Tuesday 20 September 2016

Frome Town Council are holding a public meeting on Wednesday 21 September at 7.00 pm at Rook Lane Chapel. On the agenda will be the 267 bus and whether Frome Town Council should contribute something towards the bus services.
Do come along if you can to show some support and join in the discussion!



A busy few days on the 267 First Bus front....
Today was the BaNES Transport Committee meeting where we were presenting our case for the 267!
Big thank you to Linda Oliver (Somerset County Councillor for Rode and Norton St Philip and Mendip District Councillor for Frome North, Beckington. Norton St Philip and Rode).and Adam Boyden, Mendip District Councillor for Frome's College Ward) for their time and effort over the last few weeks and also taking the time to present to ...BaNES today.
A big we'll done to Frome and Villages Bus User Group's (FAVBUG) Tracey Harding who also presented to BaNES today....

This meeting was also attended by James Freeman MD and Andrew Sherrington  from First bus and David Redgewell MD from  bus users uk



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Thursday 15 September 2016

 preparing to talk at #BaNES full council meeting on buses. I was asked at very short notice to read a speech at B&NES full council meeting yesterday. I was asked to read somebody else's long speech in 3 minutes which I knew I had no time to do. I took the very bold move after addressing my audience and said I assume that you have all read this paper before this meeting and went with my own on the 267.
I started with the West of England devolution deal
How much per head that they fund and how much they get back in customer spending
The affects on low paid workers. Managed to get in that it will cost commuters who work unsociable hours an extra £22.20 to get to work by train.
Lack of consultation notices
Length of their consultation period ( 3 weeks ) Wiltshire's consultation ran for 3 months and SCC for a month and a half



Wednesday 14 September 2016

Deadline to save the 267 evening bus is Friday the 16th September
If you rely on public transport this would mean
No more nights out in Bath
No more opportunities to go to evening education classes
Commuters who work late couldn't get home...
People who need to go to evening hospital appointments / see relatives in hospital couldn't get home
E mail your thoughts on the proposed cuts to public_transport@bathnes.gov.uk
This should only take you a few minutes of your time to do. Thank you for your support



Tuesday 6 September 2016

FROME AND THE SURROUNDING VILLAGES IS LIKELY TO LOSE ITS EVENING 267 BATH/FROME SERVICE
BaNES is consulting on ending its subsidy of 267 evening services and that could mean the end of 267 evening services between Bath and Frome.
If you are one of those that some times uses those evening services and you want to try and keep it, then you need to apply pressure on Bath businesses to write to BaNES asking them to maintain their subsidy of the 267.
...
Below is a note that might form the basis of a letter/email for you to send to any Bath businesses (pubs, bars, restaurants, clubs, theatres and cinemas) that you go to in the hope those businesses will ask BaNEs to keep the 267 evening services.
Dear
I am an occasional patron of yours on my evening nights out in Bath. I would very much like to continue to be able to be a patron of your business.
BaNES is faced with tough decisions going into its 2017/18 budgeting process and is looking to make cuts.
One of those possible cuts is a relatively modest £18,000 grant that maintains the evening services of the 267 bus service to Bath from Frome and villages.
Every evening this 267 bus service brings a lot of spending power into Bath. It allows people from Frome and neighbouring villages to have a night out in Bath without the problems of drinking and driving.
It has been estimated that each passenger typically spends around £30 per head during a night in Bath.
On the basis of 10,000 bus passengers over the year that would add up to £300,000. A pretty good ROI on an £18,000 investment. Plus all the social benefits this bus service delivers.
We therefore would urge you to take part in BaNES’ consultation process over this £18,000 subsidy for the 267.
If you agree with me this subsidy should be maintained because of the revenue it delivers to Bath businesses, educational establishments etc, then please send your views to: public_transport@bathnes.gov.uk putting into your email header: 267 Bus Service between Frome and Bath.
Many thanks