not yet confirmed Monday to Saturday evening Yeovil Town Service 51 journeys do not appear.
We hope you will find it useful and helpful.
TAUNTON TOWN SERVICE 1 AND 2 (MERGED INTO NEW SERVICE 1)
Bus operator: First Bus Somerset (formerly Buses of Somerset)
Date of timetable change: Sunday 20 April
POSITIVE - New electric buses on new merged Service 1 and on evening variant 1E. Monday to Saturday Daytime frequency on the former Service 2 section increased from hourly to every 30 minutes.
NEGATIVE - Monday to Saturday daytime frequency on the former Service 1 section reduced from every 20 minutes to every 30 minutes.
New timetable can be access here
TAUNTON TOWN SERVICE 3
Bus operator: Somerset Council
Date of timetable change: Sunday 20 April
POSITIVE - Will now operate between Bishops Hull and Chestnut Drive with buses leaving the Town centre and travelling via East Street, Silver Street, South Road and then Stoke Road via a loop taking in Chestnut Drive and Shoreditch Road and back into town via South Road, thus restoring a regular service to this area in many cases for the first time since Summer 2022.
This also means there will now be a direct service between Bishops Hull across town to Richard Huish College and journeys on the 3 have been timed to arrive from Bishops Hull at the start of the college day with an equally timed return journey at the end of the college day with several journeys in between.
This service will run hourly Monday to Saturday Daytimes with a short break at lunchtime.
Bindon Road will instead be served by a combined near-hourly Monday to Saturday Daytime service on Routes 25 and 25A.
New timetable can be access here:
​
​
TAUNTON TOWN SERVICE 4
Bus operator: First Bus Somerset (formerly Buses of Somerset)
Date of timetable change: Sunday 20 April
POSITIVE - New electric buses. Better spaced morning peak service pattern Monday to Friday.
NEGATIVE - Earlier last bus from Taunton Town Centre Monday to Friday.
New timetable can be access here
TAUNTON TOWN SERVICE 6
Bus operator: First Bus Somerset (formerly Buses of Somerset)
Date of timetable change: Sunday 20 April
POSITIVE - New electric buses.
NEGATIVE - Monday to Saturday frequency reduced from every 30 minutes to hourly.
New timetable can be access here: (timetable not pubilshed yet)
TAUNTON TOWN SERVICE 7
Bus operator: First Bus Somerset (formerly Buses of Somerset)
Date of timetable change: Sunday 20 April
POSITIVE - New electric buses.
NEUTRAL - Removal of Taunton Railway Station stop (some will see this as Positive, while some will see this as Negative)
New timetable can be access here
TAUNTON PARK AND RIDE
Bus operator: Stagecoach
No timetable change
POSITIVE - Services will run every 20 minutes to Gateway Park and Ride until 2315 on Monday to Saturday evenings. Introduction is subject to Somerset Council enacting their recently approved planning application for this, and therefore implementation may be subject to a slight delay beyond April.
SERVICE 14/15
​
Bus operator: First Bus Somerset (formerly Buses of Somerset)
​
Date of timetable change: Sunday 20 April
​
Minor timetable changes.
New timetable can be access here
SERVICE 20: BURNHAM-ON-SEA TO WESTON-SUPER-MARE
​
Bus operator: First Bus West of England
​
Date of timetable change: Sunday 6 April
​
New timetable can be access here: https://www.firstbus.co.uk/sites/default/files/public/maps/20.pdf
POSITIVE/NEUTRAL - This service will have its usual summer season uplift, with the Monday–Saturday frequency increased from every 70 minutes to every 35 minutes. The Sunday service will also resume, operating hourly between 0900 and 1800.
SERVICE 21/21A: TAUNTON - BRIDGWATER - BURNHAM-ON-SEA
Bus operator: First Bus Somerset (formerly Buses of Somerset)
Date of timetable change: Sunday 20 April
​
POSITIVE - New electric buses. Hourly Monday to Saturday evening service extended to Burnham-on-Sea.
