The West of England Mayoral Combined Authority has announced the launch of a slew of new bus services set to enter operation across the region this July.
All new routes, funded by multi-million-pound investments from the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority’s three-year Bus Grant from the Department for Transport, are expected to improve connectivity for a range of rural communities, as well as strengthen existing links to employment, education and nature.
Changes will come into effect from 26 July, with all details available on TravelWest. These will include:
- 65: Thornbury town service connecting more communities to the town centre
- K2: Keynsham town service connecting the Chocolate Quarter and town centre to neighbourhoods in South Keynsham
- 100: hourly service between Bath and Bristol to serve Timsbury, Farmborough, Bishop Sutton, and Chew Valley
- 101: service between Bishop Sutton and Radstock including Chew Magna, Paulton, and Midsomer Norton
- Y2C: service between Cribbs Causeway and Yate, which will also serve Ladden Garden Village and provide a bus from Westerleigh Road and Rodford Way into Yate town centre. It will also provide services for Severn Beach and Castle School, and Iron Acton
- X91: connecting passengers between Ubley and Bristol, via West Harptree, East Harptree, Bishop Sutton – with an extension to Dundry
- 25: extended to connect Southville to Bristol city centre, terminating at Eastgate Shopping Centre
- 768: the service between Writhlington, Radstock, Timsbury, and Bath will have earlier later journeys added
- Y8: the Yate to Wotton-under-Edge service will be extended to serve Leyhill in South Gloucestershire
- 9, 21, 31, and 41: continued service improvement in Park & Ride services in and around Bath and Bristol, including evening journeys
Additionally, a review in Keynsham will aim to ensure that connections currently offered by the K1 are fully protected going forward – with the new with the new K2 and commercial 43 service in the meantime and options to connect Thornbury to both SGS College and Southmead Hospital also under consideration.
A number of bus services are set to receive enhancements, including Service 9 (Park & Ride – Brislington P&R – Bristol City Centre – Portway P&R), which has had its funding extended and will see peak frequency increased to every 10 minutes, as well as more services later into the evenings; Service 21 (Newbridge Park & Ride), Service 31 (Lansdown Park & Ride), Service 41 (Od Down Park & Ride) and Service 13 (Foxhill – Odd Down – Bath City Centre – Elmhurst Estate), which have all had extended funding and are also set to introduce later evening journeys.
Other enhanced routes include Service 19 (Bath – Bitton – Cadbury Heath – Kingswood – Downend – Frenchay – Bristol Parkway Station) and Service U4 (University of Bath – Odd Down – Southdown – Twerton – Bath Spa University).
Helen Godwin, Mayor of the West of England, said:Getting our region moving is one of our biggest priorities. Our investment in these routes and services means better buses for passengers across the West Country, and gives people certainty until at least spring 2029.
Connecting our rural areas to towns and city centres and improving access to jobs, education and nature is essential in helping the West get out of the slow lane and improve sustainable travel options. At our meeting this month, local people rightly once again highlighted the need for renewed investment to connect communities.
Building on the brilliant efforts of local people piloting some of these bus services and campaigners and councillors over the years, including in the Chew Valley and Thornbury, together we’re starting to build the kind of bus network that local people deserve.
