THE campaign to reinstate a bus service between the Forest and South Herefordshire has entered the final stages of start-up fundraising with more pledges received from parish councils this week. 

Buses4Us was established in 2021 after cuts to Stagecoach services left communities in the Newent area without a public transport link to Ross-on-Wye and Ledbury. 

The group set out to re-establish a route between the three towns and were faced with the challenge of raising £250,000 to prove its viability. 

Following pledges from local authorities including Newent Town, Forest of Dean District and Gloucestershire County councils, the group said in November they were closing in on their target, with a further £44,000 needed to start the tender process. 

This week, they received pledges from Dymock and Linton Parish councils, and are now waiting on a decision from Much Markle Parish Council.

If successful, the new 232 bus will be named the Daffodil Line, a nod to the wild flowers which grow in the area. 

The group are hopeful of getting the bus up and running by Easter, and are aiming provide a daily, two-hourly service. 

Organiser Clare Stone said: “Much Marcle is in a slightly different situation to the rest of us.

“For all the other communities along the route, the new 232 will replace bus services axed by stagecoach back in February last year.

“Much Marcle hasn’t had a regular bus service for quite some time – which seems crazy considering the size of the village and its location just off an A road.

“When we were doing our trial runs for the new service we found that adding Much Marcle into the route put just four minutes onto the journey time and still allowed us to complete the Ross to Ledbury run in under an hour.

“So it seemed like it would be rude not to include Much Marcle in the route.”

Buses4Us also helped organise the 632 trial minibus service which connects Tillers Green, Dymock, Gorsley and Kilcot with Newent last year.

So far, a combination of local authorities, businesses, community groups and individuals have all made financial contributions to the Daffodil Line campaign.

“We’ve asked each of the parish councils along the route to consider donating £2 per voter”, Clare added. 

This is going to be the cost of a return bus fare from a village to the next town. For Much Marcle this would come to £1,140. Fingers crossed they think we’re worth it!”

The council debated the group’s proposal at a meeting yesterday, (Tuesday, January 24) after the Forester went to press.