THE concerns of Somerset bus users were raised with transport chiefs who vowed to address them.

MP Ashley Fox (Conservative, Bridgwater) met with representatives from First Bus, the company providing most county services, to “demand” action on issues raised by residents in a recent constituency survey.

The survey revealed several issues, he said, including unreliable services, insufficient routes to rural areas, and a lack of evening services.

Specific routes – including the B1, B2, 14, 16, 20, 21, and 21A, – were singled out by bus users as problems, alongside the need for better connections to locations like Highbridge train station and Musgrove Hospital in Taunton.

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“In the meeting, First Bus acknowledged the concerns and committed to taking steps to address them,” a spokesperson for Mr Fox said.

“They confirmed plans to remind drivers of their obligations to support passengers with disabilities and promised to share data on delays to help understand the reliability issues.”

The company also pointed to on-going conversations with Somerset Council over government funding through the Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP).

Mr Fox said the funding must “directly benefit residents of the constituency” and vowed to write to Somerset Council.

“Local bus services are a vital lifeline for residents, especially those in rural communities, and these longstanding concerns cannot be allowed to continue,” he said.

“I will keep pressing First Bus and Somerset Council to deliver the reliable and accessible transport services that our communities need.”