A vital lifeline for the community of Wellow has been renewed this week, with villagers celebrating the arrival of their brand new Community Bus – and with further cause to celebrate, as it didn’t cost them a penny!

The new, sixteen seater Peugeot minibus, which has a wheelchair access ramp at the rear, has been supplied by HM Government’s Department for Transport Community Bus Fund. It replaces the ten-year-old Ford Transit, which had been taking villagers and schoolchildren in and out of Bath.

Ten years ago, The Journal reported on the setting up of the Wellow Community Bus Group, following the scrapping of the regular daily bus service. Cut off and isolated, the group set about organising its own transport for villagers and local schoolchildren. Since then, over 30,000 passengers have been carried, saving thousands of car trips with significant benefits to the village community and the environment as a result.

The minibus service is supported by local sponsors, Avon Steel, Bath Audi, Crisp Cowley, The Fox and Badger pub in Wellow and The White Hart, Widcombe, and receives grants from B&NES Council and Wellow Parish Council to help keep it on the road.

Speaking at the celebration of the new vehicle last Saturday, Councillor Anthony Clarke, B&NES Cabinet member for Transport, said: “This is a great example of how village communities can get together and provide sustainable transport solutions which are tailored to their specific needs.”

Ward Councillor, Neil Butters, added: “I congratulate Wellow Community Bus Group on not only starting this venture a decade ago, but continuing and expanding it with such success.”

Chairman of the Wellow Community Bus Group, Mike Clarkson, stressed the importance of such a service for the village. He said: “The old bus gave us a great service since 2010 and has now been sold.

“The importance of the community bus to Wellow villagers is hard to exaggerate, as we take over 6,000 passengers a year into Bath and back, carrying school-

children to secondary schools and commuters and shoppers into Bath.

“The bus is also used frequently for outings and trips by village groups and also by St Julian’s School.”