SAVE OUR SERVICE: Villagers plea to keep lifeline 99 bus

Bus firm Stagecoach has announced it will stop running the 99 route from October 29, blaming a drop in passenger numbers.

Since the announcement, residents of Chard and surrounding villages have called the service a “lifeline” and say its loss will be a “big blow” to the town.

Chard resident Tony Over said: “I use that service regularly and it is regularly full, with people sometimes standing.

“For the people that live in the villages, it is their lifeline service.”

Tony Over, a resident of Chard, said: “I use that service regularly and it is regularly full with people sometimes standing.

“For the people that live in the villages, it is their lifeline service. Personally I use it mainly for the cricket, but my wife and other people use it to get to the hospital and she uses it to go shopping.

“I have seen how regularly that bus is full. It is used by people going to hospital appointments and for a lot of appointments you are told not to drive so this bus is essential. People use it to go to work, students use it to go to SCAT or Richard Huish.

“In June one of the bus drivers spoke to me and they thought that this was coming. I think people need to know about this because it is going to happen. I find it hard to believe that running this service is not possible.

“My neighbours across the road use it all the time. I have contacted again today all our local councillors. Now we know it is happening we need to make sure something is done about it.”

Rob Grimmond, the chairman of Combe St Nicholas parish council, said: “The buses all seem reasonably busy, especially in the mornings. We have a lot of elderly people who don’t have cars. Losing a service like this would be a big blow for any community. This is a big shock.

“Also, because it goes through to Musgrove and people use it to get to the doctors in Chard. Sometimes people can’t drive because of appointments, but also the cost of car parking is a lot. To take a bus that goes right to the door is so helpful for us.

“It is a problem because Chard is three miles from Combe and Taunton is more than 10 miles away.”

News that the bus service would cease to operate came from drivers on Saturday morning. A spokesman for Stagecoach then confirmed the decision on Monday.

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The Stagecoach spokesperson said: "We regret to announce that, due to low patronage and reduced concessionary reimbursement, we will no longer be running route 99 after Saturday, October 29.

“Somerset County Council are currently exploring alternative options with other local operators.

“For anyone who currently buying our 4 week Somerset Megariders these will be withdrawn from sale on bus and online from Friday, October 7.

“We would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who travelled with us for their custom over the years."

Some residents, including county councillor for Chard North, Nigel Pearson, have been worried about the future of the route for a number of weeks.

Cllr Pearson said: “There was a rumour about six weeks ago that this was going to happen. I contacted David Fothergill who was in charge of highways at that point to say is this going to stop.

“On Saturday morning I got a phone call from a lady who had been on the bus and spoke to the driver who told her that the service will not run after October 29.

“I have contacted the council again because the 29th is not a long time and they need to act.

“There has been sort of an undercurrent of unhappiness and what is going to happen to it for a while.

“I think it is fair to say people are concerned about this, very much so. That bus is pretty full most mornings and obviously those people come back again. We have got to have the service.”

Cllr Dave Bulmer, mayor of Chard, said: “We had an inkling that it was going to happen a couple of weeks ago.

“Myself and Cllr Martin Carnell had our surgeries on Saturday and a whole load of residents came in upset about this.

“It is going to leave a lot of people in Chard without a service, young people and old people.

“I am deeply concerned as mayor. Some pertinent questions need to go to the county council. Chard is the second largest town in South Somerset and a lot of people rely on this service.

“Residents have told me that this is a well-used service.

“At the end of the day there is a strong argument for more public transport and more sustainable options than the motor car, but then this happens. It is contradictory terms really.”

Margaret White, resident of Chard, said: “A lot of the old people can’t walk down to get the bus.

“There’s the students. How are they going to get to college? It’s the children of the future we need to think about.

“For the old people, we have always paid. A lot of them are disabled people who can’t get anywhere and for them the bus is a lifeline.”

A spokesman for Somerset County Council said: “We were notified late last week that Stagecoach South West is withdrawing its bus service 99 at the end of October.

“This was a commercial decision by the operator as the service was not subsidised by the county council. We are already in talks with other operators about possible commercial replacements to the 99 service and an alternative commercial service (30) continues to link Chard to Taunton via Ilminster.”

A spokesman for Somerset County Council said: “We were notified late last week that Stagecoach South West is withdrawing its bus service 99 at the end of October.

“This was a commercial decision by the operator as the service was not subsidised by the county council.

“We are already in talks with other operators about possible commercial replacements to the 99 service and an alternative commercial service (30) continues to link Chard to Taunton via Ilminster.”