BOOK MY BUS RIDE

The book my bus ride scheme is about to go live on the Y1. so you can now book a ride on the Y1 on Monday - Friday. This means you are sure there is space for you on the bus and the bus will not be overcrowded. (You don't get a specific seat, you get a promise you will be able to find space on the bus safely)

You can book a slot on line at www.bookmybusride.com

We were worried that those who most need the certainty may not use computers, so they have agreed to trial a dedicated phone and book service on 07866 977586, Monday to Friday from 09.00-17.00 (excluding Public Holidays). Confirmation of all phone bookings will be sent in the post and First recommends making phone bookings seven days in advance of your journey to allow time for this delivery.

If you know of people who might find this service helpful, do please tell them about the phone and online service.

Mayor, Karl Tomasin said " We are really pleased with this as it will mean people can phone or go on line to book a seat - and people have been telling us they are put off trying to use a bus because worried that the bus may be over full. This reassures them they have a space booked and will be empty enough to meet social distancing rules” (photo taken before COVID)

Bus fare victory in Yate, Chipping Sodbury and Thornbury

Liberal Democrat bus campaigners are celebrating victory in their campaign for a cheap fare for bus journeys within the towns of Yate, Chipping Sodbury and Thornbury. From later this month people travelling on First Bus services will play just £1.50 for any single journey in town.

Lib Dem Parliamentary Candidate for Thornbury & Yate, Claire Young, said:

"This is fantastic news for bus users in Thornbury and Yate. Last year's fare rises left them paying far more for a short bus journey than those in Bristol or Bath. It made people think twice about using the bus to go to the shops, adding to the congestion and parking problems. We pushed First Bus to give us a low flat-rate fare for journeys within town and we're delighted they're doing that."

Yate Town Councillor Chris Willmore said:

"We have fought for this in Yate for years, it's a key plank of our 'Let's Get Yate moving' plan. It was nonsense expecting people to pay a fiver to get to the shopping centre and back. Well done to First Bus for listening. Now we need to tell everyone about it and show bus bosses that cheaper fares work."

Cllr Maggie Tyrrell (Lib Dem, Thornbury) said:

"At this price, people will be happy to jump on a bus rather than face the hassle of finding a parking space in town. I'm glad First Bus have heeded our arguments."

Claire added:

"We are still pushing for the towns to have their own travel zones taking in nearby villages, like the zones for Bristol, Bath and Weston-Super-Mare. Flat rate "Rider" tickets allowing you to make as many journeys within the zone as you want in a day, week or month would help more people go by bus."

Consultation on weight limits for Sodbury and Dodington roads

There's a South Glos Council consultation aimed at stopping HGVs using the smaller roads as a short cut between Chipping Sodbury and the B4465/ M4 road network.  The idea is to to introduce an environmental 7.5T weight limit, with an exemption ‘Except for loading’ on the affected lanes and adjacent residential streets within the Dodington area.

You can see and comment on the proposals here - the consultation is open until Tuesday 16th July 2019. 

The full list of roads affected is:

• Bowling Road
• Catchpot Lane
• Chapel Lane
• Cherry Road
• Chestnut Drive
• Claypit Hill
• Culverhill Road
• Dodington Lane
• Dodington Road
• Downleaze Drive
• Elm Close
• Gibbs Lane
• Grassington Drive
• Gullivers Place
• Highfield Road
• Horseshoe Lane
• Jobbins Close
• Leaman Close
• Lilliput Avenue
• Lilliput Court
• Love Lane
• Meadow Road
• Mill Lane
• Old Parish Lane
• River Road
• Sodbury Lane
• Sodbury Little Lane
• Streamside Road
• Virginia Close
• Wistaria Avenue

Y2 late evening bus services extended

First Bus have announced that from this week the Y2 (Bristol – Yate / Chipping Sodbury) Monday to Saturday late evening journeys that used to finish in Fishponds have been extended to Bristol City Centre, after feedback from staff and customers.

Timetables are available here for the Y2, plus other amended services in Bristol.

Liberal Democrat campaigners call for action on New Year’s buses to Southmead Hospital

The Leader of South Gloucestershire’s Liberal Democrat councillors, Claire Young, has written to local First Bus managing director James Freeman calling on him to review his decision not to lay on any buses to Southmead from Yate or Thornbury on New Year’s Day. A decision that could leave hospital staff and those visiting patients high and dry.

Claire Young said: “Initially First said that they were not going to run any Yate or Thornbury buses at all on New Year’s Day, which would have been a ludicrous situation. Thankfully First relented after we and others wrote to express our concern. There is now at least a basic service with a few buses running to Bristol and back but it is still far from adequate. The lack of a direct service to Southmead is a real worry. This will mean that residents will struggle to visit sick loved ones on New Year’s Day, and hospital staff who usually take the bus will be left out of pocket. I wrote again to James Freeman asking him to address this problem.”   

North Yate Lib Dem councillor Ian Blair said: “I raised this issue with the Conservative Executive Member for Transport Cllr Colin Hunt at last week’s meeting of Council. He said that his hands are tied because he has no control over the level of service provided by operators. This is untrue. First is subsidised by the council to provide bus services on bank holidays, with the level of service expected being set out in the contract. It is ridiculous if the council has neglected to make New Year’s Day subject to that contract. Once again the Conservatives have shown that they don’t care about Yate residents or bus users.”

Local resident Paul Hulbert said:  "I was astonished to hear that there weren't going to be any local buses on New Year's Day. I am pleased that there will now be a basic service into Bristol, but it's very disappointing that there still won't be any direct buses from Yate to Southmead Hospital for staff or visitors. Let's hope that First Bus and South Glos Council get their act together for future bank holidays."

Sundridge Park roadworks mean bus diversions

As we previously told you, the Sundridge Park roadworks are taking place from Monday 29th October until Tuesday 6th November, from 8 am until 5 pm each weekday (except that on the days that clash with school term, the work will take place from 9.30 am until 5.30 pm)

This will affect the Y1, Y2, 967 and 620 bus services.

The Y1 and Y2 buses will travel along St Briavels Drive and then turn right onto Sundridge Park, left onto Rodford Way and left into Scott Way and vice versa.  There will be temporary bus stops in Scott Way for both directions, which will only be in operation during the road closure.

This has a very strange effect at one bus stop on Rodford Way. If you're planning to catch a bus from the stop near Dovecote, please CHECK THAT IT'S GOING TO THE RIGHT DESTINATION. As far as we can see, buses going both ways will be stopping at the same bus stop!

The 967 school bus and the 620 Old Sodbury to Bath bus will also use Scott Way instead of Sundridge Park.

Need to get to work, doctor or hospital by bus?

Paul Hulbert and Louise Harris at Yate Bus Station

The recent changes in the bus services have improved things for some people, but made them worse for others. For example, the Y1 bus now goes straight down the M32, which has made the service quicker and more reliable. BUT we still have to get to Yate Shopping Centre or Chipping Sodbury to get the bus to Southmead, AND there are fewer services to Frenchay and Downend.

Strangely the Downend issue is causing a particular problem for some patients of the Abbotswood medical surgery, because they are asking some of their patients to travel to their Downend branch to see a GP. This is fine if you have your own transport, but on the bus it's now TWO buses with a wait in between. And you STILL need two buses to get to Southmead or the East Fringe employment area from a lot of our town.

What's more if you're using a Diamond card to do one of these double journeys, South Glos Council is now being charged for 2 trips each way rather than one.

We've started a petition for the south of the town saying "We want a better bus service from Shire Way, The Birds and Abbotswood to Downend Surgery, Southmead Hospital and jobs on the East Fringe" - you can click here to sign it.

Of course if you live in another part of the town you may have different problems with the new services - please get in touch with Louise Harris.

First Bus launches new bus services for Yate

Local Liberal Democrat Focus Team members joined First Bus this morning at the publicity launch for the new "South Glos Lynx" services starting on 2nd September. The distinctive bright yellow buses, numbered Y1 to Y6, will take contactless payments - hence the "Ricardo" character in the photo.

Strangely quite a few non-local Conservatives turned up for the launch. However First Bus confirmed again this morning that they gave us the Cranleigh Court bus back because of a meeting with Yate Town Council, nothing to do with the Tory MP who as usual is trying to claim all the credit.

All the timetables are available from First Bus's South Glos Lynx web page which also explains how the new routes relate to the old ones.

You can also download their very useful leaflet with maps and timetables

82 bus - campaign for real time info

Thank you to everyone who has got in touch about 82 bus reliability problems since we alerted you in June to the fact that it is sometimes missing out the Chipping Sodbury section.

At a face-to-face meeting last week your Focus Team councillors challenged First Bus bosses about this failure. They said that because the route goes through a number of traffic hot spots it is vulnerable to getting badly delayed and if that happens they cut out Chipping Sodbury and turn round at Yate.

When we asked what happens to people waiting at the Clock Tower, their reply was that the sign will switch to cancelled. So we explained there is no real time information sign there, to which their answer was that people could check their app or website! We suggested they get real - not everyone has a smart phone or knows how to use their app.

Focus Team Cllr Phil O'Rourke, pictured below, is campaigning to get real time information at the Clock Tower. That way if a bus is running so late it is going to be turned round at Yate, people can decide if it is better to walk down to Yate or catch another bus instead. First Bus are refusing to install a new real time sign at a cost of about £7k - we have suggested moving one from a stop where there are no longer any buses.

Phil O'Rourke, Claire Young and Ben Nutland
campaigning for the return of the 82 bus to
Chipping Sodbury in 2016

Success - bus campaign victory!

Great news - First Bus have listened to the concerns your Focus Team councillors raised when we met them this week and have had a rethink. The Cranleigh Court and North Road areas, which were left high and dry by the previous plans, will have a bus to Bristol.

The revised Y3 service will go along Iron Acton Way to the Brimsham traffic lights, turn into Greenways Road and then head down Cranleigh Court Road to Station Road on its way to the town centre.

Thanks to all the local residents who got involved - it's your voices that make the difference. We’ve won round one of the battle because you told us your concerns and gave us the evidence and we got in quickly to put the case to First Bus.

The fight goes on to help those living in the Halifax Road and Wellington Road area.

Save our bus - sign our petition!

Changes to the 46 and X46 buses, which many residents only heard about when we told them here and in Focus, will leave many people in North Yate without a service to Bristol.

As we reported last week, the X46 is being replaced by the Y3 and the 46 by the Y4. Although the Y services are better for some, they cut out the following parts of the old routes:

• Cranleigh Court Road and Greenways Road from the Cranleigh Court to Church Road junctions
• Iron Acton Way, Goose Green Way, Greenways Road from the western Goose Green Way junction to the Halifax Road junction, Halifax Road and Wellington Road from there to Goose Green Way.

Effectively First Bus are cutting services to parts of Yate so they can improve them for the Metro Mayor's village of Winterbourne!

We know many rely on this service, so we’re trying to save it. Please sign our petition at southgloslibdems.org.uk/save_the_46 and share it with other bus users who stand to lose out.

All change on the buses

New high speed buses with special Yate numbers are being introduced from 2 September. The numbers change, and the times will change slightly - so you need to check YOUR journey carefully. Most of it is rebadging, so all the Yate buses have a Y number, making them easier to find.

But tucked in there are some significant changes. In particular, Cranleigh Court and Wellington Road areas lose the 46/X46 route - the route will exist, but it won’t go through Cranleigh Court / Halifax/Wellington Road. Nearest bus stops will be Church Road or Station Road. For many people it looks like their nearest stop will be in Randolph Avenue – with no shelter although the stop opposite that will no longer be served has a shelter.

• Y1 - Every 30 minutes Mon - Sat (hourly on Sundays) via M32 high speed - old 47 route around Yate/Sodbury. In Bristol it goes to the BRI and the Centre, but not Bristol Bus Station. All other Bristol services go to the Bus Station.
  
• Y2 - Hourly 7 days a week  on the old 47 route evenings, but day time it will start at Yate shopping centre.
  
• Y3 - Hourly Mon to Sat, same route as old X46 but it will come into Yate along Station Road and do a one way route around Brimsham Park.
  
• Y4 - Hourly 7 days a week same as old 46 as far as Yate Station, but will not serve Cranleigh Court Rd / Greenways Rd  area - it will go direct to Yate Bus Station  (so the 202 and 622 will be the only buses in Cranleigh Court)
  
• Y5 - Hourly Mon to Sat (2 hourly on Sundays) on same route as old X49.
  
• Y6 - Hourly Mon to Sat (2 hourly on Sundays) on the same route as old 82 

Please encourage people who use the buses to check their journeys and tell Ian Blair (ian.blair@southglos.gov.uk, tel 864099) about any other problems e.g. changes of times or precise routes. The new timetables are available here - just type in the new "Y" route number, click Submit, then click the "Display, Download and Print" button.

Sundridge Park resurfacing delayed until October

The August roadworks we told you about recently have been delayed.

South Glos have said: "Unfortunately, we have had to postpone these resurfacing works.

I anticipate that they will be rearranged for the school holidays in October and will send out a confirmation letter nearer the time"

We'll keep you posted.

Wickwar Road to be closed 23 July to 4 August

More road works... A length of the B4060, the main road between Wickwar and Chipping Sodbury, will be closed from 23 July until 4 August 2018.

Drainage works will be taking place from 700m south of the junction with Frith Lane, heading 50 metres towards Chipping Sodbury.

