FIRST Bus has announced a host of changes to services in Taunton Deane and West Somerset.

The changes come into effect on Monday, November 11 and include:

  • Pulling the 25A Taunton to Cotford St Luke service from November 9;
  • Withdrawing a morning peak 30 service from Taunton to Axminster;
  • Revising services 2, 3 and 7 in Taunton.

The number 2 will now depart from the Parade at 15 and 45 past each hour, while the number 3 will no longer stop at Musgrove Park Hospital, instead going up Wellington Road. Times will also be 13 minutes earlier than currently.

The 7 service will no longer serve Wellington Road and will instead operate to and from Musgrove Park Hospital via Parkfield Drive.

An extra Monday to Friday 22/22A journey from Tiverton to Taunton will run, departing Tiverton at 6.05pm.

Service 25 from Taunton to Dulverton will continue to run once an hour and will be diverted to Bindon Road in Taunton and Graham Way in Cotford St Luke to replace service 25A.

The number 14 serving Watchet and Williton will now end at Watchet's West Somerset Railway station.

Passengers heading to Williton will need to change buses at Watchet on to the 28.

Alex Carter, director for First Devon and Cornwall, said: “The majority of the revisions we have made are to further improve reliability of our services.

“Others have come about as a result of requests by our customers especially for journeys around Taunton and serving the hospital.”

Detailed service change information:

Bridgwater Service 1 (Bridgwater Town Service): The revised timetable will include the off peak service remaining every 30 minutes but the frequency at peak hours will be slightly reduced. All journeys will now additionally serve Gloucester Road and King George Avenue.

Taunton Service 2 (Taunton Town Service): A revised timetable will see buses running 10 minutes later than previously so that journeys now depart from Taunton Parade at 15 and 45 minutes past each hour rather than 05 and 35 minutes past each hour.

Taunton Service 3 (Taunton Town Service): This service will no longer serve Musgrove Park Hospital but will instead operate via Wellington Road. Times will be around 13 minutes earlier than previously so that journeys will now depart from Taunton Parade at 18 and 48 minutes past each hour rather than at 01 and 31 minutes past each hour. Services to Musgrove Park Hospital from Taunton Bus Station will now be provided by service 21 every 20 minutes and by service 7 from Taunton Parade every 30 minutes.

Taunton Service 7 (Taunton Town Service): This service will no longer serve Wellington Road and will instead operate to and from Musgrove Park Hospital via Parkfield Drive in both directions. Times from Taunton Parade are unchanged with only minor changes to intermediate points.

Service 14 (Bridgwater to Watchet):  The off-peak service between Cannington and Bridgwater will be reduced from every 30 minutes to every 60 minutes. However, journeys which operate via the Durleigh area of Bridgwater will also now serve Heathcombe Road in both directions. Journeys serving Watchet and Williton will now end at Watchet, WSR Station. Passengers wishing to travel to Williton should change buses at Watchet on to Service 28.

Service 21 (Taunton to Burnham-on-Sea): On Mondays to Saturdays, almost all journeys to and from Taunton Bus Station will now be extended to serve Musgrove Park Hospital. At the other end of the route, also from Mondays to Saturdays, Service 21 will be extended once an hour to serve Berrow, Brean and Weston-super-Mare. This replaces service 112 which is being withdrawn.

Service 22/22A (Taunton to Tonedale/Rockwell Green): An additional Monday to Friday journey from Tiverton to Taunton will run, departing Tiverton at 1805.

Service 25/25A (Taunton to Cotford St Luke/Dulverton): Service 25A from Taunton to Cotford St Luke will be withdrawn after Saturday 9 November.

Service 25 from Taunton to Dulverton will continue to run once an hour and will be diverted to serve Bindon Road in Taunton and Graham Way in Cotford St Luke to replace service 25A along these sections of the route. However, the sections of route around Hudson Way in Taunton and Hilly Park in Norton Fitzwarren will no longer be served.

The morning College Day-only service 25A journey from Milverton at 0844 is now renumbered as service 25. It will now depart at 0841 and the evening College Day-only journey from Taunton to Milverton is advanced to 1705 and exended to Wiveliscombe as service 25.

Service 30 (Taunton to Axminster): One morning peak service will be withdrawn in each direction but the service remains hourly during off peak times.

Service 102 (Bridgwater to Weston-super-Mare): On Mondays to Saturdays, most journeys are extended to and from Bridgwater Bus Station, giving additional travel opportunities to customers in Bridgwater, Puriton and Woolavington.

Service 112 (Bridgwater to Weston-super-Mare): Service 112 is being withdrawn on Saturday 9 November and from Mondays to Saturdays, will be replaced by service 21.