By Harry Mottram: The Bloomfield Residents Association in Bath are delighted with the news that the Number 4 buses will depart from the city’s bus station from April 2, rather than Broad Quay as it does now.
Chair of the association Julie Ingerfield said: “Many thanks to Ward Councillor Jess David (Moorlands) who worked with us on this along with Ward Councillor Joel Hirst who also campaigned and mounted a petition. I hope you will agree this is most welcome news!.”
The news is part of a raft of changes and revised bus timetables to come on April 2, 2023, which bus operator First West of England said will add 3,000 hours of bus journeys in the region every week. The firm said they reinstating some services following the problems of driver shortages last year.
In a statement First West of England said: “The West of England Combined Authority and North Somerset Council are contributing to an extensive Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) funding to enhance a number of key routes across the region. The combined package includes additional buses into Bristol City Centre from Kingswood, Downend, Staple Hill, Whitchurch and Keynsham; Thornbury and Bristol City Centre; Twerton and Bath City Centre; and between Midsomer Norton and Bath City Centre.”
Interestingly they said passenger numbers are still down by around 20% compared to 2019 and some services were being cut including services 23, 47 and 91 will no longer operate from Sunday 2nd April.
This information is from First West of England:
Most services will have new timetables to improve punctuality and customers are advised to check the new times before travelling. The new Bath and Mendip area network maps and all new timetables will be available soon.
Service 1 Bath City Centre – Southdown – the frequency of the service will increase to around every 12-15 minutes on Monday to Saturdays and every 20-25 minutes on Sundays.
Service 2 Bath City Centre – Mulberry Park – revised timetable. Very early morning journeys will start from Rossiter Road rather than Hadley Arms/Bus Station.
Service 3 Bath City Centre – Bathford – revised timetable. An additional journey will run on school-day afternoons from Hayesfield School to Bathford, to match the existing morning journey to the school.
Services 4/4a/4b Weston – Bath City Centre – Foxhill/Odd Down – revised timetable. All services will now follow the same route around Weston, serving Upper Weston in addition to Eastfield Avenue. Evening service 4b will operate via Frome Road past Sainsbury’s rather than Wellsway and Midford Road to improve journey times. On Sundays, Service 4a will now operate the full route. All buses towards Foxhill and Odd Down will now depart from Bay 9 at Bath Bus Station, rather than the stop at Broad Quay, to give customers a better waiting environment.
Service 5 Bath City Centre – Whiteway – revised timetable with frequency improvements. Additional morning journeys have been added and the service will now run up to every 12 minutes on Monday-Saturday and every 14 minutes on Sunday.
Services 6/6a/7 Bath City Centre – Fairfield Park/Larkhall – minor timetable revisions.
Service 8 Bath City Centre – Kingsway – the service will continue to operate on a 45 minute frequency, Monday-Saturday, but the Sunday service will be withdrawn following the West of England Combined Authority’s decision not to award a contract for Sunday operation of this service.
Services 13 Bath City Centre – Elmhurst – minor timetable revisions.
Service 19 Bath – Kingswood – Bristol Parkway Station – minor timetable revisions.
Service 20 School Service to Ralph Allen School – timetable revision to improve punctuality.
Service 39/X39 Bath – Bristol – revised timetable. The frequency of this service will be increased, with buses on Monday-Friday running every 15 minutes all through the daytime, and with more buses at weekends too.
Service 172 Bath – Midsomer Norton – Bristol – as a result of funding provided following the successful award to the West of England Combined Authority and North Somerset Council Bus Service Improvement Plan, a revised Service 172 will operate. There will be no changes to the route between Bath and Midsomer Norton. From Midsomer Norton, the route will be extended into Paulton and on to Bristol along the route of Service 376, replacing Service 379. The 172 will operate half-hourly during the day and alongside the 376 will provide a combined 15-minute frequency along the A39 from White Cross via Whitchurch into Bristol on Monday-Saturday. When combined with services 173, 174 and the new service 522 (see below), this will also give customers a combined 12-minute frequency between Midsomer Norton and Bath, Monday-Saturday
Service 172 will operate hourly into the evening, with early morning and late evening journeys continuing to operate to and from Wells. This service will no longer serve Midsomer Norton Tesco.
In Bristol City Centre, the route will operate between Bristol Temple Meads and Bristol Bus Station via Victoria Street and Bristol Bridge, giving passengers travelling between the City Centre and the Wells Road common bus stops with services 2, 2a and 92. Stops served towards the City Centre will be: Temple Meads Station (T2), Victoria Street (R6), Bristol Bridge (R8), Wine Street (B17) and Bristol Bus Station. Stops served towards Midsomer Norton and Bath will be: Bristol Bus Station, Wine Street (B18), Bristol Bridge (R9), Victoria Street (R7) and Temple Meads Station (T1).
Services 173 & 174 Wells – Bath – revised timetables. Some early morning journeys on Service 173 will run between Wells and Midsomer Norton only, linking with Service 172 for journeys to Bristol.
Service 376 Street – Wells – Bristol – will continue to operate half hourly Monday-Saturday and hourly on Sunday. When combined with the revised service 172, which will be extended to and from Bristol from Midsomer Norton and follow the 376 route into Bristol, this will give customers a combined 15-minute frequency from White Cross via Whitchurch into Bristol, Monday-Saturday. The route will change between Bristol Temple Meads and Bristol Bus Station to operate via Victoria Street and Bristol Bridge, giving 376 users stops closer to The Centre and passengers travelling between the City Centre and the Wells Road common bus stops with services 2, 2a and 92. Stops served towards the City Centre will be: Temple Meads Station (T2), Victoria Street (R6), Bristol Bridge (R8), Wine Street (B17) and Bristol Bus Station. Stops served towards Street will be: Bristol Bus Station, Wine Street (B18), Bristol Bridge (R9), Victoria Street (R7) and Temple Meads Station (T1).
Service 379 Bath – Midsomer Norton – Bristol – this service will be replaced by a revised Service 172, please see above for details.
Service 522 Bath – Midsomer Norton – Keynsham – Bristol – as a result of funding provided following the successful award to the West of England Combined Authority and North Somerset Council Bus Service Improvement Plan, new service 522 will be introduced. This will operate hourly, Monday-Sunday, between Bristol Bus Station and Bath Bus Station via Keynsham, Timsbury, High Littleton, Paulton, Midsomer Norton, Radstock and Peasdown St. John. This will give customers a 12-minute service between Midsomer Norton and Bath when combined with routes 172, 173 and 174. There will be additional journeys running between Bristol and Keynsham town centre, which when combined with service 349, will give a 15-minute frequency between Bristol and Keynsham, doubling the number of daytime buses compared to now.
Service D1 Bath – Warminster – revised timetable. Weekend journeys have been amended to better match Bath Rugby matchday finish times.
Services D2 & D2x Bath – Frome – a new service, number D2x, will be launched. This will provide a faster link between Bath and Frome, with the service running direct via the A36 through Claverton and using double decker buses in order to increase the number of seats. Service D2x will operate hourly during peak hours on Monday-Fridays, and two-hourly all-day Saturday. Service D2 will continue to operate the current route via Midford with revised times and will operate broadly the same hours of operation as now. D2x journeys on a Saturday have been timed to match Bath Rugby match times.
Service OS1 Hanham – Oldfield School – minor timetable revision.
Services U1 & U2 Oldfield Park – Bath City Centre – University of Bath – minor timetable revisions.
There are no changes to Bath Park and Ride services or Service U5.
More details available at: https://www.firstbus.co.uk/bristol-bath-and-west
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