FIRST Bus has confirmed Bridgwater Bus Depot will close this Sunday despite protests from the Trades Union Council and pleas from Bridgwater Labour.

Buses of Somerset (First Bus South) says the depot will shut down with effect from September 3.

The news comes just days after protests outside the depot from bus drivers, local councillors, and members of the Trades Union Council.

The depot serves as a hub where buses start and end their routes and a location where drivers can take their breaks. 

Cllr Mick Lerry, Mayor of Bridgwater, and Cllr Brian Smedley, both of Bridgwater Labour, recently voiced concern that the closure of the depot could result in a loss of jobs for local bus drivers, as well as cause even further incovenience for commuters who rely on the bus service on a daily basis.

Buses of Somerset insist, however, that the depot's closure will have "little to no effect on the passengers", with most services being retained and operating from a new base.

Simon Goff, Managing Director for First Bus South said: "Following further consultations and discussion with local stakeholders and customers alike, we are making some operational changes to our business.

"We have taken the difficult decision to close our Bridgwater depot with immediate effect from this weekend.

“This is not a decision we have taken lightly, but one that is a necessity in order to protect the future of Buses of Somerset and its bus network for the local area.

“I am aware that there has been some local resistance to the depot closure, but it is important that our decision is taken in the wider context of striving to secure the long-term future of services across Somerset.

“We are operating in extremely challenging circumstances, with rising costs, and while passenger numbers are increasing on some routes due to current fare promotion schemes, they are still below pre-covid levels, which is affecting the viability of routes.

“We are committed to serving our communities in Somerset and continue to work closely through the enhanced partnership with Somerset Council to deliver the Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) to provide the best possible bus services for our customers in the county.

“We will continue to work closely with the council who have been a great help in supporting us to give the bus network the best possible chance to recover.

“We will continue to use data to inform our decision making to allow us to match services with demand. I hope that the passion shown recently by local interested parties around this decision can now translate into support for the local bus network through regular usage. 

“As a responsible bus operator, we see our role is to provide a reliable network where people need us most.  We believe that reliability, coupled with the current low fares, will help drive passenger growth which is required for the network to be sustainable for the long term.”

As expected, there will be changes to bus timetables from September 3 onwards as a result of the depot's closure.

Details of these changes can be found on the Buses of Somerset website and the First Bus app.