South Gloucestershire and Gloucestershire towns and villages reconnected by bus

Local residents in South Gloucestershire and beyond can now check out the new WESTlocal Y8 bus timetable available ahead of changes from 31 August.

The Y8 service will see major route and timetable improvements from next week. As well as restoring a link to Wotton-under-Edge, and other villages in Gloucestershire, it will also serve Yate Railway Station with an additional stop in Charfield by the Railway Tavern.

On Mondays to Saturdays, the route will operate in a loop from Yate via Chipping Sodbury, Wickwar, Cromhall, Charfield, Kingswood, Wotton-under-Edge, Hawkesbury Upton, and Horton, before returning to Yate – and vice versa.

Plans to extend the Y8 service were first announced by the Mayor of the West of England and South Gloucestershire Council’s leader in June, and have been welcomed by local residents and Gloucestershire County Council.

Dick Whittington from West of England Rural Network (WERN), said:

“We’re delighted that the WESTlocal Y8 service will now link with both Wotton-under-Edge and Yate Rail Station. We’ve had so much feedback saying how important these connections are to local residents. Let’s make it a great success!”

Jason Freeman from bus operator The Big Lemon, said:

“These schemes are in their last phase of WESTlocal funding and the changes being made are in response to passenger feedback. We hope this encourages more people to use these community led bus services.”

This forms part of wider changes to WESTlocal buses, designed and run by communities, which are funded through the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority’s Bus Grant from UK government until March 2026.

Original press release by the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority