First Bus is rolling out a raft of changes across the West of England today (Sunday, October 9), with Bristol passengers advised to check before they travel in case their route is affected. Some services have been removed completely, while three new services will begin operation.
Many bus users will find themselves being dropped off and picked up at a different city centre stop, and could also notice changes to their timetables. Services 5, 72a, 96, 178, X2, Y3, Y4 and Y5 have been withdrawn as part of a plan to deliver “more reliable services” in the face of falling customer demand and a shortage of drivers.
Doug Claringbold, Managing Director of First West of England, said last month: “The very last thing any transport operator wants to do is reduce or cut any services. We recognise the impact these changes will have on some of our communities, and we are truly sorry for those who will be affected.
Also read: Metro Mayor condemns ‘disheartening and disappointing’ bus route cancellations
"We’ve actively engaged with local authorities to try to keep these services running. We had high hopes that, as we moved beyond the pandemic and Covid restrictions, we would see a stronger recovery in bus use.
"Unfortunately, the world has changed more than we predicted, and we are still seeing a significantly lower level of bus use, as well as different travel patterns across our network. On top of this, like the rest of the bus industry and other sectors, we are operating against the backdrop of rising business costs and labour shortages that are particularly acute in our area.”
He said First Bus West of England had "simply no choice" but to withdraw or reduce some services. Most services which go into Bristol City Centre will also be relocating stops.
The table below has been released on the First Bus website outlining the changes to Bristol services, with the vast majority affected - just 28 services are listed as having no changes. Route 47 serving Yate and Emersons Green, 74 serving UWE Frenchay and route 379 serving Paulton and Bath are all listed as new services.
| 1 | Cribbs Causeway | T7, R6, R8, B14, C7, P1, U1, U3 | Will move from The Centre stop C9 to C7 |
| 1 | Broomhill | U2, P2, C8, B11, S10, B18, R9, R7, T1 | Will move from The Centre stop C10 to C8 |
| 2/2a | Stockwood | U2, P2, C8, B11, S10, B18, R9, R7, T1 | Will move from The Centre stop C10 to C8 |
| 3/4 | Cribbs Causeway / Henbury | B12, C7, P1, U1, U3 | Will move from The Centre stop C9 to C7 |
| 3/4 | City Centre | U2, P2, C13, B17, B12 | Will now operate to Union Street via Baldwin Street and Wine Street rather than Nelson Street |
| 6/7 | Kingswood / Staple Hill | C4, B5, B15, S9, M3 | Will move from Nelson Street stop B3 to B5 to utilise stop with bus shelter |
| 6/7 | City Centre | M4, S14, S6/S8, B4, C3 | No change to stops |
| 8 | Clifton | T5, T8, M2, S14, S8, C7, P1, U6, U3 | Will move from The Centre stop C9 to C7 |
| 8 | Bristol Temple Meads Station | U2, P2, C13, B17, B15, S7, M1, T9, T5 | Will now operate towards Temple Meads via Baldwin Street and Wine Street rather than Nelson Street |
| 17 | Southmead Hospital / Kingswood / Keynsham | Bus Station, B7, N1 | Service extended from Southmead Hospital to/from Bristol Bus Station |
| 17 | Bristol Bus Station | N2, Bus Station | Service extended from Southmead Hospital to/from Bristol Bus Station |
| 23 | City Centre | R2, B17, B4, C5 | Will no longer serve The Centre C9. The nearest stops will be Rupert Street B4 or The Centre C5 |
| 23 | Ashton Vale | B17, B4, C5, R1 | Will no longer serve The Centre C9. The nearest stops will be Rupert Street B4 or The Centre C5 |
| 24 | Southmead Hospital | R2, C13, R11, B17, S12, M3 | Will now operate via Marsh Street, Baldwin Street and Wine Street instead of Broad Quay, Nelson Street and Fairfax Street |
| 24 | Ashton Gate | M4, S14, B10, C5, R1 | No change to route, but will no longer serve The Centre C9. The nearest stops will be The Haymarket B10 or The Centre C5 |
| 35 | Marshfield | Bus Station, B3, B13, S11, M3 | No change to stops |
