Local News Wednesday 17th August

Wednesday, 17 August 2022 06:00

A senior manager at South Western Ambulance says the handover of patients to hospitals is the worst he's ever known. Ilminster has some of the worst public transport links in the south west, according to new data. People in Keinton Mandeville are campaigning against proposals for new housing development. A Yeovil landlord says the pub trade has still not fully recovered from the business lost during the pandemic and work has started in Martock connecting homes and businesses to ultrafast broadband.

A senior manager at South Western Ambulance says the handover of patients to hospitals is the worst he's ever known. Deputy Director of Clinical Care, Adrian South says the service is under "sustained pressure" and that staff are finding the work "soul-destroying". The Department of Health and Social Care says it’s given the ambulance service an extra £150 million to help deal with the current situation.

Ilminster has some of the worst public transport links in the south west, according to new data. In a report, the Campaign for Better Transport says the town has been left with no direct bus service to Yeovil and that only two buses run between Ilminster and Taunton before 9 am Monday to Saturday. The report calls for Somerset County Council to be given more powers to develop local transport networks, especially in places like Ilminster, and for free bus travel to be given to some passengers.

People in Keinton Mandeville are campaigning against proposals for new housing development. Developers, LVA, want to build 120 homes in the village.

A Yeovil landlord says the pub trade has still not fully recovered from the business lost during the pandemic. Peter Lambden, who runs the Quicksilver Mail pub at the top of Hendford Hill says people are not socialising like they used to and that coupled with rising costs and staff shortages, pubs like his continue to struggle.

Work has started in Martock connecting homes and businesses to ultrafast broadband. Gigaclear is currently installing fibre cabling in Martock where, historically, internet speeds have been slow. The company says the network should be completed early next year when it will be extended to Langport and Curry Rivel.

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