Taunton’s £1.50 Bus Fare Zone to be Scrapped in Somerset

Hey, I have some news about Taunton buses. The cheap fare zone ends in March. A single ticket could cost you an extra pound. This zone started in late 2022. It capped fares within Taunton at £1. It really boosted bus ridership.

The initial government funding made it happen. Ridership jumped by 30%. But, the fare cap rose to £1.50 in June. The council said this rise was necessary to ensure those services stay afloat financially. Now, they are ending it.

The council wants to improve bus services across Somerset. They learned a lot from the Taunton zone. The council received £6.2m for bus improvements. They will spend it in the next financial year. Some of the money will fund transport hubs. They will also build electric vehicle charging stations. Other funds will cover fare subsidies.

The council thinks the Taunton scheme is too expensive to extend. Ending the fare zone will affect most Taunton routes. Park and ride services are different though. Their £1 fare cap will face a separate review. The council will keep supporting evening buses, too. They’ll still build the new transport hub.

The council will monitor the impact of fare increases. The government raised the single fare cap to £3. An official worries that the fare hike will hurt ridership. They might ask the government to reconsider it. A new FirstBus fare structure begins in April.

It will cost £2.40 for short trips within Taunton. Longer trips will cost £3. FirstBus is promoting this new fare. Operators have mixed views on fare caps for now.