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North Somerset Council has reviewed the existing bus network and will be updating, changing and improving a number of services, linking to local health, education and retail facilities.
From September, new commercial routes will serve areas of high bus demand while ensuring local communities continue to stay connected.
As part of this review, the number 50 will be changing with the most used part of the service moving over to the number 6 and the X5.
The number 6 will provide a service from Upper Bristol Road to Worle High Street, for the first time in several years, stopping at both doctors’ surgeries. It will also offer an improved half hourly service and an hourly evening and Sunday service. When combined with route 7, this will double the frequency between Worle and Weston during the evenings and on Sundays.
It will also replace the number 3 between Worle Retail Park, Mead Vale and Weston’s bus interchange. WESTlink will also cover this area.
The X5 will cover Weston’s bus interchange, Atlantic Road, South Road, Locking Castle, Worle, Congresbury, Yatton, Clevedon and Portishead. For the first time, users will have access to these areas on one route without needing to change services. The X5 will no longer serve the West Hill area of Portishead. This will continue to be covered by an improved X4 service.
It will no longer stop at Marine Parade. The X5 will continue to go to Portishead, cover Atlantic Road and South Road, but with earlier and later journeys.
The following commercial routes have been confirmed by First Bus:
- In the biggest change to the bus network in Weston for years, First’s flagship X1 service between Bristol and Weston town centre will be extended to serve the Bournville area. It will travel through the estate from 5am until just before midnight, giving residents better access to Weston town centre, Bristol and employment and shopping centres in Worle. North Somerset Council is also currently procuring an increased X1 service. The daytime frequency will be improved to every 15 minutes. Bournville will also benefit from a new hourly evening service seven days a week.
- The 51 service between Weston and Wrington will become the new 125 service. This route will no longer serve the Runway (Haywood Village) and Locking Parklands. It will serve Flowerdown retail park and Locking giving the village its service back that it lost last year.
- Service 7 will be extended daily from Haywood Village to Locking Parklands, giving this area a high frequency bus service seven days a week.
- In line with previous years, the frequency of the open-top 1 (towards Sand Bay) and 20 (towards Brean) bus services will reduce from the start of the school term from every 30 minutes to hourly, reflecting the normal levels during the quieter autumn and winter periods. Service continues hourly on a Sunday until the end of October, in line with the seasonal timetable.
North Somerset Council is currently engaged in a tender process to improve Weston-super-Mare town services further using Bus Service Improvement Plan funding. More information about the new routes will be available once this process is complete.
While Worlebury and initially Hutton (until the 126 tender is complete) will be without a scheduled bus service, people living there will be able to use WESTlink, the on-demand bus service. This will continue to give people the opportunity to travel direct to their destination or connect to the wider public transport network at a time of their choice.
Once the tendering process is complete and approved, both the new commercial and supported bus routes will come into effect from 3 September 2023.
The council is also working with Somerset Council to reintroduce a cross-boundary service 126 between Wells and Weston-super-Mare, via Hutton, to connect more communities. A joint statement will be announced shortly confirming the new service. It’s hoped that this will begin at the start of October.
Councillor Hannah Young, North Somerset Council's executive member for highways and transport said:
“Bus services in North Somerset are increasing, changing and improving in our bid to make buses the first choice over cars. Our Bus Service Improvement Plan funding has provided an opportunity for all local bus networks to be reviewed to ensure that our bus services reflect the needs of our communities. Although the number 50 will no longer be operating from the end of August, most communities it served will continue to benefit from a new seamless replacement commercial service. For those communities who no longer have a regular bus service, WESTlink, the demand responsive transport is available.
“It’s great news that by working jointly with First we are increasing, updating and improving bus services across North Somerset meaning more residents than ever have a reliable, local service.
“Thanks to funding we’ve secured from the Department for Transport, we will ensure bus services are faster, greener and more coordinated than ever before encouraging everyone to ditch the car and walk, cycle or use public transport instead. To help people struggling with rising living costs, fares are currently just £2. And don’t forget you can get free bus travel for the whole of your birthday month over the next year. Apply online at www.birthdaybus.co.uk.”
Rob Pymm, Commercial Director for First West of England, said:
“We’re continuing to invest in improving bus services in Weston-super-Mare and across North Somerset. The extension of the X1 service through the Bournville Estate will open up new opportunities for those living there, with a more direct bus service to Worle and a fast and frequent route into Bristol. We’re also working hard with North Somerset Council to devise a wider set of changes that will improve connectivity across the town and wider area.
“With adult and child single fares still £2 and £1 respectively and our on-board Tap On, Tap Off technology making payment quick and easy, we’re making sustainable and affordable travel by bus accessible to even more people.”
More information about the Bus Service Improvement Plan is available on the council’s website at www.n-somerset.gov.uk/bsip.
