BRIDGWATER bus campaigners have reacted with anger after plans for a new public transport action group were rejected by Sedgemoor District Council.

There were hopes that a local transport forum could be set up by the council to help raise important issues for people, particularly the elderly, who rely on buses.

Glen Burrows, chairman of the Bridgwater Senior Citizens Forum, said she was delighted to hear of plans to set up the forum, raised by Labour councillors at a Sedgemoor full council meeting on December 10.

However Sedgemoor rejected the idea, with more than 30 of the district councillors out of a total of 48 voting against.

Many councillors said they felt it would be just a talking shop which would have no real impact as the responsibility for public transport lies with Somerset County Council.

Mrs Burrows said she was shocked and angry that this very important proposal was rejected.

She told the Mercury: “Councillors, officers, transport providers and members of the public would have been able to exchange views, develop ideas for integrated transport, and also link with the Somerset County Council Transport Forum – which is currently dormant – to ensure Bridgwater gets fair consideration when public transport initiatives are considered.

“Such forums are not costly to operate, and can themselves lead to cost benefits, in terms of reducing time spent dealing with complaints, and also in developing bids for grants and other investment.

“Imagine our shock when the controlling Conservative group voted against this eminently sensible proposal.

“Is this a case of party politics operating against the interests of the community? Or is it another case of councillors who neither live in Bridgwater nor use public transport simply not caring?”

District council leader Duncan McGinty said there were already transport groups running in the area including two that had been set up by EDF.

He added: “We do not have the responsibility for transport. It’s a bit like setting up an education board when we have no control over education.

“It would not have had any real impact and would have been more of a talking shop.

“The real power lies with Somerset County Council.

“There was a large majority of councillors who voted against this at the meeting.

“I can see why some people would be frustrated but we didn’t think the group would have made a difference.”