'Lifeline' bus service in South Bristol to be axed next month
The 52 from Broadmead to Hartcliffe is set to be completely cancelled from September 3rd
Another blow to bus passengers as ‘lifeline’ service in South Bristol axed next month
Bus passengers face another blow as a “lifeline” service in South Bristol is due to be axed next month. The 52 service runs from Broadmead through Bedminster, Bedminster Down and Highridge to Hartcliffe, but will be completely cancelled from September 3.
The service is one of many in the region which is subsidised by local councils. This means it doesn’t turn a profit so Bristol City Council pays towards the company operating the service to help keep it going. But earlier this year subsidies for several routes were withdrawn.
Local councillors and residents said the 52 bus service was “absolutely crucial”. One local councillor said the West of England Combined Authority should step in and fund the route with money from the Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP), a government grant.
Conservative Councillor Richard Eddy, representing Bishopsworth, said: “The 52 service is absolutely crucial to local people without private cars and it’s essential it’s maintained if whole communities are not going to be marooned and cut off. The Transpora Group was very helpful and confirmed that they were willing to continue to run the route.
“They stated that the reason for the axe was down to the West of England metro mayor, Dan Norris, who has chosen not to use his BSIP pot of funding to support the vital service. Cllr Kevin Quarterly and I have written to the metro mayor urging him to urgently reverse the short-sighted decision.”
Sue Mullins, who lives in Bishopsworth, added: “This axe will seriously impact many residents who use the bus, not only to get into town but also to get to the Imperial Park shopping centre and South Bristol Community Hospital. The 52 service has been a lifeline and provides independence to those unable to catch the alternative 75 and 76 bus services.”
The 52 bus is run by Transpora, which operates several transport businesses across England. The company said it “loved serving communities” along the route, but could no longer afford to do so.
Charlie Butler, marketing and communications manager at Transpora, said: “The decision to withdraw the 52 was not an easy one to make. In April, we continued operating the 52 at our own cost following funding cuts by the West of England Combined Authority, which saw a number of supported community routes withdrawn.
“We continued operating the much-needed 52 on the basis it worked between some funded school routes. The funding for those schools has now also been withdrawn, so therefore we cannot afford to operate this route with any funding going forward. We have loved serving the communities along the 52 route and we will be sad to go.
“We have presented WECA with many options to restore those withdrawn links including routes for Highridge and Ashton Vale using the government-awarded BSIP grant funding, but unfortunately this was not forthcoming and therefore in line with the authorities’ new bi-yearly service change date, we have submitted notification to withdraw route 52.”
The government previously had strict rules in place about how the BSIP money could be used. This meant it could only be spent on “new and innovative” ways to improve bus services, rather than propping up traditional routes like the 52.
When the government relaxed these rules in June, this raised hopes that the money could go towards funding some of the several subsidised routes in the West of England under threat. But last month the interim acting chief executive of the combined authority, Richard Ennis, told councillors that there were still “significant hurdles” in using the BSIP money.
Subsidised buses in the region have always been funded by local councils like Bristol City Council, rather than the combined authority. But Bristol and the other two councils in the region said spiralling costs in the bus industry meant they could not increase their subsidies in line with inflation. One major issue with the BSIP grant is that it’s meant to be spent over just three years, and subsidised routes like the 52 need a more long-term funding solution.