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Local people will have the opportunity to review and comment on the initial concept designs for the proposed infrastructure improvements, online or in person.
The proposals look to upgrade three roundabouts on Clevedon’s ring road – Tickenham Road, Ettlingen Way and Southern Way – to make bus travel faster, more reliable, and more sustainable into the future, and improve infrastructure for pedestrians and cyclists.
An online survey showcasing the proposals will go live on Tuesday 16 January 2024 and close on Thursday 29 February 2024. These will be available to view and respond to at: https://www.n-somerset.gov.uk/clevedonbsip
People will also have a chance to view the proposals in person, by booking to attend an upcoming information event at Clevedon Town Council offices. Displays of the concept designs will also be available to view at Clevedon Town Council (44 Old Street, BS21 6BU) and Clevedon Library (37 Old Church Road, BS21 6NN), during the feedback period.
For those interested in attending the in-person information event, please book a suitable time slot where you will have the opportunity to ask questions about the proposals. The event will take place on:
Date: Tuesday 30 January 2024
Time: 3.30pm-7pm
Address: Clevedon Town Council, 44 Old Street, Clevedon BS21 6BU
How to book: Clevedon BSIP in-person information event Tickets, Tue 30 Jan 2024 at 15:30 | Eventbrite. You can also pick up tickets from Clevedon Library, on a first-come, first-served basis.
Cllr Hannah Young, Executive Member for Highways and Transport at North Somerset Council, said: “We really want to hear everyone’s views on these proposals for Clevedon – it's important that any changes that take place are shaped by those who know and use these routes, to help us understand the potential impact of these proposals, and to directly shape our next steps.
“As a council we are often asked to make buses more frequent, reliable and easier to access. The proposals aim to reduce bus delays at peak times, help buses keep to published timetables, maintain the current service frequency, and make the bus a realistic choice for more of our residents and visitors. We want to work with residents and businesses to test and develop these proposals together to address the current challenges for all road users.”
The three roundabouts have been identified as areas of congestion for traffic and bus travel along the popular X5, X6, X7, X10 and B2 bus routes which link Clevedon and surrounding areas to and from Bristol. More than 40,000 bus passenger journeys take place along this bus corridor every month.
The proposed upgrades include enlarging the roundabouts, introducing new bus priority lanes, and improving crossings and pavements for pedestrians and cyclists. Any works would be carried out in stages, to mitigate disruption.
These improvements coincide with service changes that have been introduced to improve travel options for the public. These include:
• Re-introducing an evening and Sunday service for the X7.
• Introducing the X10 which goes to Cribbs Causeway.
The Clevedon proposals are part of North Somerset Council’s ambitious Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP), which is funded by the Department for Transport (DfT) to help make bus travel easier, faster and more reliable across North Somerset and the wider West of England.
Alongside infrastructure changes, BSIP covers a range of reduced fare schemes, subsidies to maintain bus services, and bus service improvements, to make buses quicker, more reliable, and more frequent. This is what communities say they need to make buses an attractive option – and viable for the future, once the BSIP money for subsidising bus services comes to an end.
The views and comments received through the feedback process for the Clevedon roundabouts proposals will help to directly shape the formal design, to ensure what’s put in place best meets the needs of the community. To take part in the online survey, visit: https://n-somerset.inconsult.uk/Clevedonbusimprovementplan/consultationHome
More information on the Bus Improvement Service Plan can be found on the North Somerset Council website: https://n-somerset.gov.uk/my-services/parking-travel-roads/transport-travel/bus-travel/bus-service-improvement-plan
About the Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP)
BSIPs are regional initiatives, funded by the UK Government. They are specifically aimed at championing and strengthening bus services across the UK, to make them more frequent, faster, greener, affordable, accessible and reliable – and therefore, an attractive alternative to the car, for far more people.
The UK Government has made funding available through BSIP, through select local authorities, to deliver local schemes that support the use of public transport, while addressing localised issues. Plans are not solely based on bus use, but also on how pedestrians, mobility users, cyclists and motorists use the area. Its fundamental aim is to ensure commercial bus services can be self-sustaining, once BSIP funding comes to an end, without having to rely on ongoing local authority support.