| 35 | City Centre | M4, S14, S6/S8, Bus Station | No change to stops |
| 36 | St. Anne's | C4, B5, B15, S9, M3 | No change to stops |
| 36 | City Centre | M4, S14, S6/S8, B4, C3 | No change to stops |
| 39/X39 | Bath Bus Station | Bus Station, B18 , R9 , R7 , T1 | Red underlined stops are in use due to the Redcliffe Bascule Bridge closure and diversions. The usual stops are C3 and T3 |
| 39/X39 | Bristol Bus Station | T2 , R6 , R8 , B17 , Bus Station | Red underlined stops are in use due to the Redcliffe Bascule Bridge closure and diversions. The usual stops are T4, R4 and C6 |
| 42/43 | Cherry Gardens / Cadbury Heath | C4, B5, B13, S11, M3 | Will move from Nelson Street stop B3 to B5 to utilise stop with bus shelter |
| 42/43 | City Centre | M4, S14, S6/S8, B4, C3 | No change to stops |
| 44/45 | Cadbury Heath / Cherry Gardens | C4, B5, B13, S11, M3 | Will move from Nelson Street stop B3 to B5 to utilise stop with bus shelter |
| 44/45 | City Centre | M4, S14, S6/S8, B4, C3 | No change to stops |
| 47 | Emersons Green & Yate | B1, N1 | New service |
| 47 | City Centre | N2, B10, B1 | New service |
| 48/48a/49 | Emersons Green/UWE Frenchay/Lyde Green | C9, R11, B17, S12, M3 | Will now start at The Centre C9 and operate via Baldwin Street and Wine Street to Broad Weir. Will no longer serve Nelson Street |
| 48/48a/49 | City Centre | M4, S14, S6/S8, B4, C9 | Will now terminate at The Centre stop C9 rather than Rupert Street B6 |
| 70 | UWE Frenchay Campus | T6, R4, C6, C12, B7, N1 | No change to stops |
| 70 | Bristol Temple Meads Station | N2, B10, B4, C5, R9 , R7 , T6 | Red underlined stops are in use due to the Redcliffe Bascule Bridge closure and diversions. The usual stop is R5 |
| 70 | City Centre (overnight journeys) | N2, B10, B4 | These journeys will continue to terminate at Rupert Street stop B4 as before |
| 72 | UWE Frenchay Campus | T5, T8, M2, S14, S8, C7, P1, U6, U3 | Will move from Temple Meads stop T6 to Temple Meads T5 and from The Centre stop C9 to C7 |
| 72 | Bristol Temple Meads Station | U2, P2, C13, B17, B15, S7, M1, T9, T5 | Will now operate towards Temple Meads via Baldwin Street and Wine Street rather than Nelson Street |
| 73 | Cribbs Causeway | T6, R4, C6, C12, B7, N1 | No change to stops |
| 73 | Bristol Temple Meads Station | N2, B10, B4, C5, R9 , R7 , T6 | Red underlined stops are in use due to the Redcliffe Bascule Bridge closure and diversions. The usual stop is R5 |
| 74 | UWE Frenchay Campus | C11, C12, B7, N1 | New service |
| 74 | City Centre | N2, B4, C9 | New service |
| 75/76 | Cribbs Causeway/Henbury | R2, C6, C12, B7, N1 | No change to stops |
| 75/76 | Hengrove/Hartcliffe | N2, B4, C5, R3 | Will no longer serve The Centre stop C9. The nearest stops will be Rupert Street B4 or The Centre C5 |
| 90 | Hengrove | S3, S10, B16, B4, C5, R3 | Will no longer serve The Centre stop C9. Will instead serve Rupert Street B4. |
| 90 | City Centre | R2, C6, B3, S3 | No change to stops |
| 91 | Imperial Park | S3, S10, B18, R9, R7, T1 | No change to stops |
| 91 | City Centre | T2, R6, R8, B17, S3 | No change to stops |
| 92 | Rookery Farm / Hengrove | S3, S10, B18, R9, R7, T1 | No change to stops |
| 92 | City Centre | T2, R6, R8, B17, S3 | No change to stops |
| 349 | Keynsham | Bus Station, B18 , R9 , R7 , T1 | Red underlined stops are in use due to the Redcliffe Bascule Bridge closure and diversions. The usual stops are C3 and T3. |
| 349 | Bristol Bus Station | T2 , R6 , R8 , B17 , Bus Station | Red underlined stops are in use due to the Redcliffe Bascule Bridge closure and diversions. The usual stops are T4, R4 and C6. |
| 376 | Wells / Glastonbury / Street | Bus Station, S12, M1, T9, T1 | No change to stops |
| 376 | Bristol Bus Station | T2, T8, M2, S14, S6/S8, Bus Station | No change to stops |
| 379 | Paulton / Bath Bus Station | Bus Station, S12, M1, T9, T1 | New service; same City Centre stops as route 376 |
| 379 | Paulton / Bristol Bus Station | T2, T8, M2, S14, S6/S8, Bus Station | New service; same City Centre stops as route 376 |
