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Over 130 priority bus stops and shelters are set for a makeover under the Bus Service Improvement Plan, with the first batch of upgrades focused on Locking Road (services X1, X5 and A3) and New Bristol Road (service numbers X1, 6 and A3) with stops across the district to be upgraded over the next 15 months with exact locations to be announced in the spring. Stops and shelters owned by parish and town councils and other third parties will be upgraded in partnership with them.
The nature of the improvements will depend on the type of shelter or stop location, and include one or more of the following features:
- Accessibility improvements: New shelters with extra space for wheelchairs, mobility scooters and pushchairs.
- Real-time updates: High-contrast real time information (RTI) displays and text-to-speech announcements for visually impaired passengers.
- Comfort and convenience: Bench-style seating with armrests made from recycled plastic (where space allows), and better visibility, with shelters positioned to face the road.
- Safety first: Enhanced signage and layouts to ensure ease of use for all.
Cllr Hannah Young, Executive Member for Highways and Transport at North Somerset Council, said: “The new bus stops and shelters will help make waiting for a bus a more comfortable experience, with new features such as brighter lighting, improved seating, and real time passenger information, so users can see when their next bus is due.
“We want to make travelling by bus a more accessible and appealing option for our residents, so more people feel that they can choose sustainable public transport to get from A to B, over more carbon-intensive forms of transport.”