Wiltshire Council confirms popular Trowbridge Town bus service will be axed

Residents are now being advised by the council about the alternative buses available to them following the decision by First West of England to stop running its T1 service.

The current T1 service, which serves the Hilperton, Paxcroft Mead and Upper and Lower Studley, will stop on August 2 as First say it is no longer commercially viable for them to operate it, with the daytime Melksham 234 service also axed.

Wiltshire Council tendered the service to other bus companies, but no affordable alternative was forthcoming despite First saying it would liaise closely with the council to ensure the provision of replacement services.

Horace Prickett, portfolio holder for transport, said: “It is unfortunate that we have been unable to find a direct replacement for this well used service. However, there are still alternatives for people wanting to get into Trowbridge from the edges of the town.”

The council is advising residents in Trowbridge to use the following alternative services:

• X34 service, which will cover Hilperton twice an hour, and St Thomas’s Road once an hour
• twice hourly X34 service along Frome Road 
• twice hourly 265 service along Bradley Road 
• the 87 service runs six time a day from Westbury to the town centre 
• the 67 runs seven times day via Bradley road to the town centre

Wiltshire and Trowbridge Councillor Jeff Osborn said: “A lot of people will be very angry about this and I am really concerned as the T1 bus is an important lifeline for many residents who rely on it to get around the town.

“They all seemed fairly confident that another bus company would take up the tender, but I heard that only one company came forward and there was an issue over money.

“I have been trying to save this service ever since I heard it was under threat and I will still do my best to see if there is some sort of alternative that can be found.”