‘Use it or lose it’ as new buses launch in and around Weston
New bus routes have started running in and around Weston-super-Mare this week — but people will need to use them or lose them.
The much-missed 126 bus between the town[1] and Wells[2] started running again on Tuesday January 2, alongside a new “shopper hopper” bus around the supermarkets and shopping areas in the town. From Sunday January 7 onwards, the number 7 between Worle and Locking Parklands will also double in frequency on Sundays to half hourly.
The buses are being subsidised by the council, with the hope that they will become commercially viable through fares alone. Announcing the new number 7 bus in December[3], Hannah Young, North Somerset Council’s executive member for highways and transport, said: “As with all subsidised services though, the message is use it or lose it, as we have no certainty of future funding for this route.”
Speaking this week, Ms Young said: “Listening to residents and implementing changes based on feedback is a crucial part of improving our bus services. Given the strong public call for the reintroduction of the 126 service, we are hopeful that it will be a popular, and therefore commercially viable route.”
The bus had been cut in 2022, with Somerset Council stepping in to keep it running but only between Axbridge and Wells. North Somerset Council leader Mike Bell said in October that the council had secured the funding to restore the full route, but it was not until December that an operator willing to take it on was announced[6].
Now First Bus will be running the 126 Monday to Saturday approximately every two hours, along the full route between Weston-super-Mare to Wells, going via Uphill, Weston Hospital, Bleadon, Hutton, Elbourgh, Sandford, Winscombe, Axbridge, and Cheddar[7].
The new “shopper hopper” number 9 bus runs three times a day Monday to Friday between West Wick and the Alexandra Parade bus interchange via Worle retail park, Worle Lidl, Queensway, Lower Kewstoke Road, Church Road, Worlebury, Ashbury Drive, Baytree Road, Aisecome Way retail park, Winterstoke Road retail parks and Weston-super-Mare town centre.
Ms Young said: “The council is committed to working with bus service operators so that our local communities can be better connected by sustainable transport options that make North Somerset a better place to work, study and live. These routes have been designed to connect residents to key services including schools and colleges, hospitals, and shops.
“It is challenging to find funds to support routes that are not well-used enough to be commercially viable but are nevertheless very important to our communities. We will continue to make further incremental improvements to the network and hope you will make the most of the £2 bus fare cap in the new year and try a new way to travel.”
North Somerset Council is currently running a consultation for local people to share their views on bus services to help inform service changes in April and September. You can have your say here[8].
References
- ^ the town (www.somersetlive.co.uk)
- ^ Wells (www.somersetlive.co.uk)
- ^ Announcing the new number 7 bus in December (www.somersetlive.co.uk)
- ^ EDF using Pontins Brean Sands has 'big detrimental impact' on local economy, tourism firm fears (www.somersetlive.co.uk)
- ^ Teenager who died in crash near Nailsea named as police renew appeal (www.somersetlive.co.uk)
- ^ an operator willing to take it on was announced (www.somersetlive.co.uk)
- ^ Cheddar (www.somersetlive.co.uk)
- ^ have your say here (n-somerset.inconsult.uk)