| A1 | Bristol Airport | Bus Station, C1, R9 , T6, R4, R3 | Red underlined stops are in use due to the Redcliffe Bascule Bridge closure and diversions. The usual stop is Q1. |
| A1 | Bristol Bus Station | R2, T3, T6, R8 , Bus Station | Red underlined stops are in use due to the Redcliffe Bascule Bridge closure and diversions. The usual stops are Q2 and C2. |
| Bris P&R | Brislington P&R | M2, S13, B8, C1, R9 , R7 | Red underlined stops are in use due to the Redcliffe Bascule Bridge closure and diversions. The usual stop is T3. |
| Bris P&R | City Centre | T2, T8, M2, S13, B8, C1 | No change to stops |
| m1 | Cribbs Causeway | R1, C2, B1, S1 | No change to stops. Q2 stop is currently not in use due to the Redcliffe Bascule Bridge closure. |
| m1 | Hengrove Park | S2, B2, C1, R1 | No change to stops. Q1 stop is currently not in use due to the Redcliffe Bascule Bridge closure. |
| m2 | Long Ashton P&R | T2, S13, S2, B2, C1, R1 | No change to stops. Q1 stop is currently not in use due to the Redcliffe Bascule Bridge closure. |
| m2 | City Centre | R2, T2, S13, B2, C1 | No change to stops |
| m3/m3x | UWE Frenchay Campus / Emersons Green | C2, B1, S1 | No change to stops |
| m3/m3x | City Centre | S2, B2, C1 | No change to stops |
| Port P&R | Portway P&R | R11, R9, T8, M2, S13, B8, C7, A1 | Will move from The Centre stop C7 to C9 |
| Port P&R | City Centre | A2, R11, R9, T8, M2, S13, B8 | No change to stops |
| U1 | Stoke Bishop Transport Hub | B6, C7, P1, U1, U3 | Will now start from Rupert Street stop B6 rather than The Centre C9 and will additionally serve The Centre C7 |
| U1 | City Centre | U4, H2, B10, B6 | Will now terminate at Rupert Street stop B6 rather than The Centre C9 |
| U2 | University of Bristol Langford Campus | B6, C7, P1, U1 | Will now start from Rupert Street stop B6 rather than The Centre C9 and will additionally serve The Centre C7 |
| U2 | City Centre | U2, P2, C8, B10, B6 | Will now terminate at Rupert Street stop B6 rather than The Centre C9 |
| U3 | UWE Frenchay Campus | C2, B1, S1 | No change to stops |
| U3 | City Centre | S2, B2, C1 | No change to stops |
| T1 | Thornbury | Bus Station, S1 | Will now start from the Bus Station, not The Centre |
| T1 | Bristol | S4, Bus Station | Will now terminate at the Bus Station and not serve the BRI or The Centre |
| Y1 | Yate | Bus Station, S1 | Will now start from the Bus Station, not The Centre |
| Y1 | Bristol | S4, Bus Station | Will now terminate at the Bus Station and not serve the BRI or The Centre |
| Y6 | Southmead Hospital / Yate | Bus Station, B7, N1 | Service extended from Southmead Hospital to/from Bristol Bus Station |
| Y6 | Bristol | N2, Bus Station | Service extended from Southmead Hospital to/from Bristol Bus Station |
| X1 | Weston-super-Mare | Bus Station, C9, A1 | Will move from The stop Centre stop C7 to C9 |
| X1 | Bristol | A2, C10, Bus Station | Will move from The stop Centre stop C8 to C10 |
| X4 | Portishead | Bus Station, C9, A1 | Will move from The stop Centre stop C7 to C9 |
| X4 | Bristol | A2, C10, Bus Station | Will move from The stop Centre stop C8 to C10 |
| X6/X7 | Clevedon | Bus Station, C9, A1 | Will move from The stop Centre stop C7 to C9 |
| X6/X7 | Bristol | A2, C10, Bus Station | Will move from The stop Centre stop C8 to C10 |
| X9 | Nailsea | Bus Station, C9, A1 | Will move from The stop Centre stop C7 to C9 |
| X9 | Bristol | A2, C10, Bus Station | Will move from The stop Centre stop C8 to C10 |
Service 47 will provide a partial replacement for most customers on services 5, Y3, Y4 and Y5, running from Bristol City Centre, Lewins Mead to Yate via City Road, Ashley Road, Sussex Place, St Werburghs, Eastgate, Fishponds Road, Fishponds, Oldbury Court, Downend, Emersons Green, Pucklechurch and Westerleigh.
Service 379 is a partial replacement for customers on service 178, reducing journey times to and from Bristol via Bristol Bus Station, Wells Road, Hallatrow, Paulton, Midsomer Norton, Radstock, Peasedown St John and Odd Down, terminating at Bath Bus Station.
Read more:
