Taunton’s £1.50 Bus Fare Zone to End Boosting Somerset Bus Services

Taunton bus fares are changing on April 1. The £1.50 fare zone is ending then, which helped people travel cheaply around Taunton. It started in 2022, funded by the government.

The lower fares made bus use jump 30%. The fare cap rose from £1 to £1.50 last June, and now, the council says the zone will stop. Some tickets could rise by nearly £1.

A council member, Richard Wilkins, spoke about this change, stating the goal is to improve bus services across Somerset. Taunton’s success showed vital improvements, and now they want to expand those Somerset-wide.

The council received £6.2 million for bus projects, allocating some money to improve electric vehicle charging and some funds to help keep fares lower. Taunton’s low fare was expensive overall.

Ending the zone allows other initiatives, affecting most Taunton buses. Park and ride fares are excluded for now, and the council will still support evening buses.

Mike Rigby, another council member, voiced concerns that the government raised the single fare cap already. He wants to watch any ridership declines due to fares, with FirstBus having some new fares coming.

Natasha Bates said operators have mixed views, and extreme weather complicated patronage analysis. FirstBus will offer a £2.40 single fare soon, for short trips in Taunton.