Six vital new bus routes linking passengers to Bristol and surrounding towns

Six new bus routes have been launched in Bristol - and they start running today. The Big Lemon has announced the new services between the city and surrounding towns, and also improved timetables on three other routes.

It says it represents the biggest improvements in its services in the West of England since launching in Bristol nearly two years ago. Its part of a partnership with local residents and community groups and funded by the West of England Combined Authority’s WESTlocal scheme.

The new services are being launched on Sunday 1 September (61 and 99), and Monday 2 September (K1, P1, Y8 and 40):

• K1 Keynsham Town Service : Keynsham South – Chocolate Quarter

• P1 The Pioneer : Felton – Winford – Dundry – Bristol City Centre

• Y8 Yate Link : Charfield – Yate – Chipping Sodbury – Hawkesbury Upton

• 40: Yellow LAB : Brentry – Henbury – Lawrence Weston – Avonmouth

• 61: Dings Community : St Anne’s – The Dings – Old Market – City Centre

• 99 Chew Valley Cat : Compton Martin – Bishop Sutton – Chew Magna – Paulton

Tom Druitt, The Big Lemon’s CEO said: “We are very pleased to have had the opportunity to work with residents, community groups and the West of England Combined Authority to launch vital new bus links for communities across the region, and to improve services on existing routes too.

"Following the launch of zero-emissions electric buses on routes in Bristol and Bath for the first time earlier this year, this is another step towards our 2030 vision where every community in the UK has access to affordable, sustainable transport, using zero-emissions vehicles powered by renewable energy and owned by the local community.

"However today is also a sad day as tonight we say goodbye to the 84/85 service between Yate and Wotten-Under-Edge. It has been a huge privilege to run the service for the last 15 months and we’d like to thank South Gloucestershire Council for funding the service and all the wonderful passengers and campaigners who have worked so hard to keep the service going. We ultimately lost this particular battle but we’ve not lost the war – thank you for all your efforts, the campaign continues.”

Improved timetables are also being launched on two existing WEST local services, the 2V and the X91, as well as the X10 which is operated in partnership with North Somerset Council. The new timetables apply from Monday 2 September:

• 2V: Radstock – Midsomer Norton – Paulton – Odd Down P&R

• X10: Clevedon – Portishead – Cribbs Causeway – Southmead Hospital

• X91: Compton Martin – Bishop Sutton – Chew Magna – Bristol