Bradley Stoke Town Council is encouraging residents who have been affected by recent changes to bus routes in the town to respond to a public consultation by the deadline of Monday 13th March 2023.
The consultation was launched after First Bus announced that its 73 service would terminate in north Bradley Stoke instead of continuing to The Mall at Cribbs Causeway, with effect from 22nd January 2023. This change left a number of stops in Bradley Stoke without access to the 73 service, namely Newleaze (on Woodlands Lane), Woodlands Park (on Woodlands Lane) and Aztec West Roundabout (stops C & D on Bradley Stoke Way).
The curtailment of the 73 route came just 12 months after First Bus cut Baileys Court Road and Webbs Wood Road from the route (effective from 30th January 2022), leaving the 73 service running along the full length of Brook Way, interrupted only by a loop in and out of the Willow Brook centre.
Government regulations require bus operators to give 70 days’ notice of a proposed change, formed of 42 days’ notice given to the Traffic Commissioner preceded by a 28-day period of consultation with the local transport authority (locally this is now Weca, the West of England Combined Authority).
Town councillors have expressed frustration that they weren’t contacted by First Bus or Weca during the consultation period for either of the recent changes to the 73 service.
Have your say
The current public consultation being hosted by the town council is aiming to gather evidence that can be presented to First Bus and Weca in an attempt to inform future decision making.
But members of Bradley Stoke Town Council say they were only notified of the change on 4th January, by which time it had already been registered with the Traffic Commissioner (although not properly advertised by that office until 20th January).
The consultation form asks:
- What impact has the loss of the bus routes in Bradley Stoke had on you and/or your family?
- What suggestions do you have for different routes/changes to existing services in the town?
The form also asks a number of questions that have been put forward by First Bus.
The consultation is available on the town council website for an online submission:
? Public Consultation on the loss of bus services and routes in Bradley Stoke
Comments may also be emailed to town.clerk@bradleystoke.gov.uk or submitted in writing to The Town Clerk, Bradley Stoke Town Council, The Jubilee Centre, Savages Wood Road, Bradley Stoke, Bristol, BS32 8HL.
⬇️ Download the consultation form [MS Word]
Related links
- Bus Services in Bradley Stoke (The Journal)
- Public Consultations (The Journal)
