Dursley bus route secured – Gloucestershire County Council
Gloucestershire County Council has stepped in to fund an emergency replacement bus provider to serve a route in Dursley, after the previous provider pulled out just before the start of the new school term.
Service 62 will now be operated by Applegates from Monday 5 September after the previous provider gave the county council notice to end their contract on Wednesday 31 August.
The service will now operate from Dursley to Thornbury, stopping at Cam, Sharpness, Berkeley, Ham, and Falfield. Those wishing to travel to Bristol can connect in Thornbury with the T1 service operated by First.
Cllr Philip Robinson, cabinet member responsible for bus transport at Gloucestershire County Council, said, “We were made aware on Wednesday that Bristol Community Transport will no longer provide transport services in the Gloucestershire area from Monday. Understanding the impact that no service would have on people’s travel plans, we moved quickly to ensure that essential journeys, including the first day of school, can be made on Monday morning and thereafter.
“Unfortunately, it was not possible to replace the service in full at such short notice due to a lack of available buses and drivers at rates the council could feasibly afford using public funding. This amended service is the only sustainable way of serving the areas in Gloucestershire affected at this time. We continue to work with partners to overcome the many challenges bus providers are facing, including driver shortages and inflationary pressures, to ensure Gloucestershire’s residents can have reliable and effective bus services.”
The new timetable between Dursley and Thornbury is available to view here, including the T1 service for those residents making the onward journey from Thornbury into Bristol.