A total of 82 separate bus services will be supported by Somerset Council subsidies this year to order to keep them operating for local residents.

The council subsidises bus routes which would not otherwise be commercially viable, helping to link local communities together and people without a car to travel safety to and from school, work or leisure activities.

Around 30 per cent of the annual subsidy – the equivalent of about £2m – comes from the Department for Transport (DfT) via the Somerset bus service improvement plan (BSIP), with the remainder coming from the council's own transport budget.

The council has now confirmed a precise list of all 82 services which will be supported through these subsidies over the next 12 months, following a statement confirming the funding in late-July.

The complete list of routes being supported (and therefore protected) is as follows:

• 1 (Yeovil to Shepton Mallet via Sparkford, Castle Cary and Evercreech)
• 1E (Taunton circular route from Silk Mills park and ride to Priorswood)
• 3 (Taunton circular route from Bishop's Hull to Richard Huish College)
• 5 (Babcary to Yeovil via Sparkford and Mudford)
• 8 (Pilton to Yeovil via Butleigh and Mudford)
• 9 (Crewkerne to Donyatt via Ilminster)
• 10 (Porlock to Minehead via Allerford and Selworthy)
• 10C (South Petherton to Taunton via Ilton)
• 11 (Minehead circular service)
• 12 (Taunton to Monkton Heathfield circular service)
• 14 (Bridgwater to Nether Stowey via Cannington)
• 16 (Bridgwater to Langport via Westonzoyland, Middlezoy and Othery)
• 18 (Ilminster to South Petherton via Whitelackington
• 19 (Bridgwater to Street via Ashcott)
• 21/21A (Taunton to Burnham-on-Sea via North Petherton, Bridgwater and Highbridge)
• 22/22A (Taunton to Rockwell Green via Wellington)
• 23 (Taunton to West Bagborough via Bishop's Lydeard and Cotford St. Luke)
• 23B (Taunton to Williton via Kingston St. Mary, Nether Stowey and Stogursey)
• 24 (Frome to Warminster)
• 25 (Taunton to Dulverton via Wiveliscombe)
• 26 (Dulverton to Wiveliscombe)
• 27 (Wiveliscombe to West Buckland via Wellington)
• 28/28A (Taunton to Minehead via Bishop's Lydeard, Cotford St. Luke, Williton, Watchet and Dunster)
• 30 (Taunton to Axminster via Ilminster and Chard)
• 30 (Frome circular service)
• 31A (Frome circular service)
• 31B (Frome circular service)
• 39 (Yeovil to Bruton via Mudford and South Cadbury)
• 44 (Yeovil to Over Stratton via Odcombe)
• 47 (Frome to Westbury via Dilton Marsh)
• 48 (Burnham-on-Sea to Cheddar via East Brent and Axbridge)
• 50 (Yeovil circular service)
• 51 (Yeovil town service – Abbey Manor Park to Cavalier Way)
• 51 (Taunton to Athelney via North Curry and Stoke St. Gregory)
• 52 (Yeovil to Martock via Chilthorne Domer)
• 53 (Yeovil circular service)
• 54 (Taunton to Yeovil via Curry Rivel, Langport, Somerton and Ilchester)
• 55 (Wrantage to Strode College via Curry Rivel, Langport, Somerton and Compton Dundon)
• 56 (Yeovil to West Coker
• 58 (Yeovil to Wincanton via Sherborne, Milborne Port, Henstridge and Templecombe)
• 58 (Frome to Warminster)
• 67 (Burnham-on Sea to Wedmore via Highbridge and Mark)
• 67 (Wedmore to Wookey Hole via Wells)
• 68 (Yeovil to Yeovil Junction railway station via Barwick)
• 80 (Frome to Mere via Maiden Bradley and Kilmington)
• 81 (Yeovil to South Petherton via Montacute)
• 96 (Yeovil to Chard via Crewkerne)
• 96A (Yeovil to Chard via Crewkerne)
• 98 (Taunton to Broadway via Churchinford)
• 99 (Taunton to Chard via Buckland St. Mary)
• 126 (Weston-super-Mare to Wells via Axbridge and Cheddar)
• 162 (Frome to Shepton Mallet via Nunney and Stoke St. Michael)
• 184 (Frome to Midsomer Norton)
• 196 (Glastonbury Tor service)
• 198 (Minehead to Dulverton via Dunster and Wheddon Cross)
• 374 (Taunton to Bristol via Street, Glastonbury and Wells)
• 375 (Bridgwater to Bristol via Street, Glastonbury and Wells)
• 376 Yeovil to Bristol via Street, Glastonbury and Wells)
• 414 (Frome to Midsomer Norton via Kilmersdon)
• 424 (Frome to Midsomer Norton via Radstock)
• 665 (Yeovil to Kingweston via Podimore)
• 667 (Wincanton to Street via Bruton and Castle Cary)
• 668 (Shipham to Street via Cheddar and Glastonbury)
• 669 (Shepton Mallet to Street via Glastonbury)
• 678 (Minehead to Dulverton via Dunster)
• 751 (Wedmore to Street via Glastonbury)
• 753 (Wedmore to Bridgwater via Mark and Highbridge)
• 754 (Wedmore to Weston-super-Mare via East Brent)
• 755 (Wedmore to Taunton via Mark and Bawdrip)
• 850 (Langport to East Lambrook)
• 901 (Taunton to Isle Brewers via Curry Mallet)
• 904 (Langport to Isle Brewers via Curry Rivel and Curry Mallet)
• B1 (Bridgwater town route)
• CR6 (Yeovil to Bridport via Crewkerne)
• D2/D2X (Frome to Bath via Norton St. Philip
• F (Bridgwater circular service)
• PR1 (Taunton park and ride)
• S1 (Ilminster to Ashill)
• S2 (Ilminster to Shepton Beauchamp)
• S3 (Ilminster to Ilton)
• X53 (Frome to Warminster)
• X69 (Frome to Melksham)

Councillor Richard Wilkins, portfolio holder for transport and waste services, said: "We support a huge range of bus services up and down the county, because if we didn't, there is a very real chance they could be lost.

"Our priority as a council is to keep communities connected by keeping these vital services on the road – getting people to work, school, the shops, for a night out, or to explore our beautiful county.

"But we need people in Somerset to value and use their bus routes regularly – we know if people do, services can become sustainable and remain that way.

"We can't keep supporting routes if people don't use them, so wherever you're going, make sure you try and bus it there at least once or twice a week."

The £3 cap for single fares remains in place on all Somerset bus services (and those crossing county lines) until March 2027 – and may be extended further by the government in the near-future.

In addition to the revenue support for local bus services (which includes support for evening and weekend services), the Somerset BSIP also includes the provision for major capital improvements to the county's bus infrastructure.

Feasibility studies have been commissioned for new transport hubs in Bridgwater and Yeovil – the latter of which could be delivered alongside the regeneration of the neighbouring Glovers Walk site.