Celebrating new bus routes for B&NES residents

Lib Dem bus campaigners have welcomed imminent service changes, which should represent a significant improvement for many residents, particularly in rural areas.

A new rural bus network will launch on from 26 July alongside new services connecting rural communities to key destinations – including Bath, Bristol, Keynsham, the Somer, Chew and Cam valleys – as well as to each other.

Improvements in Bath include continuing the evening operation hours of Bath’s park and rides. New seating and a better cleaning regime are already in place at Bath Bus Station, addressing long-standing concerns raised by passengers, and new electric buses are being used for several routes in Bath.

Communities with no regular services will benefit from an improved WESTlink service to help connect residents to local destinations and the wider bus network.

Lib Dem Councillors Sarah Warren and Fiona Gourley were instrumental in designing the new rural bus network in North East Somerset, working closely with B&NES and West of England Combined Authority Officers.

Councillor Sarah Warren, B&NES Lib Dem Cabinet Member for Sustainable B&NES, said:

“We have listened to councillors, campaigners and residents, as well as drawing on detailed connectivity data. We have planned new routes which we hope will meet our residents’ needs better, helping them access education, work, healthcare, shopping and leisure.

“The new network should be fairer, helping to connect more stranded communities, delivering more frequent services and better timetables, and connecting rural communities to key destinations as well as to each other.”

The West of England Mayoral Combined Authority announced the new routes, noting the investment from the three-year Bus Grant from the Department for Transport. The services will improve connectivity for many rural communities and strengthen links to employment, education, and nature, and will complement the commercial services offered by First and other operators.

In the announcement, Leaders noted that the changes represent a significant step forward overall, whilst acknowledging that there is more to do and pledging to keep working with WECA and bus operators to go further.

Councillor Fiona Gourley, Lib Dem Cabinet Project Lead for Sustainable Rural Transport, said:

“The financial reality is, with a real terms cut in bus funding from government, we have had to do more with less. Therefore, it is a real achievement to have created a new supported rural bus network that should be better than what went before. The proof will be when residents learn about the new routes and start to use the buses from 26 July.”

The details

Key new, updated and maintained routes in Bath and North East Somerset include:

• 100: new hourly service between Bath and Bristol to serve Tunley, Timsbury, Farmborough, Bishop Sutton, Chew Valley, linking Bath to Chew Valley.

• 101: new 90-minute service between Bishop Sutton and Radstock including Chew Magna, Paulton, and Midsomer Norton, linking Chew Valley to Somer Valley.

• 13: Foxhill to Elmhurst, funding extended to evening and Sunday service.

• 19: Bath to Bristol Parkway service, continuing as before with route extended via Frenchay.

• 21, 31, and 41: continued service improvement in Park & Ride services in and around Bath, including evening journeys.

• 522: continuing as before connecting Bath to Bristol via Midsomer Norton and Radstock.

• 768: service between Writhlington, Radstock, Camerton, Timsbury, Marksbury, Priston, Englishcombe, and Bath will have earlier and later journeys added and routed to cover more communities.

• 94: continuing as before connecting Trowbridge to Bath via Freshford and Monkton.

• K2: Keynsham town service connecting the Chocolate Quarter and town centre to neighbourhoods in South Keynsham.

• U4: continuing as before between University of Bath and Bath Spa University via Odd Down, Southdown and Twerton funding extended to all-year-round service.

• X91: connecting passengers between Ubley and Bristol, via West Harptree, East Harptree, Bishop Sutton – with an extension to Dundry.

For passengers who cannot easily connect to the West’s bus network, WESTlink is available outside Bath city centre. Passengers can book a WESTlink bus via the app or by phone, to connect to local destinations and the wider bus network. Recent improvements to WESTlink have increased availability and reduced journey times, and a forthcoming publicity campaign will explain how it works for people who have not used it before.