Local bus campaigners have launched a ‘Somerset Catch the Bus Campaign’ to boost greater usage of existing bus services across the county of Somerset, alongside a nationwide campaign ‘Catch the Bus Week’ from 4 to the 10 July.
The organisers of this local campaign are Frome and Villages Bus User Group (FavBug) along with Rode’s Save the 267 team.
FavBug Chair and Frome town Councillor, Tricia Golinski, said “Our organisations have campaigned to protect and enhance bus services in the Frome area. We in Frome and Rode have led the way by protesting against bus cuts in Somerset and we will continue to do that. However, the best way of protecting our existing bus services is to encourage people to catch the bus more often. That’s why we’ve launched this campaign.”
The Somerset campaign plans to challenge Somerset’s MPs and County Councillors to ‘catch the bus’ during this week in July and then to upload ‘selfies’ on the new Somerset Catch the Bus Campaign Facebook page to show them using a local bus service.
Leading Rode 267 campaigner, Lucy Travis, explained, “We want selfies not just of our Councillors and MPs catching the bus, but we’d like everyone to upload ‘selfies’ of themselves travelling by a bus in Somerset. Let’s make going by bus the ‘in thing’ this summer in Somerset.”
As part of Catch the Bus week FavBug will be inviting bus passengers to nominate their favourite bus driver, with a possible award being given to Frome’s ‘Favourite Bus Driver’. Bus operators First Bus and Frome Minibuses are also looking to provide a range of offers and discounted tickets as part of ways to get people on board.
For more information or to take part visit: https://www.facebook.com/groups/SomersetCTBC/ alternatively contact Anna Francis on 01373 465757.
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See Frome town councillors support this campaign via a short film here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_X4nPiN1W8
