TAVISTOCK Mayor Philip Sanders, and West Devon Mayor Jeff Moody were on hand to officiate at the re-launch of the Tavistock Country Bus services recently.

Cllr Sanders said: ‘We are delighted to support this project as both I and my colleagues know just how valuable the Tavistock Country Bus services are and how critical it is to people being able to carry on living in some of the rural areas.’

Cllr Sanders also paid tribute to all the volunteers ‘who put so much hard work in week in and week out – the service never fails and they are always there’.

Mary and Meg, regular passengers from Buctor, cut the ribbon while Cllr Sanders declared the bus open for business.

‘The TCB is run entirely by volunteers – we have a fabulous team who are very generous with their time and we couldn’t achieve the things we do without them,’ said TCB chairman Derek de Glanville. ‘We have seen passenger numbers increase over the last year, which is very encouraging and this certainly helps to ensure that our services remain viable.

‘The TCB has been making major improvements to the bus itself and this could not have been achieved without significant financial support from Cllrs Debo Sellis and Philip Sanders, as well as Devon County Council, The Big Lottery, West Devon Borough Council and Mark Bailey from Transport for your Community.

‘Their support has enabled us to fit the bus with new seatbelts and new seats – making journeys safer and more comfortable for passengers as they travel around the narrow, windy roads of Devon and Cornwall. All this in a new-look bus where the outside has been updated to include destinations, will help promote the Tavistock Country Bus Service.’  

Further details can be found on the TCB website www.tavistockcountrybus.co.uk — seats for Saturday and Wednesday services can be booked up to one month in advance on 07580 260683. 

Picture by James Bird.