Bus Stops in The Centre, Bristol

[whole diary]

[Red Squirrel]

Me and one of the kids went down town to see the HMS Gert Biggun on Sunday.

We thought we'd get the train from Montpelier and walk from Temple Meads, but that didn't work out on account of uncharacteristic punctuality, so we ended up catching a No.72 bus. This stopped at Broadmead, and I assumed that the next stop would be The Centre - but no! It sailed (well, belched filth) right through, past the new skate park (the one with the Cenotaph in the middle), and then a disembodied robotic voice said 'Next stop: Queen Street'. 'How odd,' I thought... there is a Queen Street, but I find it hard to believe we're going there.

Turned out she meant Prince Street - easy mistake to make; one Royal is much the same as any other.

Anyway, all this meandering leads me to the question: Anyone know where I can find a map of The Centre with bus stops and routes marked on it? There used to be such a thing, but my searches have failed to locate one that reflects the new layout. I am also a bit baffled because to my mind the whole point of The Centre is that it's a bus interchange, but if many other buses just whizz through then it's a less useful one than it used to be...

[simonw]

In these days of Metrobus chaos, one is unlikely to exist.

However, once Metrobus finshes, there maybe hope!

[johnneyw]

In these days of Metrobus chaos, one is unlikely to exist.

However, once Metrobus finshes, there maybe hope!

I fear there is precious little that Metrobust offers in the way of hope but perhaps new maps could be forthcoming despite rather than because of it.

[Chris from Nailsea]

However, once Metrobus finshes, there maybe hope!

... or you may have lost the will to live, by then ... 

[Red Squirrel]

In these days of Metrobus chaos, one is unlikely to exist.

However, once Metrobus finshes, there maybe hope!

JustaBus may not be finished, but the road layout and bus stops on The Centre are in their final configuration now. In any case there was presumably some sort of 'plan' underlying all this activity, so someone at First Group or Bristol City Council ought to know where the buses stop, and has had time to publish a map.

[Chris from Nailsea]

... then a disembodied robotic voice said 'Next stop: Queen Street'. 'How odd,' I thought... there is a Queen Street, but I find it hard to believe we're going there.

Turned out she meant Prince Street ...

Is it possible that the software is a little clunky, and the announcement should have been something like, "Next stop: Prince Street for Queen Square"? 

[Bmblbzzz]

The official First map doesn't show any detail in a blob roughly from Temple Meads to Millennium Square and Stokes Croft to Bedminster Bridge, so I don't hold out much hope of a detailed bus stop map for the new! enhanced! we hope we're going to like it this time! centre.

[JayMac]

Does the attached map and information sheet (dated 06/11/2017) not reflect what's now on the ground in The Centre?

[Red Squirrel]

It does!*

I usually consider myself pretty good at sniffing things out, and now you've given me a clue I have managed to locate it on travelwest.info. For anyone else who needs a few clues:

“But the plans were on display…”
“On display? I eventually had to go down to the cellar to find them.”
“That’s the display department.”
“With a flashlight.”
“Ah, well, the lights had probably gone.”
“So had the stairs.”
“But look, you found the notice, didn’t you?”
“Yes,” said Arthur, “yes I did. It was on display in the bottom of a locked filing cabinet stuck in a disused lavatory with a sign on the door saying ‘Beware of the Leopard.”

_{Douglas Adams, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy}

* The map indicates that the No.72 is supposed to stop at Cu, by the new skate park. But it didn't; hence (in part) my surprise and confusion.

[TonyK]

I resorted to tweeting First Bus asking what had happened to the link to the central map on their website. The first few times, I got a "Well look into it". I'm now up to "Just my monthly check - any news on that map yet?"

I think the problem may be that the music hasn't stopped yet, so no-one knows where to sit down. Buses can no longer turn left into Baldwin Street from the Centre, meaning the rerouting of the 37/38/39 etc, and a very long way between stops in the central area. Consider it an example of the Law of Unintended Consequences. Mind you, that also defines MetroBust.

[JayMac]

I usually consider myself pretty good at sniffing things out, and now you've given me a clue I have managed to locate it on travelwest.info. For anyone else who needs a few clues:

For me it was inputting "Bus map centre Bristol" into Google. And yes I got the pdf from travelwest.info which was the top hit with that search criteria. I thought about providing a link, but I could tell from previous posts how much you enjoyed searching. 

[Red Squirrel]

I think the problem may be that the music hasn't stopped yet, so no-one knows where to sit down...

Ah, but that's my point - the music has stopped. For some reason, they were very keen to have the skate park finished by Nov 11th...

For me it was inputting "Bus map centre Bristol" into Google. And yes I got the pdf from travelwest.info which was the top hit with that search criteria. I thought about providing a link, but I could tell from previous posts how much you enjoyed searching. 

Maybe you should consider a career as an SEO^▸ (Search Engine Optimisation - web site work to make your site more visible) consultant..!  I used what I thought were pretty similar terms in Google, but drew a blank.

[TonyK]

For me it was inputting "Bus map centre Bristol" into Google. And yes I got the pdf from travelwest.info which was the top hit with that search criteria. I thought about providing a link, but I could tell from previous posts how much you enjoyed searching. 

That's very good, although there was certainly nothing there at the time of my last major search. I'll tweet First Bus and let them know.

[Bmblbzzz]

The music hadn't really stopped on Saturday. Still areas fenced off, including one pedestrian crossing, though I think – probably – all the roads were finished, at least to the extent of being open with maybe a couple of signs still needing to be put up.

[TonyK]

The map indicates that the No.72 is supposed to stop at Cu, by the new skate park. But it didn't; hence (in part) my surprise and confusion.

It is unlikely that anyone has yet explained the new layout to the drivers.