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Travel and
transport news
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People living in the Somerton and Langport areas now have access to a trial on-demand flexible transport service called Digital Slinky. The service is being introduced Tuesday, 28 May, on a trial basis until March 2026.
Funded by the Government’s £13 million Bus Service Improvement Grant (BSIP), this brand-new service can be easily booked by registering online or downloading the app. It aims to provide a convenient alternative for those needing to get to shops, work, appointments, or social visits when regular bus services are not readily available. The Slinky app uses existing bus stops and landmarks as pick-up points, connecting passengers to local places of interest within the operating area. Additionally, plans are in place to integrate this service with the current public transport network for onward travel. If you have mobility issues and cannot reach a designated pick-up point, arrangements can be made for home pick-ups.
Booking is open. You can book up to an hour before your journey time and up to two weeks in advance, which is recommended to secure your travel plans.
We have announced revised bus fares for the Taunton Town Zone which are staying low to ensure bus use keeps growing in popularity.
Since the introduction of the Government-funded £1 fare 18 months ago, there has been a nearly 30% rise in bus use in Taunton, and we want to continue supporting this. Following a recent review into fares and revenue, a slight increase was deemed necessary to maintain sustainable services in Taunton.
Starting from June 1, the adult single fare will be £1.50, and the child fare will be 80p. These new fares will be reviewed again at the end of the year. Across the county, the cost for any single fare remains at £2 until December 2024. The Park and Ride service in Taunton will continue to charge £1 for a single fare. The Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) collaborates with operators to ensure bus services are reliable and affordable, making bus travel more attractive.
We received nearly £13 million in funding from the Government after submitting an ambitious bid through the BSIP in 2021. This funding not only caps fares but also supports vital bus services, evening bus services, and potential improvements such as bus lanes.
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We're taking action to enhance safety on Taunton’s Upper High Street. The pedestrian crossing, which connects High Street with the north entrance to Vivary Park, will be improved with new traffic lights and realigned markings to position it more directly with the park entrance. Work commenced on Monday, 13 May, and is expected to be completed by August.
During construction, temporary traffic lights and a pedestrian crossing will be in place. Evening/overnight road closures will occur towards the end of the project for final resurfacing with advance notice being given.
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We're working with the NHS on a campaign to recruit more volunteer drivers in the county who can get people without easy access to transport to crucial appointments.
Many residents who need the service live in rural areas with little or no access to public transport and are unable to drive. This can feel isolating, however, volunteer drivers are able to give a friendly hand to help residents access vital medical and social care services.
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4 unbelted young people are killed or seriously injured every week - don't let it be you.
Not wearing a seatbelt is one of the Fatal Five - the five main causes of death on the road. Help save a life on Somerset's road by following these tips:
- Make putting your seatbelt on one of the first things you do when
getting in a car
- Refuse to drive unless passengers are strapped in
- Call out your friends and family if you see them without their
seatbelt on
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This summer, we'll ‘leave it longer’ when it comes to grass cutting in a bid to help boost the county’s biodiversity.
From this month (May 2024), where safe to do so, our mowing routines across council managed highway verges, open spaces, country parks and council property grounds will be reduced. These areas will be carefully managed, and safety and visibility around verges and public spaces such as play areas will remain a priority and will be cut more regularly.
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Work to repair a collapsed embankment next to the B3224 in Exmoor is now complete.
The road at Roundwaters between Exford and Wheddon Cross reopened Friday, 19 April. It has been closed since January due to the scale of the work being undertaken by our contractor, Walters , and was originally scheduled to open in May.
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We joined other local authorities and participated in a national event focused on climate change and decarbonizing roads.
Live Labs 2 Expo 2024 in Birmingham was a chance to present what the Wessex Partnership has learned so far and share experience and knowledge from other councils, industry representatives, and colleagues from DfT and ADEPT as part of the journey towards Net Zero.
Central to Wessex Live Lab is the Doughnut Economics Model, a framework that balances environmental and social needs to ensure wider impacts (such as levelling up) are understood. The Wessex stand featured an interactive display based around this concept.
Live Labs 2 is a three-year, £30million, UK-wide programme funded by the Department for Transport and managed by ADEPT that will run until March 2026.
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We're taking action to reduce deaths and serious injuries at the Miner’s Arms Junction, near Priddy.
This notorious collision site has witnessed 35 known collisions over the past 20 years, with 11 serious incidents, including 3 fatalities.
Despite clear signage, drivers often fail to stop at this junction where traffic converges from various directions. To address this, our contractor, Octavius, will realign the B3135 and B3134 junction. The project, which includes a new road section, landscaping, signage, lining, drainage work and a reduced speed limit started on Monday, 29 April, and is expected to be completed by July. Most of the work will occur under temporary traffic lights and occasional short closures, with advance notice of these being given nearer the time.
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Councillors at Safer School Streets Trail
A reminder that Frome's safer school streets trial has begun.
The Frome Safer School Streets scheme started on Monday, 22 April, after more than 3 years of consultation, planning and development, in partnership with ourselves, active travel charity Sustrans and Frome Town Council. The 18-month trial will run until Autumn 2025, with a range of opportunities for residents to feed back about their experience of the trial in person and online.
During the Safer School Streets trial, roads will be closed from the junction of Broadway and Oakfield Road to the junction with Nunney Road, including the crossroads. Critch Hill and Whitemill Lane will also be closed from 8.10am to 9am and 2.45pm to 3.30pm, Monday to Friday in term time.
In addition, Park Road will be closed from 8.25am to 8.55am and 3pm to 3.30pm, Monday to Friday in term time.
Further to the timed road closures, a new 20mph zone will apply across a wider area and traffic-calming measures have been added to the roads around the zone.
Image courtesy of Avon and Somerset Police
It's against the law to ride most privately-owned e-scooters on public roads, cycle lanes, or pavements. Most e-scooters you can buy through popular retailers can only be used on private land with the land-owners permission. However, there's an exception with the Swifty Go GT500, which is roadworthy if it's taxed, insured, has a number plate and MOT, and the rider wears a motorcycle helmet.
Why is this? This is because e-scooters are classed as Personal Light Electric Vehicles, so they're treated as motor vehicles and subject to the same legal requirements such as MOT, tax, licensing and insurance. They also lack number plates or signalling ability and don't always have visible rear lights, making them dangerous on the road.
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