A Game-Changer for Rural Somerset: Why Glastonbury TrainLink Must Be in the New Transport Plan

Somerset is at a crossroads. A new Local Transport Delivery Plan (LTDP) is being finalised that will shape how people travel across our county for the next four years. For too long, rural communities have been left behind by a bus system designed around profit rather than people. That must change — and the Glastonbury TrainLink, is exactly the kind of bold, community-led solution that should sit at the heart of this new plan.

Castle Cary Station: A Gateway Too Good to Waste

The new Somerset LTDP should recognise the strategic importance of Castle Cary Station — and rightly so. Around 370,000 visitors pass through each year, and investment in the station is growing. Yet, despite this, there is still no direct bus link from the station to Glastonbury.

This is a glaring gap. Glastonbury TrainLink has done the hard work of proving the demand is there. A survey of 900 people found that 82.7% would use a bus to Castle Cary Station if one were available, and 83.2% said they would always or mostly use the TrainLink service. These are not marginal figures — they represent a community crying out for a solution.

I have backed this pilot alongside Cllr Ewan Cameron, Cllr Henry Hobhouse and Sarah Dyke MP. We have written to Cllr Richard Wilkins calling for this link to be taken seriously. A bus connecting Castle Cary Station through Pilton and the villages on route to Glastonbury would cut car journeys, support our green agenda, and open up access to rail services for thousands of rural residents who currently have no viable alternative to the car.

A New National Direction: Buses for People, Not Profits

The Government’s new transport policy represents a genuine shift in how bus services should be funded and run. The consolidation of grants into the Bus Services Fund reflects a new ambition: buses must be accessible and serve communities, not simply chase commercial returns.

This is hugely significant for a place like Somerset, where many routes have historically been unviable under a purely commercial model. The LTDP sets out funding for supported services, service enhancements, and expanded Demand-Responsive Transport (DDRT) — flexible, bookable services that can serve villages and communities where a fixed timetable simply doesn’t work.

The Glastonbury TrainLink fits this new policy direction perfectly. It is not a commercial project — it is a community-led, evidence-based response to a genuine gap in connectivity. The Somerset Bus User Group has long advocated for exactly this kind of approach: services that start with the needs of passengers.

Listen to Bus Users — Before It’s Too Late

We have seen what happens when bus users are not listened to. The recent timetable changes to the 174 bus service from Wells to Bath were a stark reminder of how damaging poor consultation can be. Timetable changes were made without adequate engagement with passengers, leaving vulnerable residents and school pupils— many of whom rely on the bus for essential journeys — potentially stranded and frustrated.

The Somerset LTDP does commit to strengthened consultation with bus users and disabled passengers, including an accessibility advisory group. This is welcome. But it must be more than a box-ticking exercise. No timetable should change without proper, meaningful engagement with the people who depend on it.

The Somerset Bus User Group and Glastonbury Trainlink plays a vital role here. Their expertise, their networks and — above all — the lived experience of their members must be embedded in how we plan, deliver and monitor bus services across the county. I am proud to support their work and I am committed to ensuring their voice shapes the decisions being made.

This Is the Moment to Get It Right

Somerset’s new transport plan represents the kind of once-in-a-generation opportunity we cannot afford to squander. The policy direction from Government is right. The community demand is proven. All we need is the political will to connect the dots.

Glastonbury TrainLink has shown what is possible when communities organise and advocate for themselves. I am backing them, and I am calling on Somerset Council to back them too — by including the Glastonbury TrainLink in the final LTDP submission.

If you support this, please write to your local Councillor and MP. Find out more and pledge your support at www.glastonburytrainlink.org — and share this article widely. The more voices we have, the stronger our case.