Local coach company Webberbus has ceased trading due to financial difficulties leaving the counties deregulated transport infrastructure in an even bigger mess. Somerset County Council has been forced to step in to cover routes now abandoned by what was seen as one of its key operators. A Somerset County Spokesperson said “Wherever possible the authority is arranging for other bus companies to take on the routes provided by Webberbus Ltd. “
Labour County Councillor for Bridgwater South, Leigh Redman said “Devastating news that Bridgwater Bus company Webber Bus have ceased trading, I understand that officers at Somerset County are working to ensure all essential services are operational tomorrow and making plans to maintain services where possible. Webberbus Ltd currently provides transport serving six schools, four colleges and more than a dozen public routes (the most affected areas are Bridgwater town centre, West Somerset, Cheddar and Burnham-on-Sea areas).Schools and colleges served by Webberbus Secondary schools: Haygrove, Robert Blake, Bridgwater College Academy and Chilton Trinity.Primary schools: Kingsmoor Primary and Catcott Primary. Colleges/post 16: Bridgwater College and Strode College. Note, Routes into Richard Huish and SCAT may become overcrowded, but Buses of Somerset already run parallel routes.”
Transport Forum Chair saddened
Bridgwater Town Council Transport Forum Chair Cllr Moira Brown (Labour, Eastover) said “This is really sad- and a major loss to the people of Bridgwater. Webberbus always tried to put the needs of the community first, but it would seem this is of no account in a climate dominated by huge cuts to local authority budgets. The subsidies that bus companies would have received for socially necessary but commercially unprofitable routes has been drastically cut. This means that bus companies can’t afford to run the services that the community needs. The cessation of Webberbus combined with the dire state of Bridgwater’s transport infrastructure gives great cause for concern. We don’t even have a train service that is fit for purpose. Perhaps this might kick start Sedgemoor District Council into taking some interest in transport. There seems very little evidence of anything that suggests concern or interest at the moment.”
‘Seems only the Big Boys can survive’ says ex driver
Ian Tucker, chairman of Bridgwater Forward and former Webber bus driver said “ Webbers were second in size to First Bus in the Bridgwater area and they had a real regard for Bridgwater people. They took up many routes that First Bus dropped and in my opinion deserved a better degree of support from County. It is a sad day that such a company has ceased to operate and I feel for all those who have now lost their job. It seems to me that only the very big boys in this industry can survive and undoubtedly this will not be good for the bus user. “
Public anger and dismay
The public have been take by surprise at the sudden impact of the withdrawl of service. Regular bus user Phil Shepherd of Bridgwater’s Engine Room said “ I went to get the 1840 Webber Bus to Glastonbury tonight to be told – by a friendly First driver -that Webber Bus was no more. Where is the strategic thinking? How have we allowed public services to be degraded to this abysmal level? Do our leaders ever travel by bus outside of SW1? Angry and dismayed for all the people between Wells and Bridgwater now without any kind of service.”
Westover councillor and Bridgwater Town Council Leader Cllr Brian Smedley said “We need a fully integrated public transport system and instead we get deregulation and pot luck. People rely on public transport and this is the inevitable consequence of having to put your trust in a x economy. County needs to step in and protect services and then back our call for a county wide transport forum and finally start to actually plan for transport needs in the area.”
Bus users can keep an eye on the County Council website newsroom www.somersetnewsroom.com/ for information about replacement services.