Last chance for say on Bristol buses

Bus passengers in Bristol have until the end of today to comment on changes to some services.

First came up with its proposals for services 8 and 9, which serve Temple Meads, Clifton and Redland, and buses 24 and 25, which run between Lockleaze and Ashton Vale.

First is planning to withdraw 8A and 9A and serve the route with buses 8 and 9 only, with five buses running every hour during the day from Mondays to Saturdays.

On Sundays the first bus will also get to Temple Meads before 9am, while buses from the station will depart more evenly up to every six minutes.

In Redland the buses will no longer travel along Clyde Road or Redland Park, instead serving the top half of Redland Road and Redland Hill, before continuing down Whiteladies Road to join the existing route.

Changes in Lockleaze will involve all buses travelling to the area from the city centre in one direction instead of following different routes.First said the changes proposed were designed to make routes more straightforward. They would also avoid some narrow streets where buses can sometimes be held up by parked cars.

Re-organising the services was the result of some bus users saying they found the current routes of 8, 8A, 9 and 9A confusing.

The complexity of the timetable meant buses did not leave Temple Meads at even intervals, while Sunday services only ran every 30 minutes in each direction in Redland and Clifton, with the first bus not arriving at Temple Meads until after 10am.

Narrow sections of Clyde Road and Redland Park also meant they were unsuitable for the size of buses operating.

First said the new timetable would improve punctuality and reliability and create new links to places such as Horfield Health Centre and Filton Avenue Infant and Junior Schools.

But services will also no longer go along narrow Downend Road or Dovercourt Road and will avoid a section of Muller Road which is often congested.

The company said services running through Southville and Bedminster were confusing, with the frequency of buses along North Street varying between every 10 or 20 minutes.

All buses are planned to follow the service 24 route between the city centre and Ashton Vale, running every 10 minutes during the day.

But buses will no longer go along Raleigh Road, Beauley Road and Greville Street, or a section of Luckwell Road between North Street and Duckmoor Road.

Details of the changes are available on the First website. Consultation leaflets have also been given out in First Travel Shops.