Bus service changes

Changes are in the pipeline for our local bus services.

Getting to Southmead hospital

Last week we told you there was good news on buses to Southmead hospital from our villages. Starting 13th April, First will be running service 82 hourly to Southmead via Cribbs and Parkway, leaving Yate at 6.20am until 7pm, with the last return from Southmead at 8pm. The 581 will be replaced by the 81, giving the option of a half hourly service to Southmead changing at Parkway or the longer hourly direct service.

First Bus changes

First are also renumbering other services and changing their timetables:

• The 689 becomes the X49 (see more below)
• The 342/X42 becomes the 47/X47.
• First will be running a commercial service, the X46, to replace the subsidised X27 that Wessex currently run. It will only go as far as Bristol bus station, not on to Anchor Road as the current service does, but it will extend beyond Yate to Chipping Sodbury. Wessex are looking to continue to run the X27 as a commercial service, but with reduced frequency.

Consultation on changes to subsidised services

South Glos Council is asking for your views on planned changes to some of the services it subsidises.

• The 689 Yate to Bristol service will be replaced by a new commercial service, X49, run by First, saving the council £40,000 in subsidy. It is good news for passengers as it will run earlier in the morning and later in the evening than the current service and will be extended to run on Sundays.
• The council plans to stop the experimental 222 Longwell Green-Chipping Sodbury service, which goes via Yate, Frampton Cotterell, Coalpit Heath and Kendleshire, to save £150,000.
• The 622 Cribbs Causeway to Chipping Sodbury service, which goes via the Stover Road area, Rangeworthy and Tytherington, would no longer run before 9am.

The council is also proposing to save £110,000 by no longer subsidising supported school services where the services are not readily available to the public and there are no pupils entitled to free transport using the routes. Instead they will support schools and parent groups to arrange their own transport.

Those that affect pupils in our area are:

• 680 – Frampton Cotterell – UWE – SGS Filton College (but the 81 offers an alternative service)
• 967 – South Yate – Chipping Sodbury Secondary School – Brimsham Green School (for which there is currently no alternative – one pupil has been using the service from Westerleigh village)

You can find out more and make comments on the South Glos website before the end of March.