Our Mission
Our rail network provides a low carbon option of travel, however getting access to this network is not always easy. Glastonbury has no direct public transport service to our nearest station, Castle Cary. We want to be the first town to provide a dedicated bus service that's primary purpose is to link up with train arrivals and departures from their nearest railway station.
Take a Lead
Let's lead the way in providing local communities with self funding connections to the rail network, unrolling the Beeching cuts (made 60 years ago) by using existing infrastructure.
Opportunity
Particularly for the younger generation, the additional convenience of travel can only open up the world, broaden their horizons and ultimately provide more opportunities.
Accessibility
Driving to your local station is not always an option, convenient or available to everybody. Young, old, non drivers, alcohol consumption and cost are but a few of the reasons....
Reasons
Environment
Castle Cary Station has recently expanded its car park to cater for 178 vehicles, nevertheless you can drive to the station and still be unable to find a space. This clearly demonstrates the demand. A public transport option from Glastonbury will resolve this problem and have significant environmental benefits.
Other Benefits
Pilton
The village of Pilton lies on the route and will equally benefit from the service
Glastonbury Tor
The bus will stop at the base of the Tor
Bath and West Showground
A request bus stop will be outside the Bath and West showgrounds where events are held through out the year
The Creamery at Castle Cary
A station cafe and working creamery celebrating the golden age of the Great British railway. A destination in itself.
Pubs/Restaurants
Access to pubs and restaurants along the route
Glastonbury Festival Site
During the festival dedicated buses are provided from all the main centres, however the festival takes many months to construct and pull down. This service will provide a public transport option during these times
Chalice Well
There will be a bus stop by the Chalice Well
Supplementary Services
The proposed timetables have gaps between arriving at Castle Cary and leaving for Glastonbury that range between 25 and 55 minutes. We are exploring options of using this time to provide a shuttle service around the Castle Cary area.
Overall Cost and Bus Fare
We have gone out to tender with bus operators using our proposed bus timetables. The cost is in the region of £240,000 per year, just under £5,000 per week.
Annual Cost of the Service
We plan 9 roundtrips each weekday, making 18 chargeable journeys (90 a week). On Saturday there are five roundtrips, adding another 10, and on Sunday 4, adding on 8. Therefore each week, in total, there are 108 chargeable journeys.
Number of Journeys
Given the overall cost and number of journeys, each bus service will cost around £45. In comparison, the current cost of a taxi from Glastonbury to Castle Cary, for a single passenger, varies between £45 and £65.
Cost of each Bus Service
To make the service self funding, the bus fare will ultimately depend on how many people use the service. Many existing bus services are subsidised, however at the moment this is not available when establishing new routes.
Bus fare
Moving Forward
This is our plan to get there....
1
No bus operator would take on this project not knowing how their costs will be met. Therefore we need to raise funds to guarantee a period of time. We have set this figure at £120,000 to cover all costs for the first 6 months. Even with minimal usage we would hope this would ensure that the service runs for a year, allowing time for the route to get established.
2
We are sending out surveys to better establish the likely usage and therefore the initial cost of using the service. Currently we are thinking the fare will be between £5 and £7.
3
We are in discussions with the local government groups that cover the route. Glastonbury Town Council and Pilton Parish Council have already committed funds. Ashford Parish Council, which cover Castle Cary station, have also been very positive about our plan. Somerset County Council, although not currently pledging funds, are being very supportive.
4
We are applying for grants wherever we can and are also in discussions with local businesses. Given the route, we are hoping that we can get significant donations. We will shortly add a live fundraising section to this website.
5
We are planning public fundraising events over the coming months.
6
Our hope is that we can raise the £100k by February 2026 and start the service by May 2026.
