Quicker, more direct and more reliable buses coming to North Somerset

Quicker, more direct and more reliable buses coming to North Somerset

Bus operator First West of England will be making improvements to its North Somerset services from Sunday 28 April.  The changes include route and timetable alterations to improve reliability and punctuality and provide quicker, more direct routes for the majority of customers across North Somerset.

The changes have been introduced after a series of customer roadshows, as well as feedback from local councillors and bus drivers.

Chris Hanson, Head of Operations for First West of England said: “These changes are going to make a big and positive difference for customers right across North Somerset. There will be quicker and more direct journeys between Weston and Bristol, better services for Clevedon and more punctual and reliable services right across the area.

“At First West of England, we always listen to feedback on what we do. That’s why, after speaking to our customers, local councillors and our drivers we have made these improvements so we are providing the very best service.”

The services changing are:

  • Service 20 (Weston-super-Mare – Burnham-on-Sea): following customer feedback, the summer season has been extended (since 31 March) with an increased frequency. The full summer service will start on May 2019.
  • Service 1 (Weston-Super-Mare – Sandbay) will return to the summer 30-minute frequency for a longer period of the year (31 March—2 November). Sunday journeys will continue to the end of December.
  • Service 5 (Worle– Hutton), will be withdrawn from West Wick and instead terminate at Worle Sainsburys.  The time saved has been spread out to improve punctuality and reliability. West Wick will retain a bus service as the route of the Service X2 is revised to serve West Wick once an hour Monday to Saturday daytime. Journeys towards Hutton will now stop on the main road as opposed to stop within the Weston General Hospital grounds to reduce congestion. (stopping in the layby outside instead).
  • Service 7 (Worle – Oldmixon) has been revised to provide greater punctuality and reliability.  It will now operate via Neva Road and Weston-super-Mare Railway Station to improve connections with the rail network and reflect changes to the road and bus stop infrastructure in the town centre.
  • Service X1: Weston-super-Mare – Bristol: following customer feedback, Service X1 will no longer serve Long Ashton—providing more direct journey times for customers in Weston-super-Mare.  Customers who currently use the X1 to and from Long Ashton will be able to use Service X2 for travel to and from Weston-super-Mare and Bristol and Services X7 and X9 for travel to and from Bristol.  A new express service X1X will benefit customers travelling between Weston-super-Mare and Bristol at peak times, operating non-stop via the M5 and the Portway, providing significantly quicker journeys for customers
  • NEW Service X1X: Weston-super-Mare – Bristol: A new express Service X1x will be introduced Monday to Friday peak times. These express journeys operate between Weston-super-Mare and Bristol, ideal for commuters. On Monday to Friday mornings, there will be five journeys from Weston-super-Mare to Bristol and Monday to Friday afternoons, there will be six journeys from Bristol to Weston-super-Mare. Service X1x will provide limited stop, direct journeys between Weston-super-Mare and Bristol. From Marine Parade, serving all X1 stops to St Georges Turn, then buses will operate non-stop to Hotwells before serving bus stops to Bristol Bus Station via M5 motorway and Portway. In the event of a problem on the M5 these journeys could take a different route to avoid delays.
  • Service X2: There are significant changes to the route and frequency of Service X2. While Service X2 will still link Weston-super-Mare and Bristol, the service will operate via Locking Castle, West Wick, Congresbury, Yatton (replacing Service X7), Claverham, Cleeve and Long Ashton. Service X2 will provide important local links and will operate hourly throughout the day Monday to Saturday.  The service to and from Yatton is provided by funding provided by North Somerset Council
  • Service X3/X3a and X4: Bristol—Portishead. These routes have been re-timed to provide greater punctuality and reliability – there are no changes to the routes.
  • Service X5: Weston-super-Mare—Cribbs Causeway: following a review of the very early morning journeys, one journey is withdrawn (0625 from Portishead) for safety reasons. Service X5 will be re-routed via The Sheepway in both directions. This removes the poorly positioned Portbury Footbridge bus stop and providing greater access to this service for customers living at Portishead Quays.
  • Service X6: Bristol—Clevedon: There is no change to the route or day timetable. Evening and Sunday journeys are withdrawn and replaced by Service X7.
  • Service X7: Bristol—Clevedon:  there are a number of significant changes to the route and timetable. The current route is very long and customer numbers between Clevedon & Weston-super-Mare are very low meaning the service does not sustain itself financially. Service X7 will now operate between Bristol and Clevedon only to a revised route additionally serving Long Ashton and Pound Lane in Nailsea. Within Clevedon, Service X7 will follow the same route as Service X6 with the daytime journeys terminating at Six Ways, increasing the frequency for many customers in Clevedon to every 30 minutes. An additional hourly evening and Sunday and Public Holiday daytime service is introduced. These journeys replace journeys that previously operated on Service X6. This change will see the introduction of an evening and Sunday and Public Holiday service between Nailsea and Clevedon. The section of route between Clevedon and Weston-super-Mare will no longer be served by Service X7. There will no longer be a service between Clevedon and Yatton via Kenn. Customers travelling between Clevedon and Weston-super-Mare should travel on Service X5, which remains the quickest journey option. Yatton, West Wick and Locking Castle will be served by Service X2 as Service X7 will no longer cover this section of route.
  • Service X8: Bristol—Nailsea Service: there are changes to the route and timetable of Service X8, as well as changes to the timetable to improve reliability and punctuality. Service X8 will operate every 60 minutes Monday to Saturday daytime between Bristol and Nailsea and via the Long Ashton by-pass and Backwell. Service X8 will operate a revised route around Nailsea and serve Trendlewood Way, Nailsea Town Centre, Mizzymead Road, The Perrings, Hannah More Road and Hazelbury Road. Following customer requests a later departure from Bristol will be provided at 2125.
  • Service X9: Bristol -Nailsea via Long Ashton: remains every 30 minutes. Service will be re-routed in Nailsea to follow the current Service X8 route via Mizzymead Road, Queens Road, The Perrings, Whiteoak Way, Hannah Moore Road, Queens Road, Mizzymead Road.  This service will not serve Silver Street or Pound Lane (served by X7 instead).

 

For more information on all First Bus services across Bristol, Bath and the West of England region, visit: https://www.firstgroup.com/bristol-bath-and-west

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