Income from the Clean Air Zone is helping improve public transport
Three new bus services were launched across Bristol in April(Image: Bristol City Council)
A second round of improvements to bus services is on the way funded by drivers entering the Clean Air Zone. By the end of the summer passengers in Bristol could benefit from new night bus services on the weekend.
Earlier this year three new bus services were launched, funded by the money Bristol City Council had received from the Clean Air Zone. Now councillors are considering how to spend an extra £1.8 million on improving buses, with a potential focus on routes running overnight.
It’s not year clear which services will see a boost nor how many, but more night buses have been a long-standing call given concerns about people getting home safe late in the evening. An update was given to councillors on the transport policy committee on Thursday, May 15.
Labour Councillor Tim Rippington said: “It’s not going to be as easy this time to select what we can fund, because we’ve looked at far more things than we know we will be able to fund this time. But I’m hoping that we’ll get some outcomes that the city will really find useful.”
The changes to the services are due to be rolled out at the end of August. A few bus routes already run overnight, like the 75 and 76, but these are infrequent.
The Clean Air Zone charges people who drive particularly polluting vehicles within a certain area around the city centre. Income from these charges is being used to fund a whole raft of transport upgrades.
The routes launched earlier this year, funded by the Clean Air Zone, are the 36, which runs from Highridge to St Annes, via Withywood, Hartcliffe, Imperial Park, Knowle and Brislington; the 16, which runs from Fishponds to Rupert Street in the city centre, via Kingswood, St George, Barton Hill and Temple Meads; and the 37 which runs from Knowle and Hartcliffe to Avonmouth.
The first round of funding didn’t allocate any cash to night buses. But the council has faced repeated calls recently to improve transport options for people getting home at night, including shift workers and staff in restaurants, bars and clubs.
Green Cllr Ed Plowden, chair of the transport committee, said: “We’re hoping to look at night-time buses, earlier running, later running, and focusing on Fridays and Saturdays.”
The majority of bus services in Bristol are funded by companies like First Bus, who make a profit on popular routes. Some routes however are funded by local councils, as these ones cost more money to run than the companies can make in fares, but are deemed important to communities.