Volunteers come together to clean bus stops

Volunteers have come together to clean up their local bus stops in a bid to encourage more people to use public transport.

Armed with litter-pickers and clad in high-vis, 25 people collected 20 bags of rubbish by the A38 on Saturday. They also cleaned back vegetation to make paths to bus stops easier for people with wheelchairs or prams to reach.

Jacob Bell, who is from Taunton in Somerset and arranged the day of community action, said the idea came from his own experience of taking buses.

"I wanted to emphasise the important role that bus stops play in shaping how people perceive public transport as a whole," he said.

Bell added the day was organised to "bring people together" and shine a light on the importance of buses in rural communities.

He said the volunteers wanted to create "a more accessible and pleasant environment" for users of the stops.

The group cleaned five bus stops on the A38 between Taunton's cemetery and the World's End pub, with litter pickers provided by Taunton and Wellington Town councils and First Bus providing transport between each stop.

Bell said passers-by motivated the group to get through the day.

"We received thanks and encouraging honks from passing traffic and pedestrians, which cheered us on throughout the day," he added.

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