New business for local bus firms

WebberBus is based in Bridgwater

New bus operators have begun their five year contracts with Somerset County Council running public services routes.

Although these companies have been established for several years, their names might be unfamiliar to some passengers more used to the bigger companies like First.

This round of contracts has also shown a move towards smaller, more locally-based companies by Somerset County Council which oversees the process.

'Better quality vehicles'

Mark Pedlar, Group Manager for Transport at Somerset County Council said: "We collect two bases for quotes. They usually quote for any vehicle they can put on the road and then they give us a quote for a low-floor bus, which is a more modern bus.

"What we're looking to do is see whether we can afford the best the market can offer, or whether we can only give the basics of what people need. In the past three years, we've generally accepted the price for the better quality vehicles."

Bus companies have to meet a certain number of criteria before they can even apply to compete in the tendering process.

The requirements set out by the Department for Transport range from financial status, legal status, quality of vehicles, while the local authority sets out its own criteria on issues ranging from the bus company's insurance to CRB (Criminal Records Bureau) checks on the bus drivers which the company needs to meet.

"Once they meet this criteria we see them as no different from one operator to another. In fact, we found regularly that the smaller operator have been more flexible and easier to deal with.

"It's very difficult for First to get brand new low-floor vehicles straight off the production line whereas someone like Hatch Green can do that quite quickly. Hatch Green at the moment has the two newest vehicles in the whole county, Webbers has probably the next three or four."

'Community residents'

The most competitive price also plays a role, but the county council believes there are other benefits.

"We also find with drivers, like those at Hatch Green, they're friendly and they get on well with the passengers, and live in the areas where they are working and develop a much better relationship with the public than someone like First whose drivers perhaps come from Yeovil, Bridgwater or Taunton and aren't community residents."

The Bridgwater-based WebberBus has taken over the 670 service which was previously run by First, running through Wookey Hole, Wells, Wedmore, Highbridge and Burnham-on-Sea.

It has invested in two new buses which are planned to be used solely for this route and has invested £1.5m into its bus fleet over the past four years.

Hatch Beauchamp-based company, Hatch Green Coaches has taken over three routes in Somerset; Bridgwater to Bincombe (No.18), Highbridge to Berrow (No.113) and the Bishops Lydeard to Bridgwater College (613) route.

All of these routes will be taken over from 7 September 2009 by the new operators.