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Wednesday, October 01, 2008, 14:00
Buses from Patchway and Henbury which pass through the city centre to Bedminster, Bishopsworth, Withywood and Whitchurch, have had punctuality and reliability problems.
Bus operator First says this is because the 16-mile route from one side of the city to the other is too long. The services affected are the 75, 75A, 76 and 77.
They would be replaced by a modified 75 and 76 service north of the city and a new 95 and 96 service for south Bristol.
Under the proposed changes, which are subject to public consultation, people who live in a mile-long loop in Patchway – Roadway Road, Durban Road and Bradley Road – would no longer be served by a bus service.
First says the roads are too narrow for buses to run safely and cites incidents of damage involving parked cars.
Homeowners on the stretch of Pen Park Road in Southmead between the junctions with Southmead Road and Greystoke Avenue could also lose out.
And more than a mile of Hartcliffe Way, from the Headley Lane turning to Hengrove Way roundabout, would also lose its service, the 75A, which First says is not well used.
The axed stretches of route are marked in green on the map.
The 77 would merge with the 76, serving Southmead, Henbury and Brentry every 10 minutes.
The company says the Somerfield headquarters in Whitchurch Lane would continue to be served by the new 95 service.
Passengers wanting to cross Bristol would have to change at Broad Quay or another stop in the city centre, with “through tickets” available for both journeys.
The changes follow several other alterations made by First this year in a bid to streamline its network around the city.
It is using a new “real-time” information system to iron out problem areas and is also trying to streamline its route system to cut down on fuel costs.
But the cost to some residents is the immediacy of their bus services. Other streets around the city have also lost out as a result of the cuts.
In May, five routes to the north and east of the city were axed, leaving Cranleigh Court Road in Yate and Westbourne Road in Downend with no bus service.
In August, elderly residents in Leinster Avenue, Knowle, complained that they faced a mile-long walk to catch their bus after changes to the 90 service were announced.
Justin Davies, managing director of First Bristol, Somerset and Avon, said: “We have widely considered these changes to ensure that the needs of our customers are met and the best service possible is provided.“We believe these new proposals will provide a more reliable service for our customers in the longer term.
“However, no decisions have been made and we are keen to listen to and understand the views of our customers.”
Public consultation about these proposals runs until Friday, October 24.
Make any comments at www. firstgroup.com/haveyoursay/bristol or write to First, Have Your Say, Freepost 3782, Bristol BS5 0ZX.
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