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| Low-cost Bath taxis replace village buses http://taxi-driver.co.uk/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=4416 |
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| Author: | JD [ Fri Sep 22, 2006 7:02 am ] |
| Post subject: | Low-cost Bath taxis replace village buses |
Bath Chronicle September 20, 2006 Wednesday HEADLINE: Low-cost taxis replace village buses into city A cheap taxi-share service has been launched to replace buses to villages south of Bath. Since Monday, people living in Combe Hay, Shoscombe, South Stoke and Wellow have been able to sign up to the Fare Car scheme and book trips to Bath city centre for £1.50. The service, which is run by private company Bath Taxis but is subsidised by Bath and North East Somerset Council, has been introduced to replace the 757 bus. Passenger numbers on the bus have been falling for several years and the council does not believe it is economical to keep it running. From next Monday, the 757 will only run on Wednesdays, when it will provide a link to Midsomer Norton and Radstock town centres, and the Tesco supermarket at Midsomer Norton. It will be replaced by the Fare Car on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, which will make two trips to and from Bath each day, arriving in the city centre at 10.30am and 11.30am and leaving at 1pm and 2.30pm. Trips by Fare Car must be pre- booked, and villagers must register with Bath Taxis and get a membership number before they can use the service. Passengers will share trips in the taxi with other scheme members, but unlike a bus, it will pick them up and drop them off right on their doorsteps wherever possible. Wheelchair- accessible cars will also be available. The new Fare Car service follows the successful introduction of a similar scheme in Langridge and Northend last year, which has attracted more passengers than the bus it replaced. Cllr Sir Elgar Jenkins (Con, Bathwick), the council's executive member for transport and highways, said: "Fare Car is a very efficient and effective way of meeting the transport needs of rural communities. The first scheme has been very popular with residents because it is a door-to-door service and the fare is cheap. "Fare Car is also effective for the council, as it only operates when there are bookings and this helps to maintain costs." A Bath Taxis spokesman said: "We have been operating the Langridge and Northend area Fare Car service since it started in May 2005 and we are delighted that Bath and North East Somerset Council has selected us to operate the new service. "We look forward to providing our new passengers with a friendly and efficient service and will provide additional help and support at the pick-up points in Bath for the first few weeks to ensure things run as smoothly as possible." For more information about the scheme or to register call 477615 or visit www.bathnes.gov.uk. b.murch@bathchron.co.uk ..................................................... |
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