THE WEEK IN East Bristol & North East Somerset 17th August 2022
Issue 743
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Support for tax rise for better bus services Readers of The Week In have given Metro Mayor
amount so there has been no inflationary rise in support
Dan Norris their ideas and priorities for improving
since 1986.
buses.
Annual funding from the local councils to WECA for bus
A series of ‘Big Choices on Buses’ community meetings
services amounts to just £20.49 per head. Mr Norris said:
are being held in the region and dozens of people
“When we have people talking, particularly councils,
attended the one organised by The Week In at The Space
about the importance of buses, that is not being matched
in Keynsham on Thursday when an overwhelming
by what they are paying. I get lots of petitions from
majority were in support of the Mayor raising a public
people complaining about buses but it is often from the
transport precept via council tax bills.
leaders of the party not providing enough money to sort
Government COVID funding for buses runs out in
that out.”
October even though fewer journeys are being made and
He continued: “Rather than me hassling the council
bus costs, like everything else, are soaring. Mr Norris
leaders, who pay about a third of what they do in other
interchanged.
leads the West of England Combined Authority (WECA),
parts of the country towards public transport in our
• Buses are very expensive outside the city zones.
which is the regional transport authority. WECA and the
region, how many would you prefer there was a precept
• Bus services should run longer into the evening.
three local councils – Bath & North East Somerset, South
to pay for public transport with the assumption that the
• Run some or all of the X39 buses via Keynsham town
Gloucestershire and Bristol - have offered to fund the 60
money will be spent wisely and well?”
rather than along the bypass where there are no
or so buses they currently subsidise until next April, but
An overwhelming majority agreed that in principle they
passengers to pick up.
that will depend on whether the bus companies choose
would.
• Turn Brislington Park & Ride into an interchange to
to continue running them.
Other key points raised at the meeting were:
make full use of the site.
Although the bus companies and WECA are investing in
• The reliability of bus services is more important than
• Give incremental bonuses for bus drivers who train
recruitment campaigns and training, given the bus driver
frequency.
locally to try to retain them.
shortage of up to 150 vacancies, cuts are expected.
• The last service on any route needs to run so people
• Give bus drivers visas to come from abroad.
Alan Peters, of bus provider Abus, told the meeting that
aren’t stranded.
Concern was also raised about how Longwell Green has
before deregulation of the buses, the then Avon County
• Make buses cheaper for workers to get them out of their
become an almost “bus-less village” other than the 17,
Council paid Bristol Omnibus Company £5m as network
car.
and about the lack of a bus service from Bitton into
subsidy; last year the total given by councils in the
• Timetables on bus stops need to be up to date.
Bristol.
WECA area in support of bus services was a similar
• It’s an issue that different providers’ tickets can’t be
Mayor Norris told the meeting there is good news
The meeting in Keynsham
on the horizon as WECA secured the second highest Continued on page 4
Also in this week’s issue
Traffic ban proposed between Queen Charlton and Whitchurch . . . page 2
3 local nurseries temporarily closed over safeguarding concerns . . . page 3
£999 bill for Kingswood man who dropped a cigarette . . . page 5
24-hour gym plan for Staple Hill . . . page 6