Taunton ‘park and bus’ facility to finally open to public
Taunton’s new park-and-bus facility opens after long delay, offering free parking and electric buses
Taunton’s new ‘park and bus’ facility, serving a major housing development on the A38, will finally be open to the public on Wednesday morning (February 11).
The Orchard Grove development (which is being delivered by Taylor Wimpey, Bovis Homes, Linden Homes and LiveWest) will eventually comprise 2,000 new homes between the A38 Wellington Road and Honiton Road, on the western edge of Taunton.
Alongside the new homes, commercial premises, a care home and a primary school, the development includes a ‘park and bus’ facility, enabling residents to park their cars and board bus services which will take them into the town centre for shopping, leisure activities and medical appointments.
Despite building work being completed in the summer of 2025, including dedicated entry and exit lanes onto the Orchard Grove roundabout, the facility remained closed due to legal negotiations between Somerset Council and the developers.
The council announced on Tuesday afternoon (February 10) that this long process had finally been concluded and the facility would be open to patrons the following day.
The ‘park and bus’ facility includes a 200-space free car park, and will be served by state-of-the-art electric buses running on the 22, 22A and X22 route between Taunton and Wellington.
The facility is designed to complement the council’s two existing ‘park and ride’ services (located on the A358 in Ruishton and on the A3065 Silk Mills Road), but normal fares will apply (with the government’s fare £3 cap still being in place).
Councillor Richard Wilkins, portfolio holder for transport and waste services, said: “People can park up and jump on a scheduled bus that will take them into the centre of our county town.
“This service is convenient, avoids the need to find a town centre parking space and helps reduce our carbon footprint.
“We want to make bus travel more attractive and a real alternative to the private car.
“I am grateful to our Orchard Grove consortium partners for their support in turning an ambition into reality.”
Peter Sadler, managing director of Vistry Southwest (part of the Orchard Grove consortium) added: “We’re delighted that the park and bus facility we developed is now opening at Orchard Grove.
“This represents a significant milestone and demonstrates our commitment to creating a modern, sustainable community with excellent transport connections.
“The facility will benefit not only our growing number of residents but also the wider area, providing convenient access to public transport.
“We’re proud to have worked alongside Somerset Council to deliver this innovative transport solution.”
The council’s planning committee west (which handles major applications within the former Somerset West and Taunton area) is expected to make a ruling later this month on two sets of plans within the Orchard Grove site, which will deliver a combined total of 208 homes either side of Egremont Road.