No notice, no way home: Has First Bus’s withdrawal of the 174 early‑evening service put jobs, childcare and community safety at risk?

First Bus’s decision to withdraw the 174 Wells–Bath service after 5pm, with almost no notice, will sever vital travel links for residents of Wells, Croscombe, Shepton Mallet, Midsomer Norton, Radstock and other communities on the route, and will have immediate, serious consequences for workers, families, young people and vulnerable people across the region.

The route is relied upon by commuters, shift workers, parents, schoolchildren and older residents. First Bus gave minimal notice of the change, leaving the community with little time to plan alternatives. That lack of warning is unacceptable — this sudden decision will disrupt lives, force urgent childcare and travel decisions and create immediate hardship for many households.

With evening services removed, many workers who finish after 5pm — particularly in hospitality, retail, care and health — will have no reliable way to get home, risking lost pay or even employment.

Parents who depend on the bus to collect children from after‑school clubs face last‑minute childcare arrangements, unpaid time off, costly taxis or, in some cases, being forced to give up work.

The impact on schoolchildren is especially severe. Many pupils have only a narrow window to catch the homeward bus after school; with evening services cut they risk missing buses altogether and being unable to attend after‑school clubs and enrichment activities. The loss of reliable transport could reduce attendance at extracurricular programmes, limit access to homework clubs and sports, and remove safe, supervised time for children while parents work.

Households will face additional financial pressure as families are forced to rely on taxis or other paid transport. Local businesses that depend on evening trade risk losing customers, and employers may confront staffing shortages and increased costs to provide emergency transport solutions.

Residents from Shepton and Wells voiced deep concern at today’s emergency bus partnership meeting at Wells Town Hall, describing the change as sudden, inadequately communicated and deeply damaging. A community campaign has been organised and two rallies are planned for this Saturday (Feb 14th): Wells bus station at 10:00am and Shepton Cenotaph at 11:30am.

Community representatives, including Unitary Councillor Claire Sully, are calling for immediate commitment from First Bus to rethink this bus service cut and consult first! 

Places affected include the full Wells–Bath corridor (service 174): Wells, Croscombe, Shepton Mallet, Midsomer Norton and Radstock. See the attached image of the timetable for details.

Residents and organisations are urged to attend the rallies on Saturday Feb 14th, contact First Bus and your local councillors to demand urgent action, and share information to build pressure for a swift resolution. Without prompt intervention, the community faces a breakdown in childcare provision, threats to employment and increased safety and educational risks for schoolchildren and other vulnerable residents.

Please click on the photos above to see video clips fro Peter Travis and Rosa Kell.

Peter Travis, chair of the Somerset Bus Partnership, warns the 174 Wells–Bath cuts are devastating for local communities and urges the operator to reconsider: “Give us more time — that’s all we ask.”

Rosa Kell, a leading campaigner for local bus services, says the community will fight First Bus over the decision: “This will affect people’s lives — they gave us no reasonable notice.”

Here is the timetable to understand which services are being cut, they are highlighted in yellow.