A new metrobus route linking Bristol Parkway and Cribbs Causeway will officially launch in January, it has been revealed today (December 8). The West of England Combined Authority has confirmed that the new m4 metrobus route will run from Sunday, January 22.
First West, which will operate the service, claim that m4 buses will run every 20 minutes from Monday to Saturday and every 30 minutes on Sundays and Bank Holidays. It will run between 6am and 11 pm on weekdays, with a later start at weekends.
The route will provide a link between Cribbs Causeway and Bristol city centre via The Mall, Bristol Parkway Station and the University of the West of England, serving communities in Patchway and Stoke Gifford. But initially the service it will operate via a temporary route via the A38 and Hayes Way.
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Eventually, the m4 will also stop at the new Bristol Arena and Brabazon development on the former Filton Airfield. It is hoped the service will provide a useful public transport connection for gig goers once the YTL Arena opens in 2024, as the train station for the area due to open next year has now been delayed until 2026.
Works along the m4’s new route, which include the installation of a new railway bridge and bus lanes on Gipsy Patch Lane, as well as upgrades to bus stops, have been carried out by South Gloucestershire Council following £57 million of funding from the West of England Combined Authority.
The m4 buses will run on biogas, using food waste as a sustainable fuel, while bus stops along the route are said to have upgraded to provide real-time information. Installation of bus shelters and iPoints that offer combined ticket machines and information displays are due to be completed over the next few months.
Speaking about the new route 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." The news of a new bus service will be surprising for many following the announcement last month that First was cancelling 1,450 bus journeys a week until April, because it doesn't have enough drivers.
Acknowledging the ongoing chaotic and unreliable provision of bus services across Bristol, Mr Norris said: "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. 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".
Meanwhile, Doug Claringbold, managing director of First West of England, said: “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. 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, metro buses 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."
Douth Gloucestershire Council’s cabinet member for regeneration, environment and strategic infrastructure, 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.”
First Bus has also said that from January 22 2023, there will be changes to other metrobus services to increase reliability. To attempt to improve punctuality, revised timetables will be introduced on m1, m2, m3/m3x services to allow buses more time to complete their journeys.
There will also be changes to other services in the new year. Service 19 (Bath – Cribbs Causeway) will start and finish at Bristol Parkway Station, with connections available to and from Cribbs Causeway at Bristol Parkway on the m4 or at UWE Campus on both the m1 and m4.
Additionally, service 73 (Bristol Temple Meads – Cribbs Causeway) will terminate at Bradley Stoke and no longer operate to Cribbs Causeway. Customers in the Stoke Gifford area can instead use the new m4 to and from Cribbs Causeway, and from Bradley, Stoke connections will be available on the m1 at Willow Brook Centre.
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