A ‘SAVE the No 25’ campaign has been launched by MP Ian Liddell-Grainger, who fears Wiveliscombe could lose its bus service when a subsidy ends next year.

Mr Liddell-Grainger is encouraging as many people as possible to use the No 25 bus which runs from Taunton via Cotford St Luke, Wiveliscombe, Watterow, and Bampton, to Dulverton.

He said the future of the No 25 was in doubt as Somerset Council decided on its budget for the 2024-25 year in the light of a financial crisis which the authority was suffering.

Mr Liddell-Grainger said: “It is important that local people use the service to highlight how important it is to our community.

“On Tuesday (December 19), Somerset Council are using Government funding to make travel on the No 25 route free all day.

“Make the most of the bus and show how important it is to our community.”

Mr Liddell-Grainger, who currently represents West Somerset, will be the Conservatives General Election candidate for Wiveliscombe, which is becoming part of a new Tiverton and Minehead constituency.

To demonstrate for the council the importance of affordable local bus services to residents he has launched a survey of people’s opinions through his constituency website, which can be found here.

The council has agreed to use part of a Government grant to subsidise both the No 25 and the No 28 Taunton to Minehead bus routes until the end of next March.

It said both services were ‘at risk’ because they were no longer viable for First Bus to operate due to low passenger numbers.