PUPPY passengers on Weston-super-Mare buses are now required to pay a token 50p charge as one of the town’s bus companies welcomes canine passengers.

Weston Mercury: Crosville allowing dogs on buses, Jonathon Jones-Pratt with his daughter Elena and dog Toby.Crosville allowing dogs on buses, Jonathon Jones-Pratt with his daughter Elena and dog Toby. (Image: Archant)

The owner of Crosville buses, Jon Jones-Pratt, wants to make it easier for dog owners to travel and hopes to help the sense of community in the town ‘blossom’ by welcoming man’s best friend onto Crosville services.

Mr Jones-Pratt said the idea was inspired by his own dog, a golden retriever called Toby.

He said: “Weston is a touristy town and I’m a dog owner and I went to Cornwall a while back and it was quite hard trying to take the dog everywhere.

“So, we have put a small token charge on it, to let people know we have got the rule that we accept dogs on our buses.

“The charge is to make sure it doesn’t go over the top, but what we are trying to do is encourage people to use buses.”

The company operates a service from Weston to Sand Bay, and Mr Jones-Pratt described it as the perfect example of a route with high demand from dog owners.

He said: “There is the beach just over the road from the bus terminal, so people can take their dog to the beach easily.

“It was just something that people have asked us to do in the town, and it is something we have had feedback on in the past.

“Our business is set up to support the town and we want it to blossom.”