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The Buses of Somerset
TransBus Pointer bodied Dennis Dart in Ruishton in May 2021
ParentFirst South West
Founded2014
HeadquartersTaunton
Service areaSomerset

Devon

Dorset
Service typeBus services
Depots2
Chief executiveAlex Carter[1]
Websitebusesofsomerset.co.uk

The Buses of Somerset[2] is the trading name used by bus operator First South West for services operated in Somerset from its depot in the town of Taunton since 2014. The services were formerly managed as part of First Somerset & Avon.

History

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Southern National was formed in 1983 as the Somerset and Dorset operations of Western National (then part of the National Bus Company). It was privatised in 1988,[3] acquired by FirstGroup in 1999 and rebranded as First Southern National. In 2003 the Somerset operations of First Southern National were merged into First Somerset & Avon. In 2014 the services were relaunched as 'The Buses of Somerset'.[1]

Livery

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The new brand identity and livery is the first major departure from the FirstGroup corporate identity and livery which was previously applied almost universally across the group's bus operations. The business instead now uses a two tone green and cream livery with bespoke branding, website and social media profiles.[1][4] Buses allocated to Taunton town services were branded 'The Buses of Taunton' but using the same livery as other buses in the fleet.

The livery was revised from 2020 with different shade of green and changed logos. Taunton town services now have a different arrangement of the two green colours and are branded 'Taunton's town buses'. Certain routes have specially branded buses including Taunton Park and Ride (orange and purple), Quantock Line (route 28; brown and cream), Burnham-on-Sea to Taunton (route 21; blue) and Exmoor Coaster (blue).

In late 2024, the separate Buses of Somerset identity began to be phased out[citation needed] with the adoption of First's new nationwide purple and grey livery.[a][self-published source?]

  • Original fleet livery
    Original fleet livery
  • Original Taunton livery
    Original Taunton livery
  • Revised single deck livery
    Revised single deck livery
  • Revised Taunton livery
    Revised Taunton livery
  • Revised double decker livery
    Revised double decker livery
  • Taunton park and ride
    Taunton park and ride
  • Quantock Line
    Quantock Line
  • Route 21
    Route 21
  • Exmoor Coaster
    Exmoor Coaster

Depots

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The Buses of Somerset initially operated from two depots in Taunton and Bridgwater along with an outstation in Minehead.[6] Yeovil was added in 2016, having previously been part of First Hampshire & Dorset.

The Bridgwater depot closed at the end of 2 September 2023 when crews and vehicles were transferred to the other depots.[7]

After attempts to sell the Yeovil site failed, FirstBus suggested in 2023 that it would demolish it instead. The number of buses operating from Yeovil had reduced from 43 to 9 because some routes had been transferred to First West of England depots.[8]

Routes

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The Buses of Somerset routes link Taunton, Bridgwater, Yeovil and other major towns:[9]

  • 14 Bridgwater to Cannington (1 journey to Nether Stowey)
  • 15 Bridgwater to Minehead (College days only)
  • 21/21A Taunton to Burnham-on-Sea
  • 22/22A/22B Taunton to Rockwell Green/Tonedale
    • X22 Taunton to Tiverton
  • 25 Taunton to Dulverton
  • 28 'Quantock Line' Taunton to Minehead
    • 28A Taunton to Minehead
    • X28 Taunton to Minehead express
  • 30 Taunton to Axminster
  • 51 Abbey Manor Park to Cavalier Way
  • 54 Taunton to Yeovil
  • 58/58A Yeovil to Wincanton
  • 99 Taunton to Chard
  • 623/625 Wellington/Taunton to Bridgwater College (college days only)
  • 'Exmoor Coaster' Minehead to Ilfracombe (seasonal)
  • CR4 Yeovil to Blandford Forum
  • Taunton town services
    • 1 Taunton Parade to Wellsprings
    • 1E Silk Mills to Wellsprings via Taunton Parade (evening service)
    • 2 Taunton Parade to Nerrols Farm
    • 4 Taunton Parade to Lane Estate
    • 6 Taunton Parade to Holway
    • 7 Taunton Station to Galmington via Taunton Parade
  • Bridgwater town services
    • B1 Hamp to Bridgwater Community Hospital

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c First introduces The Buses of Somerset Euro Transport 30 January 2014
  2. ^ First Devon & Cornwall Limited formerly First Western National Limited formerly Western National Limited Companies House extract company no 01669417
  3. ^ Buses Magazine, Issue 648, March 2009, Ian Allan Publishing
  4. ^ First drops corporate look in Somerset Archived 15 March 2014 at the Wayback Machine Bus & Coach Professional 5 February 2014
  5. ^ "First Buses of Somerset Fleet List".
  6. ^ "First South West" (PDF). UK Buses. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 May 2015. Retrieved 13 May 2015.
  7. ^ "First Bus confirms Bridgwater bus depot will close permanently". BBC News. September 2023. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
  8. ^ "Yeovil bus depot set to be demolished, says First Bus". BBC News. 14 September 2023. Retrieved 19 September 2023.
  9. ^ "First Buses of Somerset". Retrieved 27 August 2024.

Notes

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  1. ^ The first buses to be painted in the new purple and grey corporate identity, three Wright StreetLites, arrived in August 2024.[5]
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