Road closures and bus diversions will hit Glastonbury, Wells and Shepton Mallet this week as Somerset Carnival season continues across the county.

Thousands are expected to attend the illuminated carnivals, causing road shutdowns, parking restrictions and major public transport changes. Here's everything you need to know if you're travelling during the Glastonbury Carnival, Wells Carnival or Shepton Mallet Carnival 2025.

Shepton Mallet Carnival 2025 road closures and bus changes – Wednesday 12 November

Shepton Mallet town centre roads will be closed from 6.45pm on Wednesday 12 November for the Shepton Mallet Carnival procession, which starts at 7.30pm. Road closures will affect Cannards Grave Road, Old Market Road, Commercial Road, Paul Street and Charlton Road.

First Bus has not announced official diversions for the 172, 173 or 174 services. However, due to the road closures, buses may be unable to serve central stops during the evening.

Passengers are advised to board before 6.30pm at stops such as Shepton Mallet Cenotaph, Whitstone Road or Darshill. No alerts are currently listed for these services.

Wells Carnival 2025 road closures and public transport diversions – Friday 14 November

Wells city centre roads will shut from 6pm on Friday 14 November ahead of the Wells City Carnival procession, which begins at 7pm.

Bus services 172, 173 and 174 will not stop in the city centre during the parade. Instead, First Bus will use a temporary stop on Portway near the Old Wheelwright Cottages. Staff and marshals will be on hand to guide passengers.

The First Bus 376 route (Bristol – Wells – Street – Bridgwater) will be suspended between Wells and Street from 6pm to 11pm. The last bus before suspension departs Wells at 5.03pm and Street at 5.14pm. Services will resume at 11.38pm from Wells and 12.12am from Street. Other services between Taunton and Bridgwater will run as normal.

Glastonbury Carnival 2025 road closures and bus service changes – Saturday 15 November

Glastonbury town centre will be closed to traffic from 5pm on Saturday 15 November for the Glastonbury & Chilkwell Carnival, with the main procession starting at 6.45pm. Chilkwell Street, Bere Lane and Glastonbury High Street will all be shut.

First Bus 376 will again be suspended between Wells and Street from 6pm to midnight. The final buses before the closure leave Wells at 4.57pm and Street at 5.38pm. Services 173 and 174 will continue as normal from Glastonbury Bus Station.

The 5.25pm service 29 from Taunton will terminate early at Othery London Inn due to road closures. Coach access to the town centre ends at 5pm. After that, no drop-offs are allowed and re-entry is not permitted until the roads reopen, usually around midnight. Only pre-booked coach parking will be accepted at St Dunstan's and Northload car parks.

Carnival road closures and bus disruption summary

• Shepton Mallet Carnival: Road closures from 6.45pm; no confirmed bus diversions; travel early and use stops outside closure zone.
• Wells Carnival: Roads shut from 6pm; 172/173/174 buses divert to Portway; 376 suspended between Wells and Street from 6pm to 11pm.
• Glastonbury Carnival: Roads close from 5pm; 376 suspended Wells–Street 6pm–midnight; 173/174 run as normal; coach access cut off after 5pm.

Carnival travel advice:

Travellers heading to Somerset's 2025 carnivals in Glastonbury, Wells or Shepton Mallet should plan ahead for road closures and public transport changes. Arrive early, check for the latest updates on First Bus websites and social media, and be aware of parking and coach access restrictions in place from the early evening.

More local news stories:

• Wells stands in silence to remember the fallen
• Shepton Mallet comes together to remember the fallen
• Glastonbury MP hosts crunch meeting as shop owners demand action on town centre problems

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