Based on some comments on Twitter it sounds like at least one of the buses was targeted whilst in service?
According to local media there have been recent attacks on buses in service, so would add up.

Is there a reason the problem is so much worse than previous years?
I am sure ATW^▸ (Arriva Trains Wales (former TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company))) used to be affected by this too, but not to this extent surely?

Had one last week or the week before that caused a passenger to get a bit flustered. At Keynsham heading towards Bath and the guard was having problems with closing the doors. Took about 8 mins or so in total, so not really much of a delay. The problem was each time the guard had thought the doors were closed and gave the all clear to the driver, the automated announcements would kick in thinking we were the next station down the line. This happened several times so by the time we actually left the system thought the next station was Avoncliff! In this case it was fairly obvious the system was wrong (as we had not moved!) but that still worried at least one passenger who had to be reassured by the person sitting next to them (who I don't think they knew beforehand) that it was ok.

Are we seriously suggesting that RRB^▸ (Rail Replacement Bus) drivers are trained so badly that maybe a passenger should print off the route on google maps highlighting the correct turns etc??
Regardless of who is to blame (GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway), the bus company, the driver, whoever), that simply is not good enough. Unless it is a driver who has only taken the shift as an "emergency" (e.g. a driver who was supposed to do the route didn't turn up so the bus company has had to send out a driver who wasn't due to do the route), there is no excuse at all for a RRB driver going the wrong way. None at all.

Just to prove that point, thee shuttle bus will be from Bond Street (where Megabus coaches pick up / drop off at) rather than Temple Meads, Parkway or Filton Abbey Wood.

I'd say that is most certainly the case!

For my own commute, instead of getting the train from Montpellier to Temple Meads and then onwards to Keynsham I have changed to either walking into town and then getting the number 349 bus to Keynsham or getting the number 73 bus to Temple Meads then the train to Keynsham. It helps that the weather hasn't been too bad this week (just a little cold) so the extra walking has been ok, and I already pay for a monthly bus ticket anyway. Actually it has been decent enough that I may use the buses more often, as whilst they are not as convenient as the train, it saves me money and it has actually been better reliability wise than I expected.

The initial trial on the Severn Beach line is now over, and while I don't have a card, GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) say that any of the existing ones will have stopped working now.
They are planning on rolling it out properly next year though.
https://touch.gwr.com/

To be fair, the roadworks at Temple Meads were supposed to be finished by now! Obviously anyone with half a brain could tell they wouldn't be mind you. Though it was only in June that completion was officially delayed till next year.

Indeed.
As much as I give First in Bristol and Bath a lot of stick, I must give credit where it is due and agree with your comments about James. Saw a few people also say he was driving a couple of weeks ago to in an attempt to fill in for the lack of drivers they have.
It can't be easy for First, even just the roadworks and congestion in the area would be enough to mess around with any operation, let alone a shortage of staff or buses. My main criticisms of them are to do with communication with passengers when things go wrong rather than the actual service a lot of the time.

Pretty much always have problems at Cardiff Central and Bristol Temple Meads when popping to the shops that are located outside the gateline at both stations. Only with the barriers though. Staff have always been helpful though - never had an issue after explaining to someone.

Are there still issues with the electronic reservation system that the 800's? Was on one from Swansea to Paddington over the weekend (that was delayed by almost 2 hours thanks to a broken down freight train, but that is a different issue!) and the reservations weren't on. No comments from the TM^‡(resolve) about it, and the service was quiet enough that it didn't matter. Just curious.

Can't say I disagree. Especially with GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway)'s abysmal compensation terms if you are even eligible and the fact you have to go through the effort of filling out a paper form and posting it or composing an email in many cases (as the web form they offer doesn't give an "additional details" box that would be useful for journeys that aren't just a simple GWR station to GWR station witho no changes!).

Somewhat spurred on by grahame's postings, I'm making a couple, one now and probably one or two later.
Does rail travel actually matter in the grand scheme of things?

Obviously those of us here are either rail enthusiasts, or depend on the railways for travel, or both.
But for the majority of the public, does it really matter? Certainly most people I know are happy to drive most places and get taxis or walk when drinking etc. London is the main exception, but even then certainly at least some of my London based friends rely on their cars more than the railways.

Certainly I think those of us who do rely on rail tend to easily forget that most people don't, and you could rip up the railways and you wouldn't hear any argument from a large percentage of the British population. Obviously I don't want that to happen, but I think it is helpful if we put it all in prospective a bit sometimes!

Considering how bad city centre traffic has been over the last week or so (thanks to roadworks, road closures and a protest yesterday!), I am not surprised GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) opted to not do BRI^» (Bristol Temple Meads - next trains) to BPW^» (Bristol Parkway - next trains) shuttles! Does make me wonder how it will cope come the end of October though! My girlfriend tried to get the bus from the bus station to Bath yesterday, it took 50 minutes for the bus to get from the bus station to Thekla!!

I was already planning on changing to the local buses when the Severn Beach line gets replacement buses when travelling to and from my girlfriends. simonw, your assessment of the current situation when the current blockade is less disruptive than what the Filton Bank blockade will be is a further push for me to go in that direction!