Following ongoing concerns about the effectiveness of the WESTlink bus scheme, Bath and North East Somerset (B&NES) Greens are calling for a comprehensive review and restructuring of rural bus services to ensure better connectivity for residents.
WESTlink was introduced to bridge the gap where bus services have been lost, connecting rural residents with areas where regular timetabled services are still available. It was promoted as a means to provide bus services to isolated communities, to those unable to access services due to a lack of safe routes (such as no pavements), and to those with mobility issues.
However, many residents have never been able to book a WESTlink bus, with some forced to navigate unsafe routes to reach timetabled services. Those fortunate enough to book a slot often face delays and are left stranded by last-minute cancellations. This severely limits the service’s usefulness and undermines its original intent.
“The WESTlink scheme has not delivered on its promises. The service is unreliable, and both my inbox and local discussion groups are full of accounts from residents who arrange to use the service for important trips, such as hospital appointments, only to have them cancelled while they’re waiting at the bus stop. The funnelling of public money into piecemeal public transport arrangements fails to acknowledge the reality of rural living and leaves our most vulnerable residents without transport options, which is unacceptable,” said Sam Ross, Green Councillor for Clutton & Farmborough.
Buses must be better supported to become a realistic and sustainable transport option for rural residents, as the Clean Air Zone and increases in parking charges will not reduce car dependency alone. Currently, bus services are only considered economically viable in urban areas, but the lack of adequate transport options in rural communities exacerbates inequality in access and financial burden. Without serious systemic reforms, these disparities will only worsen.
Recent data reveals that each journey on the WESTlink scheme costs £35 per passenger, highlighting poor use of public funds. Consequently, the future of the service is uncertain, with speculation that it will cease in 2025, one year earlier than planned.
In addition to concerns about WESTlink’s future sustainability and financial inefficiencies, the Green Group is also alarmed by the lack of effective communication between the West of England Combined Authority (WECA) and B&NES Council. A Best Value Notice issued in March 2024 raised questions about cooperation between the two authorities, and a recent Freedom of Information (FoI) request for email correspondence revealed no records of discussions between B&NES Council and WECA regarding bus services.
“We urge WECA and B&NES Council to prioritise a transport structure that serves all communities, not just urban centres,” Councillor Ross continued. “Rural residents need a reliable, accessible, and effective bus system that connects them to essential local services and transport hubs.”
Any future strategy must address the practical realities faced by rural communities, ensuring that public transport is a viable option for all residents.