Bristol bus passengers feel the crunch as city centre services axed

First Bus will be cutting a number of services serving Bristol city centre from September.

The company is set to withdraw the 8A and 9A from Temple Meads from September 27, and revise a number of other routes.

As reported in the Evening Post on Wednesday, neither the number seven to Staple Hill nor the 52 to Hengrove will run on Sundays or public holidays any more.

The number 52 will no longer run in the evenings between Broadmead and Hengrove, and the service between Inns Court and Broadmead is withdrawn, apart from some early morning journeys, Monday to Saturday.

Other routes to be affected include the 14 and 25 to Lockleaze; the 75 to Cribbs Causeway and the X73 to Bradley Stoke North.

The changes are the latest in a series made by First this year, which have been blamed on the recession.

All number 7 journeys will operate to and from Staple Hill via Morley Road and Speedwell Road, and start and finish at Broad Street and Teewell Hill.

Towards the centre the service will operate via Hill House Road, South View and Park Road, before returning via Broad Street and Speedwell Road.

In Redland, the number eight will operate via Whiteladies Road, Black Boy Hill, Redland Hill and Redland Road instead of Redland Park and Clyde Road.

The number 9 will operate via Redland Road, Redland Hill, Black Boy Holl and Whiteladies Road instead of Clyde Road and Redland Park.

All 24 and 25 buses will follow the same journey between the centre and Ashton Vale, running every 10 minutes during the day.

They will now run along Luckwell Road, Duckmoor Road, Ashton Road, North Street and Dean Lane.

All 24 and 25 buses travelling to Lockleaze from the centre will now follow the same route, along Muller Road, Shaldon Road, Romney Avenue, Gainsborough Square, Bonnington Walk, Wordsworth Road, Lockleaze Road, Filton Avenue and Muller Road, before terminating at the Muller Road bus depot.

The 75 in Harry Stoke between Fox Den Road and Hatchet Road, the service will operate via Brierly Furlong instead of Great Stoke Way, Westfield Lane and Church Road.

In Almondsbury the service is extended to start and finish at Stoke Lane and Gloucester Road serving Aztec West roundabout.

First spokesman Marcia Daniels said: "In common with the local authorities, we have to look at getting the best use of our vehicles in challenging circumstances. We are pleased to announce however that we are finalising time- tables for a new Service 91 between Melvin Square, Leinster Avenue, Bedminster and Broadmead, with the possibility of extending this to Broad Walk Square.

"This is as a direct result of consultation with MP Dawn Primarolo and community groups in the area.

"This service is likely to begin later in the autumn along with extra peak journeys on service 90 to meet customer demand.

"These will partially replace journeys between Inns Court Green and Broadmead on service 52, which will no longer run from September 27, apart from some early morning journeys operated on behalf of Bristol City Council.

"All roads affected will continue to be served by alternative bus services.

"Full details of this and other changes being made on September 27 will be published in due course."

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