Part of Sundridge Park to be closed for roadworks in August

Update 24/07/2018: South Glos say "Unfortunately, we have had to postpone these resurfacing works. I anticipate that they will be rearranged for the school holidays in October and will send out a confirmation letter nearer the time" - We'll keep you posted.

South Glos has advised that they will be resurfacing the length of Sundridge Park from the Kennedy Way junction with Kennedy Way southwards for 410 metres. That's down to the St Paul's School and yate International Academy entrances. Work should start around 6th August and take 10 days, working from 7.30 am to 4.30 pm.

The notice officially says that it will be in force "from the 6 August 2018 for a maximum period of eighteen months" but in practice the road will only be closed when the signs are in position.

What's more, the length of Kennedy Way from the Lidl junction to the Courtside Surgery junction will be closed for one night 8 pm to 6 am some time from 3 August, again for resurfacing.

Major roadworks in Winterbourne coming up

South Glos Council will be carrying out road drainage repairs and improvements on the B4058, High Street, Winterbourne, for up to 6 months from Monday July 23rd. There will be two-way traffic lights and partial road closures that are bound to have a significant effect on this busy commuter route.

Most of the time there will just be temporary traffic signals, but sometimes they will actually have to close the road, in which case diversions will be signed.

The aim is to stop the periodic flooding that happens there.

South Glos are holding a drop-in this Wednesday, 11 July, from 3 to 6 pm at Winterbourne and District Community Association, Watleys End Road.

New timetable for 82 Southmead bus - your views please

The new timetable for the 82 bus has now been in place for a few weeks. Although the route has been extended to Chipping Sodbury, we've heard that from time to time late-running buses have turned round at Yate and left out the Sodbury part of the route.

Has this happened to you? How good have the buses been at keeping to time?

Also what do you feel about the Sunday service, which runs every two hours, and only comes as far as Yate?

If you're a staff member, how does the new timetable suit you?

 

You can check out the new timetables on the Traveline South West site

Please let Claire Young have your feedback.

Changes proposed for B&Q roundabout

At long last South Glos has come forward with some draft proposals to improve Yate's confusing B&Q (salt truck) roundabout. Their plans show much clearer road markings and signs, plus two puffin crossings.

The plans are open for comment until Monday 2 July - you can see the details and comment here

Campaigners welcome new cycle path link

Cllrs Claire Young (left) and Paul Hulbert (centre)
joined cyclists Kate Kelliher, Denis Butterworth
and Bob Keen and rider Ann Fay on the new section

Campaigners who have been pushing for the completion of the "Yate Spur" cycle path are celebrating the opening of the latest section, which is designed for use by horse riders and walkers as well.

The off-road cycle path will eventually link Yate to the Bristol Bath Railway Path, opening up the cycle network to many more people. The latest section links Broad Lane, Westerleigh with the cycle crossing point on Westerleigh Road.

Paul Hulbert and Claire Young with
the cycle path petition in 2014

Cllr Claire Young, the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Spokesperson for Thornbury and Yate, started a petition in 2014 calling for the completion of the cycle path. She said:

"It is fantastic to see another important link in this route open. Hundreds of people showed their support for completing the path by signing our petition. When finished it will make commuting to work by bike an option for more people as well as being a great way for families to get out into the countryside."

"We will keep pushing for the final sections to be completed. The link from Dodmoor Crossing to the Nibley Lane junction and the section under the railway bridge by the Shire Way roundabout will bring some of the biggest safety improvements. I look forward to celebrating the opening of the finished path."

But there's disappointing news too. Paul Hulbert, chairman of the Joint Cycleway Group, said "The JCG has just been told that the next leg - from Broad Lane to Nibley Lane Corner - will cost more than is available in the current spending round because of drainage and access problems. We've asked South Glos to look at alternative ideas and funding sources. However we have been told that some small improvements we requested on the A432 Kennedy Way will be done this financial year"

More buses for Chipping Sodbury - but Sunday 82 services reduced

Thank you once again to everyone who signed our 82 bus service petition. The great news is that both the 82 and X49 bus services will be extended to Chipping Sodbury from 27th May.

Our petition in autumn 2016 showed that hundreds of people wanted the 82 service to run to and from Chipping Sodbury again, so they wouldn't have to change buses in Yate. At the time we were told that wasn't possible, but we have kept up the fight. We are delighted that First Bus has finally listened.

Not all of the changes being made by First Bus are good news though. On Sundays, the 82 service drops to 2 hourly. Also the X49 will not serve Chipping Sodbury on Sundays or Bank Holidays. We will continue to campaign for better bus services for local people every day of the week.

You can check out the new timetables on the Traveline South West site