Share your views on bus services in North Somerset: Bus User Forum

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North Somerset Council is inviting North Somerset residents, community groups and businesses to attend a Bus User Forum on Tuesday 5 December taking place at the Town Hall Council Chamber in Weston-super-Mare.  

The Bus User Forum will give everyone the opportunity to share their experiences of bus travel in the area and influence future bus service improvement plans. 

Everyone who attends will be able to share their thoughts and discuss plans directly with North Somerset Executive Lead for Highways & Transport, Cllr Hannah Young and the council teams working to improve bus services in North Somerset in partnership with bus operators and the West of England Combined Authority.  

There will be two repeat sessions taking place, one from 15:30 – 17:30 and the next from 18:00 – 20:00. Please attend only one session and just turn up (no ticket required.)  

 At the Forum you’ll have chance to: 

  • Understand the West of England Bus Service Improvement Plan and its aims 
  • Get the latest information on bus services including proposals for route and timetable changes 
  • Hear feedback from the WESTlink survey and help shape changes to the service 
  • Hear progress of bus infrastructure projects including bus priority lanes, bus shelters and transport hubs 
  • Give your views on reduced fares packages 
  • Find out about the new passenger charter and how you can use it 
  • Help us to keep improving services for our communities by becoming a bus champion 

Date: Tuesday 5 December 

Session 1: 15:30 – 17:30 

Session 2: 18:00 – 20:00  

Location: Town Hall Council Chamber, Walliscote Grove Road, Weston-super-Mare, BS23 1UJ 

North Somerset Council wants to hear the views and ideas of residents, businesses, and community groups to help to shape action to improve access to bus travel and build a cost-effective, reliable and sustainable bus network across the region.    

Cllr Hannah Young, Executive Member for Highways and Transport at North Somerset Council, said: “We would love to see as many people as possible at our Bus User Forum event on Tuesday 5 December. This will help us understand how the bus network across North Somerset currently works for you and what we and our local bus operators can do to improve it.  

“Through our Bus Service Improvement Plan, in partnership with bus operators and the West of England Combined Authority, we are committed to working with communities to review bus services, fares, journey planning and the packages we offer. We are also working to increase bus reliability and reduce journey times through bus priority schemes along key routes that will make services more cost-effective and sustainable in the longer-term.  

"Buses are the only means of travel for some residents and a vital part of decarbonising the way that we travel – the plans are helping to recover the bus network across North Somerset which was severely affected by the pandemic but it is really important that they continue to improve.”   

Bus travel across the West of England Combined Authority and North Somerset area will become faster, more convenient, coordinated and better for the environment and your pocket than running a car.  

Working in partnership, we want to encourage everyone to ‘walk or wheel’ where possible, helping reach our carbon neutral goal by 2030. When that’s not possible, we want bus travel to be the first choice over car usage, helping to ease traffic congestion and create a greener way to travel. 

More information on the Bus Improvement Service Plan can be found on the council website: Bus service improvement plan | North Somerset Council (n-somerset.gov.uk)