Service changes affecting buses in and around Weston-super-Mare, from 1 September

A number of changes are being made to local bus services from 1 September as First seeks to better match its resources against the demand for services.

The changes affect the following services in and around Weston-super-Mare: Services 3, 5, 7, 102, 112, 125, 352/353/X1, X2/X3/23,

Talking about the changes, Simon Ford, Commercial Manager for First in West of England, says: "We are making a series of changes to bus services in and around Weston-super-Mare in September which are designed to make sure we're using our resources as efficiently as possible, matching them against the level of demand for services.

"There are some positive changes, for instance we have improved the overall provision of services between Weston-super-Mare and Bristol and have renumbered some existing routes to create a new Service 1 to sit alongside and complement the existing express Service X1. We are also extending some services to provide additional connections between Weston-super-Mare, Weston College and Bridgwater.

"In Weston-super-Mare though there are some frequency reductions. We recognise that these changes may cause some concern locally however we would stress that the actions we are taking here is necessary to ensure the long term commercial sustainability of the routes affected. Similarly it remains vitally important that we effectively match the resources we have at our disposal against the level of demand for services.

"We would strongly advise people who use the local bus network in and around Weston-super-Mare to familiarise themselves with what is happening, so they understand how the changes being made may impact on them. New timetable information will be made available online from 20 August and will be available to pick up from travel shops from the following week."

Specific changes in and around Weston-super-Mare from 1 September

Service 3 (Worle - Searle Crescent): The timetable for this service is changing from 1 September. Specifically some early morning journeys across the week are being withdrawn, while others are being re-timed. In addition some evening journeys on Sundays and Public Holidays are also being removed from the timetable due to low customer demand. On Monday - Saturday evenings the frequency of the buses is changing: from September buses at these times will run hourly (compared to every 45 minutes at present). In addition buses in the evening (after 1900 hours) will operate direct via Locking Road instead of Martindale Road and Corondale Road to avoid issues that they are currently having with parking cars blocking the route. Buses operating on Saturday daytimes are also changing, to run every 20 minutes from September (compared to every 15 minutes now). Journeys on Monday - Friday daytimes are unaffected and remain as they are.

Customers who use this service are advised to check the new timetable before the changes take effect to ensure that they know what is happening and how it may impact on them.

Service 5 (Worle - Uphill): To better reflect the overall demand for services and ensure that resources are used in the most effective way the timetable for this service is changing with some underused journeys withdrawn. Specifically from September the last buses in the evening will depart Worle (Sainsburys) at 1810, and Uphill (Hospital Grounds) at 1825 hours. Some early morning journeys - ie the 0645 and 0715 Monday - Friday journeys and the 0715 and 0745 Saturday journeys from Uphill Hospital to Worle - are being withdrawn too, as they carry very few passengers. Finally all Monday - Saturday journeys are being retimed to depart 10 minutes later and run 10 minutes later throughout, than at present. People who use the service are strongly advised to check the timetable carefully to ensure they understand what is happening.

Service 7 (Worle - Oldmixon): In order to ensure the long term commercial viability of the service the timetable is being adjusted slightly. The route used to be partially supported by the local authority however First has been running it commercially since April 2012 and while efforts have been made to run it in its current form since then changes are now necessary to ensure the route remains sustainable in the future. From September the frequency of buses operating Monday " Saturday evenings is being reduced from one every half an hour to one every 40 minutes. In addition to this some evening journeys on Sundays and Public Holidays are being withdrawn due to the fact that very few people use them. Customers should note that from September the last buses operating on Sundays and Public Holidays will leave Worle (Sainsburys) at 1910 hours and Oldmixon (Brompton Road Lay-by) at 1925 hours " this is around two hours earlier than at present, but reflects the fact that very few people travel after this time on these days.

Service 102 (Weston-super-Mare - Puriton / Bridgwater): Following discussions with Weston College a number of extra journeys are being added into the timetable of Service 102. This will give people who want to travel between Bridgwater, Burnham-on-Sea and Weston College more opportunities to do so. Specifically there will be an extra Monday - Friday journey from Bridgwater to Weston-super-Mare at 0735 hours which will run via Weston College on college days, and an extra Monday - Friday journey in the opposite direction at 1650 hours (1655 hours on college days).

Service 112 (Weston-super-Mare - Bridgwater): This service is being extended from September to provide a new, direct link between Weston-super-Mare and Bridgwater. At present Service 112 buses only run as far as Highbridge but from 1 September they will travel beyond this point on an hourly basis Monday - Saturday daytimes. In doing so they'll follow the same route as Service 21 en route to Bridgwater. The change means that people wishing to travel between Highbridge and Bridgwater will have more opportunities to do so, with four buses an hour running Monday - Friday daytime, and three buses an hour on Saturday daytimes.

Service 125 (Weston-super-Mare - Portishead): The timetable of this service is being amended to provide some direct journeys to and from Weston College on college days. People who use this service should check the new timetable carefully as, for example, the 0715 journey from Portishead, which currently operate as Service 125, will change to become an express Service X25 journey departing at 0720 hours. This means that it will follow a more direct route along the M5, missing out Kenn, Yatton and Congresbury. People in Yatton and Congresbury wishing to go to Weston College in the morning should still be able to travel though using Service 1 (Bristol - Weston-super-Mare) instead. Similarly the current 1645 and 1725 Service 125 Monday - Friday journeys from Weston College will no longer operate, replaced instead by a 1700 hours Service X25 departure from Weston College (during college holidays this will depart from Weston-super-Mare at 1715 hours). People who use this service are strongly advised to check the timetable carefully before travelling to ensure they understand what is happening.

Service 352 / 353 (Weston-super-Mare - Bristol) and Service X1 (Weston-super-Mare - Bristol): Significant changes are being made to simplify the offer for people wishing to travel between Bristol and Weston-super-Mare. Specifically all Service 352/353 journeys are being renumbered as Service 1 and will follow the current Service 353 route. Those journeys on Service 1 will be marketed as a complimentary service to the existing, express X1 bus route which links Bristol and Weston-super-Mare.

Overall the level of service will remain broadly the same, with Service X1 providing connections every 20 minutes Monday - Saturday daytime, and Service 1 providing journeys on a hourly basis Monday - Sunday, there will however be some minor timetable changes and some underused journeys are being withdrawn. Service 1 buses will continue to travel via Claverham and Long Ashton. There will however no longer be a direct service between North Worle and Bristol as current Service 352 journeys are effectively replaced by journeys that follow the current Service 353 route, which is re-numbered Service 1. Customers making local journeys on Service 352 between North Worle and Weston-super-Mare Town Centre are advised to use Service 5 (Worle - Uphill) as an alternative.

Customers who use Services 352/353 and X1 are advised to check the new timetables carefully to ensure they understand what is happening.

Service X2/X3/23 (Bristol - Portishead): Following a review of the services and how they have performed since they were introduced in March, and taking into account some feedback received from customers, the route that buses take around Portishead is changing slightly. From 1 September buses towards Bristol will travel via Weatherley Drive, Down Road and Nore Road instead of Valley Road.

Service X21/X22 (Weston-super-Mare -Bridgwater College): From 1 September, First will no longer operate Service X21/X22 under contract to Bridgwater College. Customers should contact Bridgwater College for details of alternative services.