NEGATIVE - Monday to Friday Daytime frequency reduced from every 30 minutes to every 35 minutes.
New timetable can be access here
​
SERVICE 22 AND VARIANTS - TAUNTON - WELLINGTON
Bus operator: First Bus Somerset (formerly Buses of Somerset)
Date of timetable change: Sunday 20 April
​
POSITIVE - New electric buses. All journeys will operate via Orchard Grove Housing Estate every 15 minutes Monday to Friday Daytimes, every 20 minutes Monday to Saturday Daytimes, hourly Sunday Daytimes.
NEGATIVE - Service 22B variant serving Jurston Fields in Wellington withdrawn.
​
New timetable can be access here
​
SERVICE 23B: WILLITON - WATCHET - TAUNTON
Bus operator: Hatch Green Caoches
Date of timetable change: Monday 7th April
​
NEGATIVE - Removal of stops at Stairfoot Cross and Yarford.
New timetable can be access here: https://hatchgreencoaches.co.uk/pdfs/2022/23-23b.pdf
​
SERVICE 25/25A: TAUNTON - WIVELISCOMBE
Bus operator: First Bus Somerset (formerly Buses of Somerset)
Date of timetable change: Sunday 20 April
​
POSITIVE - Combined near-hourly Monday to Saturday Daytime service between Taunton-Norton Fitzwarren-Cotford St Luke on Routes 25 and 25A (replacing Monday to Saturday Daytime Service 28A journeys), also running via Bindon Road (replacing Taunton Town Service 3), with Service 25 journeys extending every 2 hours standard pattern through to Wiveliscombe. Almost all Service 25 journeys now serve Langley Corner.
NEGATIVE - Almost all through Service 25 journeys from Taunton running beyond Wiveliscombe to Dulverton withdrawn, requiring a change of bus at Wiveliscombe onto a new Service 26 that represents a big reduction in service coverage and scope between Wiveliscombe and Dulverton compared to the current Service 25.
​
New timetable can be access here
​
SERVICE 26: WIVELISCOMBE - DULVERTON
​
Bus operator: Somerset Council
Date of timetable change: Sunday 20 April
​
NEGATIVE - New Wiveliscombe to Dulverton only service replacing the current Service 25 through service from Taunton, requiring a change of bus at Wiveliscombe onto a new Service 26 that represents a big reduction in service coverage and scope between Wiveliscombe and Dulverton compared to the current Service 25. For example, the first bus of the day on Monday to Saturday Daytimes into Dulverton arrives as late as 1030, and the last bus out of Dulverton leaves several hours earlier than now at 1505.
New timetable can be access here: (timetable not pubilshed yet)
SERVICE 27: WIVELISCOMBE - WELLINGTON - WEST BUCKLAND
POSITIVE - New Tuesday and Thursday only trial of much requested service between Wellington and Wiveliscombe, with most journeys starting/terminating at West Buckland.
New timetable can be access here: (timetable not pubilshed yet)
​
SERVICE 28/28A: TAUNTON - MINEHEAD
Bus operator: First Bus (Buses of Somerset)
Date of timetable change: Sunday 20 April
​
POSITIVE - New electric buses. Monday to Friday Daytime frequency increased from every 45 minutes to every 40 minutes.
NEGATIVE - Saturday Daytime frequency reduced from every 30 minutes to every 40 minutes. Service X28 variant withdrawn.
​
New timetable can be access here
​
FROME TOWN SERVICE 30
​
Bus operator: Somerset Council
Date of timetable change: No timetable change
​​​
POSITIVE - New electric buses. Introduction is subject to procurement of the new vehicles by Somerset Council's in house fleet, and therefore implementation may be subject to a slight delay beyond April.
SERVICE 30: TAUNTON-CHARD-AXMINSTER
​
Bus operator: First Bus Somerset (formerly Buses of Somerset)
Date of timetable change: Sunday 20 April
​
NEGATIVE - Monday to Saturday Daytime frequency reduced from every 90 minutes to every 100 minutes.
New timetable can be access here
​
YEOVIL TOWN SERVICE 50
Bus operator: South West Coaches
Date of timetable change: Sunday 20 April
​
NEGATIVE - Currently South West Coaches Service 11 provides an every 30 minutes frequency Monday to Friday Daytimes and an hourly frequency Saturday Daytimes to this area of Yeovil. However, Service 11 will be withdrawn, and replaced with new Service 50, which will provide a much reduced every 2 hours frequency Monday to Saturday Daytimes, albeit this slightly increases during the peaks.
​
New timetable can be access here: https://www.southwestcoaches.co.uk/Bus-Timetables
YEOVIL TOWN SERVICE 51
Bus operator: First Bus Somerset (formerly Buses of Somerset)
Date of timetable change: Sunday 20 April
​
POSITIVE - Saturday Daytime frequency increased from every 45 minutes to every 40 minutes. New every 90 minutes Sunday Daytime frequency service introduced.
NEGATIVE - Currently South West Coaches Service 11 provides an every 30 minutes frequency Monday to Friday Daytimes and an hourly frequency Saturday Daytimes on common route sections with Service 51, and recent efforts had been made to better space these services out. However, Service 11 will be withdrawn, leaving passengers on common route sections with Service 51 with a much reduced Monday to Saturday overall service level.
Also, the withdrawal of Service 11 will result in no bus service at all for the White Mead area, and the loss of through direct services and ticketing to key amenities such as ASDA, and Preston Grove and Hendford GP Surgeries.
​
New timetable can be access here
​
YEOVIL TOWN SERVICE 53
Bus operator: South West Coaches
Date of timetable change: Sunday 20 April
​
POSITIVE - New service will provide a near-hourly Monday to Saturday Daytime frequency linking areas such as the Lynx Trading Estate and Leonardos with the Town Centre. The service will also run via Lime Tree Avenue, enhancing that area's overall service coverage on Monday to Friday in conjunction with existing Service 56, while also providing new Saturday service coverage for that area.
​
New timetable can be access here: https://www.southwestcoaches.co.uk/Bus-Timetables
SERVICE 54
Bus operator: First Bus Somerset (formerly Buses of Somerset)
Date of timetable change: Sunday 20 April
​
NEGATIVE - Yeovilton no longer served by any Service 54 journeys.
New timetable can be access here
​
SERVICE 58
Bus operator: First Bus Somerset (formerly Buses of Somerset)
Date of timetable change: Sunday 20 April
​
NEGATIVE - Service 58A variant withdrawn meaning no Saturday service at all for Stalbridge. Knock on effects include the withdrawal of the 1645 journey from Yeovil to Wincanton on Monday to Friday, leaving a gap of over 2 hours between journeys in both directions during the evening peak. On Saturday, the service is every 2 hours throughout, meaning a reduction from the current Saturday offering which has additional journeys at the beginning of the day and at the end of the day.
​
New timetable can be access here
​
SERVICE 99
​
Bus operator: Hatch Green Coaches
Date of timetable change: Sunday 6 April
​
POSITIVE - Services will be re-routed back along Shoreditch Road providing extra buses over this section of the route in addition to those provided by the diverted Taunton Town Service 3. This will also remove the current Chestnut Drive/Stoke Road diversion for through Taunton-Chard passengers.
NEGATIVE - Concerns have been raised by stakeholders regarding the reduced capacity of buses that will be operated by new Service 99 operator Hatch Green Coaches compared to those currently operated on the route by First Bus Somerset.
SERVICE 126
Bus operator: First Bus West of England
Date of timetable change: Sunday 6 April
​
POSITIVE - Improved Saturday Daytime frequency.
