A number of bus services across North Somerset are set to change.

Starting from April 7, changes are designed to blend better with community needs and enhance overall service reliability.

Revisions will include higher frequency services for better community accessibility, as well as several timetable modifications.

The services 127 and 59, however, will be discontinued after their contracts end in April.

North Somerset Council assures that there are alternative arrangements in place, promising minimal disruption, especially for school children who regularly use these routes.

Cllr Hannah Young, executive member for Highways and Transport at North Somerset Council, said: "Reviewing local bus services twice a year with the commercial operators of those services is part of North Somerset Council’s commitment to improving bus access to the wider region in a sustainable and cost-effective way.

"Considerations include access to local services, connecting communities, and ensuring value for money."

The decision to alter these services comes in an effort to uphold the entire North Somerset bus network's sustainability.

It is hoped that these changes will optimise the commercial viability of these services, especially as the government's national subsidies come to an end.

Bus operators, with support from the council, undertake routine examinations of the existing bus network twice a year, in April and September.

This review allows them to update existing services according to community needs, patronage and formalize commercial bus operator decisions.

Changes to services and timetables are expected to be updated shortly on the online platform, travelwest.info, allowing passengers to review them.

North Somerset Times: The changes come into effect from April 7

Here is a summary of the affected services:

  • 1: Weston Town Centre – Sand Bay
  • 5: New Weston Town Centre – South Road
  • 6:Weston Town Centre – Upper Bristol Road – Worle Retail Park
  • 7: Worle – Weston Town Centre – Locking Parklands
  • 9: New shopper service West Wick – Worlebury – Town Centre
  • 20: Weston-super-Mare – Burnham-on-Sea
  • 59: Nailsea – Portbury – Gordano School
  • 126: Weston-super-Mare – Wells
  • 127: Churchill Academy – Wrington
  • X1: Weston-super-Mare – Worle - Bristol
  • X5: Weston-super-Mare – Yatton - Clevedon – Portishead
  • X6: – Bristol – Clevedon
  • X7: – Bristol – Nailsea - Clevedon
  • X8: Bristol – Backwell - Nailsea
  • X9: Bristol – Nailsea
  • X10: Clevedon – Portishead – Cribbs Causeway – Southmead Hospital

The council’s Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) comes in a bid to encourage more people to prefer 'walk or wheel' over driving when feasible.

More information can be found on the North Somerset Council website.