High Suffolk Community Transport Limited
Registered under the Co-operative and Community Benefit Societies Act 2014. Reg No 27141R
High Suffolk Community Bus
It all started due to the Post Office Bus for Bedingfield and Eastern Counties Bus Company withdrawing their last remaining commercial services in the area. The MSDC Councillor at the time was invited to a meeting to establish requirements for the area. At the time Waveney District were running a Community Bus to Diss so the District Councillor took up the offer to visit them and experience their service first hand to see if it would suit their ward of 7 Parishes. Subsequently the Councillor called meeting and formed committee comprising one representative from each of the seven Parish councils plus themselves and a single County Councillor and set about raising the money required to purchase and set up a community bus.
Thus in 1983 the High Suffolk Community Bus came into being and has been providing local & community transport for the parishioners of the villages of Bedfield, Bedingfield, Kenton, Monk Soham, Southolt, Tannington, & Worlingworth ever since.
The objectives of our Community Bus are to provide local & community transport for the parishioners of the above villages which is undertaken on the basis of regulated Scheduled Services under a ‘Section 22 Permit’, and occasionally through Driver Assisted Private Hire
In late 2022 we rerouted our weekly Diss serviced to run via Stradbroke at the request of Stradbroke residents.
In late 2023 we rerouted our month Saturday service to Norwich to run via Stradbroke at the request of Stradbroke residents.
Our new monthly Martlesham service also runs through Stradbroke.
We are a registered ‘not for profit’ organisation operated entirely by volunteers, both the Management Committee and the Drivers are unpaid, and our services do not receive any form of subsidies.
Under our operating permit we are obliged to provide regulated timetabled services, the bus tours local villages to pick-up passengers and then travels to various destinations. We operate a single 16 seat minibus.
Scheduled Services
Weekly service runs as follows:-
- On Tuesday to Framlingham via Saxtead Green.
- On Friday to Diss via Stradbroke & Eye.
Monthly service runs as follows:-
- First Wednesday in each month to Bury St Edmunds via Thorndon & Westhorpe.
- Second Wednesday to Diss via Stradbroke and Eye.
- Second & Fourth Thursdays to Stowmarket via Debenham.
- Second Saturday to Norwich via Stradbroke & Eye.
- Third Wednesday to Martlesham via Woodbridge.
- Third Saturday to Bury St Edmunds Via Debenham & Stowupland.
- Fourth Wednesday to Norwich via Eye & Tivetshall St Mary.
During the summer we also run services on:-
- Third Monday in May, June & Sept to Felixstowe via Framlingham & Martlesham.
- Third Monday in July & August to Southwold via Yoxford.
Fares
We receive no subsidies. The fares are kept to an absolute minimum, only sufficient to cover operating costs including: fuel, maintenance & safety checks, insurance, various fees and an annual contribution to the bus replacement fund to replace the existing vehicle once its useful life has expired.
We participate in the Concessionary Fares Scheme which means holders of concessionary bus passes travel for free.
Approximately 50% of our income derives from the Concessionary Fares Scheme (for which we are reimbursed around 75% of published fares). The remainder of our income is from on-board donations and donations from local charitable organisations (about 40%) and cash fares (about 10%).
Outside the Schedule Services the Bus is available for Private (Driver Assisted) Hire by local community organisations or private individuals, all subject to driver availability.