​
NEGATIVE: No longer services Weston-Super-Mare hospital.
NEUTRAL - Buses will run from Banwell via the A371, Hutton Moor and Locking Road, instead of via Hutton and Uphill (some will see this as Positive, while some will see this as Negative)
SERVICES 171, 172, 173, and 174
​
Bus operator: First Bus West of England
​
Date of timetable change: Sunday 6 April
​
Minor timetable changes.
​
SERVICE 373
Bus operator: First Bus West of England
Date of timetable change: Sunday 6 April
​
POSITIVE - The 373 will undergo a route change. In Glastonbury towards Street, instead of taking the Wells Road upon reaching the Tin Bridge Roundabout and passing Avalon Estate, the 373 will now run via the Old Wells Road, and serve Windmill Hill via Windmill Hill Road and Leg of Mutton Road in both directions, providing a better link to West Mendip Hospital.
New timetable can be access here
​
SERVICE 375
Bus operator: First Bus West of England
Date of timetable change: Sunday 6 April
​
NEGATIVE - Catcott no longer served by any Service 375 journeys.
SERVICE 376
Bus operator: First Bus West of England
Date of timetable change: Sunday 6 April
​
POSITIVE - Service 376 journeys will extend from Street through to Somerton and Yeovil hourly on Monday to Saturday evenings and Sunday Daytimes.
NEGATIVE - All Sunday Daytime journeys and some Monday to Saturday evening journeys will no longer serve Street Green Lane Avenue.
BRIDGWATER TOWN SERVICE B1
Bus operator: First Bus Somerset (formerly Buses of Somerset)
Date of timetable change: Sunday 20 April
​
POSITIVE - Much improved service that now starts at the morning peak and ends at the evening peak. Monday to Friday frequency is roughly every 30-35 minutes during the Daytime, and near-hourly during the morning and evening peaks. On Saturday the frequency is near-hourly throughout. There is also a new Sunday service with 6 journeys in each direction between 0830-1700.
New timetable can be access here
​
SERVICE D2/D2X
Bus operator: First Bus West of England
Date of timetable change: Sunday 6 April
​
This service has been subject to significant alteration due to roadworks in recent times which has effected it’s commercial viability.
​
POSTIVE: The route of service D2x will be amended to operate into Bath through Norton St Philip, Hinton Charthouse and Midford, instead of via Radstock and Peasedown St. John. This provides an increased frequency between Norton St. Philip, Hinton Charterhouse and Bath. (Service 522 will be re-routed on Monday - Saturdays to serve the Orchard Way area of Peasedown St. John as a replacement for the D2x.)
NEGATIVE: Service D2x will operate from Frome Sainsbury’s via The Butts, Frome Market Place, Fromefield, and then then A361, A36 & B3110. It will not serve Critchill, Badcox, Brunel Way, Stonebridge, Beckington or Rode. From Bath, upon reaching Sainsbury’s, buses will change from a D2 to a D2x and vice versa, meaning that passengers can use either service for Critchill.
​
The D2x reduces in capacity as will now operate as single decker rather than a double decker.
(It should be noted that local stakeholders are concerned about the affect on the future viability of Service D2x that the above changes might have.)
From April the D2 will see a decrease in frequency to approx every 1hour 40mins. There is concern this will cause overcrowing especially at peak times.
Service D2 will no longer serve Frome Railway Station (with all journeys running to and from Frome Sainsbury’s via Critchill, and all journeys will now serve Rode. )
On Frome Market Days, buses will no longer serve Cork Street Car Park on the diversion, due to issues with buses getting stuck during 2024. Buses will now operate directly from Christchurch Street East to/from Christchurch Street West on the diversion - please use the Memorial Theatre Complex stops during these times.
​
SERVICE 668
​
Bus operator: Libra Travel
​
Date of timetable change: Sunday 20 April
​
POSITIVE: Some services will now serve the Avalon Marshes Centre for a 12 month trial.