Have your say on Bath's bus services

Bath & North East Somerset Council is hosting an online webinar for residents and businesses to help inform how bus travel can best be provided in the future.

The webinar is on Wednesday 24 August from 2pm to 4pm. It runs alongside the West of England Metro Mayor’s ‘big choices on buses’ conversation, taking place throughout August, which is asking for views and ideas on bus travel across the region.

Bus services across the West of England face immense challenges, particularly in light of issues such as rising fuel costs and climate change.  The government’s Covid funding for bus companies also comes to an end in October and although the West of England Combined Authority and its three constituent councils, including B&NES, offered to continue to support the subsidised routes until April 2023, bus companies remain under pressure. There may still be cuts to both subsidised and commercial routes due to difficulties affecting the bus industry, in particular driver shortages, and some of our services in B&NES may be affected.

Councillor Sarah Warren, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Climate and Sustainable Travel, said: “The consultation is the ideal opportunity for our residents and businesses to put their views across and have their voices heard on how future bus services are run across the West of England, particularly given the challenges we face.  It is important for the region to have a reliable, affordable and sustainable bus service, which meets the needs of residents and businesses, whilst helping us achieve our net zero goals by 2030."

“I encourage everyone to have their say, whether by joining our webinar on 24 August or by responding directly to the Metro Mayor’s online survey.  The results from our webinar will be collated and given to the West of England Combined Authority, to ensure the views of those in Bath and North East Somerset are heard.”

To find out more about the Metro Mayor’s 'Big Choices on Buses' conversation, which closes on Wednesday 31 August, visit www.westofengland-ca.gov.uk/big-choices-on-buses.

To register for a free webinar place, by midnight on Tuesday 23 August, visit https://beta.bathnes.gov.uk/webinar/future-bnes-bus-services.