New Bristol metrobus to launch in January
The m4 from Cribbs to Bristol Parkway will start running on January 22
A new metrobus route for Bristol, that was first announced in the summer, will start running next month.
The West of England Combined Authority (Weca) has revealed the launch date for the m4 service as 22 January, 2023.
It will operate from Cribbs Causeway to Bristol Parkway and will be run by First West of England, with £57 million having been spent to create the route.
Doug Claringbold is First West of England's managing director.
“We’re proud to be operating the m4 and giving even more people the chance to experience the metrobus and travel sustainably on a modern bus network," he said.
"We very much welcome this investment in bus infrastructure, which is critical to the region’s transition to a sustainable, low carbon future.
"Since the m3 and m2 were launched in 2018, and then the m1 in January 2019, metrobuses have carried over 13 million passengers, despite the pandemic.
"These services enable faster, more direct journeys.
"They offer customers a cheaper and greener alternative to the car and taking the bus is a great way to support family budgets as more people consider cost saving measures.”
The service will run between 6am and 11pm on weekdays, with a later start at weekends.
It will run every 20 minutes on Monday to Saturday, and every 30 minutes on Sundays and Bank Holidays.
The buses will run on biogas using food waste as a sustainable fuel, while Weca says bus shelters and "iPoints", which are ticket machines and information displays combined, will be installed along the route over the winter.
Metro Mayor Dan Norris said: “It’s positive to see progress being made on this new m4 service.
"Important work like the widening of Gipsy Patch Lane to install new bus lanes - fully funded by the West of England Combined Authority I lead - has been completed and First say buses on the m4 route will start to run in January."
Works for the service have included improvements at the San Andreas roundabout near The Mall, and will also include brand new roads through the Cribbs Patchway New Neighbourhood, being built by the developers.
Bus service issues
While the introduction of a new bus route in Bristol will be welcome, it comes as First struggles to cope with all the services it already operates.
Last month the provider announced it was cancelling more than a thousand journeys around Bristol every week because of a shortage of drivers, adding that the cancellations will be in place until at least April, 2023.
It has led to strong criticism of First and calls for Mr Norris to introduce a franchise system for buses.
That would force companies like First to bid to run services and could see them ditched if they are deemed to be sub-standard.
"There are undoubtedly still serious problems on the buses and I’m conscious that too many passengers are seeing reductions in the frequency of buses and there are cancellations and delays," Mr Norris said.
"This is due to the driver shortage, which remains critical, but is being addressed.
"I have sought, and received, assurances that there is the capacity to run this new service."
From the same date as the m4 launch, there will be changes to other metrobus services.
To improve punctuality, First say, revised timetables will be introduced on m1, m2, m3/m3x services to give buses more time to complete their journeys.
There will also be some changes to other services.
Service 19 (Bath – Cribbs Causeway) will start and finish at Bristol Parkway Station from January 22, with connections available to and from Cribbs Causeway at Bristol Parkway on the m4, or at UWE Campus on both the m1 and m4.
First say this will improve punctuality on what is currently "a very long route".
Additionally, service 73 (Bristol Temple Meads – Cribbs Causeway) will terminate at Bradley Stoke and no longer operate to Cribbs Causeway.
Most customers in the Stoke Gifford area will be able to use the new m4 to and from Cribbs Causeway, and from Bradley Stoke connections will be available on the m1 at Willow Brook Centre.
"A flagship project"
South Gloucestershire Council’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Environment and Strategic Infrastructure, Councillor Steve Reade, said: “The Cribbs Patchway metrobus extension is part of our commitment to improve public transport, walking and cycling facilities and the road network.
"This has been a flagship project for us that we have been working on for many years.
"Work started on the project in 2014 to provide an alternative, fast and direct bus route between Parkway Station, The Mall at Cribbs Causeway and Bristol city centre and I am very pleased that the new service will start early next year supporting our residents making the switch to public transport.
"I can’t wait to see this new bus service in operation helping the residents of Patchway and Stoke Gifford go about their daily lives and hopefully encouraging more people to consider bus travel.”
More information on the service changes can be found at www.firstbus.co.uk/servicechange.