West of England Metro Mayor Dan Norris has today (Tuesday 16 July) announced that another eight new WESTlocal bus services will start running in September. 

WESTlocal allows communities to access cash to design and run their very own, brand new, not for profit bus services. The first successful bidders in Chew Valley and Paulton launched in April and since then, hundreds of people have used the bus services.

I am delighted that so many local communities and organisations have taken up my challenge and put together winning bids. From connecting schools and colleges, getting people to work and providing much needed links to shops, these new WESTlocal’s are imaginative and designed with local people in mind.

People who already use the existing WESTlocals have told me they really value the services, especially the “great community spirit onboard” and are asking for more – so I am particularly pleased that we’ve also been able to extend the WESTlocal service in Chew Valley to serve the villages of Compton Martin, East Harptree & West Harptree.

Mayor Dan Norris

The new WESTlocal schemes, which are expected to start on 1 September include buses serving Keynsham, Yate, Charfield, Chew Valley, Winford, Avonmouth and SGS college among other areas.

WESTlocal is a fund from the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority, in partnership with North Somerset Council. Funding for the scheme comes from the Department for Transport’s Bus Service Improvement Plan. The West of England Mayoral Combined Authority secured the second highest settlement per head nationwide from government of this fund.

Full list of new WESTlocals covering the West of England

1. Oldland Parish Council – New early morning and late evening service between Yate and Keynsham and midday and afternoon return journeys from Emersons Green to Keynsham (Mon-Fri)
2. Keynsham Town Council – Hourly community bus service between south Keynsham & Somerdale also serving Wellsway & Chandag schools
3. West of England Rural Network Cotswold Edge – Flexible (two-hourly) bus service covering Hawkesbury Upton, Wickwar, Charfield, Chipping Sodbury and Yate (Mon- Sat)
4. SevernNet – New hourly service between Avonmouth village, Avonmouth industrial area, Lawrence Weston & Henbury (Mon – Fri)
5. Chew Valley Community Interest Company – Daily shuttle service (including Friday and Saturday evenings) to link villages within the Chew Valley and to connecting services on the A37
6. Chew Valley Community Interest Company – Extension of existing WESTlocal Service X91 to serve the villages of Compton Martin, East Harptree & West Harptree
7. South Gloucestershire & Stroud College – Service linking Kingswood, Warmley and Bromley Heath with north Bristol and SGC campuses (three return trips Mon-Fri)
8. Dings Community Association – Daily hourly service running from Avonmeads to Gasferry Road via The Dings and central Bristol
9. West of England Rural Network Pioneer – Service connecting the villages of Felton, Winford and Dundry to a range of stops in Bristol, including Imperial Park, Bedminster, Temple Meads, Broadmead and the city centre (Three return journeys Mon-Fri)

There are three other WESTlocal bus services planned to start in September operating in North Somerset.

Original press release by West of England Mayoral Combined Authority