News / Transport
London-style frequency to be introduced on key bus routes
Five key bus routes in Bristol will move to “turn up and go” frequency during rush hour as metro mayor Dan Norris reveals a £7m package designed to help solve our city’s transport woes.
Increased peak services will include eight buses running each hour along Gloucester Road and Filton Avenue, nine buses an hour along Church Road, and ten an hour to Fishponds.
The plan is a partnership between First Bus and the West of England Combined Authority (WECA).
is needed now More than ever
Norris said: “Turn up and go means passengers will no longer need to worry about checking a timetable as they will know a bus will normally arrive quickly.
“I’ll be monitoring this closely to see if London-style frequency is something that really encourages people to get out of their cars and onto buses as it does in the capital.
“If so, then this is just the kind of top-class bus service I would like to roll out right across our West of England region.”
Norris promises to reinvest any increased income “in even better buses so we can build a virtuous circle”.
First West of England managing director Doug Claringbold (left) and West of England metro mayor Dan Norris (right) – photo: WECA
Alongside the increased frequency on certain routes, there will be additional buses into Bristol city centre from Kingswood, Downend, Staple Hill, Whitchurch, Keynsham and Thornbury.
But services 23, 47 and 91 will no longer operate from April 2.
First West England managing director, Doug Claringbold, added: “These new timetables will significantly increase the service we offer our customers and I’m confident that our investment in new technology will also continue to improve punctuality.”
Turn up and go frequency is coming to five areas at peak times with at least eight buses an hour on:
- Gloucester Road (75/76)
- Filton Avenue (70/73/74)
- Fishponds Road (48/48a/49)
- Church Road (42/43/44/45)
- UWE-Bristol (m1,m3,m4)
Areas moving to at least 15-minute frequency will include:
- Bath to Southdown (1)
- Bath to Whiteway (5)
- Bristol to Kingswood (42/43)
- Keynsham, Brislington to Bristol (x39, 349 and 522)
- Midsomer Norton to Bath (379 [to be renumbered the 172], 173, 174 and 522)
- Bath to Bristol (39, x39)
- Long Ashton P&R to Bristol (m2)
- Temple Cloud to Bristol (376 / 379 [to be renumbered the 172])
Main photo: Martin Booth
Read next:
- Metro mayor says Bristol will never get an underground
- Passengers share experiences after bus cuts
- South Bristol will become ‘bus desert’ after service cuts
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