Sue Farrant and local residents celebrate Coldharbour bus victory
After a long campaign for a bus service to and from Coldharbour, at the eastern side of Sherborne, local residents are finally celebrating. First Somerset has said that the number 58 service will change its route from January 2010.
The residents had been asking for years for a bus to stop at the Coldharbour roundabout to save them from a half mile walk to Greenhill when they wanted to travel into town or go to Yeovil or Shaftesbury. After getting nowhere with writing letters, Granville Way resident Jan Ross asked local Liberal Democrat Sue Farrant for help. With the help of a group of residents, including Jan’s Mum Mrs June Morgan who lives in Chandlers, Sue organised a door to door survey in June to find out just who would use a bus and when and then she and Jan Ross met First managers at Coldharbour.
The results showed a high level of demand from people of all ages and a full report was sent to First. Jon Miller, Depot Manager, Somerset for First buses said, “The survey of local residents supported the request made by Sue Farrant for a change in the route. It showed a change was required. We needed those numbers to show support.”
Jan Ross said, “We are all very grateful to Sue Farrant for taking this on and working so hard. I got nowhere when I wrote to the MP. He said the Council would have a meeting but then nothing happened. Without Sue we would never have got a bus.”
Sue Farrant has promised to let residents know the bus times as soon as they are available. She commented, “I’m grateful to First for listening. Now it is very important that people actually use the service when it comes or it will be stopped.”
