First Bus service changes in and around Bath, from 1st September 2013

Quote from: First Bus

Service changes in and around Bath, effective from 1 September

A number of improvements are being made to the local bus service in Bath as First takes steps to improve enhance the university services, better use resources where they are needed on the Park and Ride, and add in a number of late night journeys connecting Bath with Bristol.

The alterations affect the following routes: Services 15/15A, 18, 21, 31, 41, 339/X39, with the majority of changes taking effect from 1 September (changes affecting the Park and Ride take effect from 26 October).

Talking about the changes, Simon Ford, Commercial Manager for First in West of England, says: "The changes being made in Bath are overwhelmingly positive. We are increasing the frequency of a number of services, adding in late night journeys between Bristol and Bath and making plans to improve the opportunities to travel using the Park and Ride in the run up to Christmas.

"We would encourage people who use the affected services to check what is happening though as there are a couple of route changes being made, and some of timetables for the affected services may change slightly better reflecting the time it will now take to get from A to B. New timetables are already online as downloadable pdf files and they will be available in hard copy format to pick up from travel shops around the region from 28 August."

Specific changes affecting services in Bath, from 1 September

Service 15 /15A (Bath Spa University Circular): The route of this service is changing on 1 September in time for the start of the new academic year, and a new 15A route variation is being created. The timetable is also being amended following some work between First and the University to make it better for students using the service.

Specifically, from September Service 15 buses will operate a circular route between the city centre and the university campus. Buses will continue to stop at Bath Bus Station, but they will no longer use the section of route between Dorchester Street and Grand Parade. Outside of the city centre they will travel to and from the university campus via Lower Bristol Road rather than travelling via Lower Oldfield Park. This changes allow First to avoid the congestion that can build up around Grand Parade and similarly enable them increase the size of the buses running on the route (to be low floor double deck vehicles), which in turn will help accommodate the increased numbers of students using the service.

The timetable for Service 15 is also being altered to make it simpler. The frequency of Monday " Friday term time buses will remain the same, but on Saturdays (term times) they will be increased from one every 40 minutes, to one every half an hour. The first bus on Saturday mornings from Bath Spa University will leave slightly later (at 0810 hours, rather than 0755 hours as at present). During holidays, the frequency of buses on Saturday daytimes will also increase, to one an hour, rather than one every 80 minutes, however some evening journeys will be withdrawn as they carry very few passengers. The last bus on Saturdays during holidays will be 1810 hours. Students who use Service 15 are advised to check the new timetable carefully to ensure they understand what is happening.

To complement the changes to Service 15 and ensure that students in Lower Oldfield Park retain access to the local bus network a new Service 15A is being created. From 1 September these buses will run hourly Monday - Friday during term times, with bus arrival and departure times designed to coincide with lecture times. Service 15A buses will follow the same route as Service 15 from the university campus but they will also loop round Lower Oldfield Park before returning to the university campus.

Service 18 (University of Bath Circular): To coincide with the start of the new academic year a number of improvements are being made to this service. Overall the frequency of buses, operating Monday - Friday during term times, is being increased to at least one every six minutes. A number of extra early morning journeys are also being added into the timetable to both increase the travel options for students wishing to get to university earlier in the day, and reduce the issues that have arisen with large number of students all wishing to travel at the same time.

In addition the Monday - Friday evening timetable (term times) is being amended, with the frequency of buses improved from one every 20 minutes, to one every 15 minutes. This change, combined with the fact that there will be some additional early evening journeys from September (timed to coincide with lecture times), means that travelling to and from the university by bus will be even easier.

Those people who use Service 18 are advised to get hold of the new bus timetable to ensure that they know what is happening and how it may affect them.

Service 339 / X39 (Bath - Bristol): A number of late night journeys are being added into the timetable of Service 339/X39 reflecting some partnership working between First and Bath & North East Somerset Council. Specifically there will be two extra late night journeys in both directions, at midnight and 0100 hours from Bath to Bristol, and at 0100 and 0200 hours from Bristol to Bath. The changes mean that the last buses in both directions will be two hours later than at present giving late night revellers and shift workers even more opportunities to travel. The changes benefit those people living along the route too, in Saltford, Keynsham and Brislington for example.

Changes to Park and Ride Services from 26 October

Service 21 (Newbridge Park and Ride): The frequency of Park and Ride buses on Saturdays is being improved from 26 October. From this date and until the end of the year buses will run every 10 minutes on Saturdays (compared to every 15 minutes normally). In addition there will be some extra late night journeys during the week in the run up to Christmas and to coincide with the Bath Christmas Markets. These journeys will run between 2030 and 2200 hours with the exact dates of operation publicised closer to the time.

Service 31 (Lansdown Park and Ride) and Service 41 (Odd Down Park and Ride): The frequency of Park and Ride buses on Saturdays from these two sites is being improved from 26 October. From this date and until the end of the year buses from Lansdown and Odd Down Park and Rides will run every 9 minutes on Saturdays (compared to every 12 minutes normally). In addition there will be some extra late night journeys during the week in the run up to Christmas and to coincide with the Bath Christmas Markets. These journeys will run between 2030 and 2200 hours with the exact dates of operation publicised closer to the time.

Timetables from the 1st September 2013 can be found here.