More changes to local bus services:

“I am writing to give you early notification of some service changes that we are planning to make in the Bath area and Wiltshire.

Over recent months the changes in the wider economy have meant that less people are travelling. To reflect this and better match our resources to current demand, we’re making some changes to local bus services from 29 November.

Buses between Chippenham and Bath will be changing following requests from customers and careful analysis of actual travel patterns. The services will be:

Service 231 – running every hour from Pewsham to Chippenham, following the existing route through Corsham and then to Bath.
Service 232 – running every hour, again from Pewsham to Chippenham, but following the current route of service 233 in Corsham, before continuing to Bath.

As a consequence, and due to low customer use since its introduction in February 2009, Service 233 will no longer run. There is no change on Sundays.

Elsewhere, we’ve aimed to minimise the impact of these changes on customers by where possible, concentrating on individual journeys where there are easily accessible alternative options. Several services will see a slight decrease in overall frequency to reflect the fall in demand.

We will no longer be operating Service 12, which runs between Bath City Centre and Whiteway, on a commercial basis on Monday – Saturday from 29 November due to low customer use. The tendered journeys on Sundays and Public Holidays will be unaffected for the time being. Bath and North East Somerset Council is considering options to provide a possible replacement service for the rest of the week.

Buses between Midsomer Norton and Bath via Peasedown St John will be changing with a bus running every 20 minutes rather than every 15 minutes at off peak times on Monday to Saturday. Services 173 (Bath – Wells), 178 (Bath – Bristol) and 184 (Bath – Frome) will all run hourly at off peak times.

The timetables of services 178 and 184 will be changing to ensure an even frequency, with most journeys on Service 184 leaving Bath 5 minutes later and 10 minutes earlier from Frome. The timetable of Service 173 and services on Sundays will not be changing.

Other changes include:

Service 2 – Combe Down – Ensleigh: Following customer requests, the journey leaving Ensleigh at 1832 will be extended to Combe Down rather than terminating at the City Centre. Two other journeys from Combe Down will leave slightly earlier: the current departure at 0722 will leave at 0719 from 29 November, and the bus departing at 0735 will leave five minutes earlier at 0730. Two morning journeys to Ensleigh will no longer run due to low customer use. These are the journeys leaving the City Centre at 0742 and Combe Down at 0825.

Service 5 – Bus Station – Twerton: Following customer requests to improve punctuality, the frequency of buses at off peak times on Monday to Friday and all day on Saturdays will be changed to run every 15 minutes rather than every 12 minutes. This will allow for congestion along the route especially on Lower Bristol Road. The stop at Lower Bristol Road, Twerton Arch will no longer be served due to safety concerns. The nearest alternative bus stops are at Lansdown View or at the junction of Shophouse Road and the High Street.

Service 13 – Foxhill – Bathford: To improve overall punctuality, the frequency of buses on Monday to Saturday will be changed to run every 15 minutes rather than every 20 minutes

Service X39 – Bath – Bristol: In line with customer demand, on weekday mornings, buses from Bath Bus Station between 0700 and 0900 will run every 15 minutes instead of every 12 minutes. Buses from Bristol Bus Station between 0800 and 1000 will also run every 15 minutes. Buses will continue to run every 12 minutes throughout the day at off peak times.

Service 179 Bath – Midsomer Norton (via Timsbury, Farnborough and High Littleton): At peak times on Monday to Saturdays, this service will be changing to run between Bath and Farnborough only. This affects three morning journeys and one afternoon journey – leaving Midsomer Norton at 0636, 0708 (0718 on Saturdays) and 0901, and the journey leaving Bath at 1730. Customers wishing to travel between Farnborough and Midsomer Norton at peak times may catch service 178. There are no changes at off peak times.

Service 234 – Chippenham – Frome: One journey currently leaving Chippenham Bus Station at 1625 (Mon – Sat) will leave 5 minutes later at 1630 to enable students at Chippenham college to catch the bus.

We plan to announce this to our customers shortly with on bus posters and leaflets. Information about these and other changes in Bristol, Weston and Somerset will also be available on our website from tomorrow.

Timetables will be available approximately two weeks before the change.

All changes are Monday to Friday unless stated.

Kind regards

Justin Davies
Managing Director
First Bristol Somerset and Avon