01 October 2009

Bakers Dolphin steps into the breach

Bakers Dolphin has stepped in to save two of the North Somerset council subsidised bus routes lost when ACL Travel collapsed last month and has also employed six drivers who lost their jobs.

Contracts to operate services 4 and 16 have been awarded to Bakers Dolphin, based in Locking Road, Weston-super-Mare, by North Somerset Council.

When Weston-based travel company ACL Travel collapsed last month, the region was left without seven of its essential bus services and 20 loyal employees lost their jobs.

ACL, who had six council-subsidised routes and one commercial route, ran key services for pensioners in Weston, Hutton and the South Ward area. The business went bust owing thousands to other travel companies.

Bakers Dolphin has purchased new buses to operate on the routes, giving passengers the latest in comfort.

Service 4 operates from South Road Weston via Weston Town Centre and Service 16 operates from West Wick to Weston Town Centre via Locking Castle Estate. The new contracts were awarded on an ‘emergency’ basis and will only run until the end of March 2010.

Bakers Dolphin Operations Director Max Fletcher said: “Although the contract is currently only running until the end of March we will re-tender and we hope to regain both services from April 2010.

“The demise of ACL was a massive blow to the area; everyone at Bakers Dolphin is pleased to be able to put these essential services back in action.”

The new services will operate in addition to the other tendered services provided by Bakers Dolphin which include the 692 from Nailsea to Portishead, the 121 from Weston to Bristol and the 850 from Nailsea to Weston.