The new schedule is part of a raft of changes to be introduced on routes across the city
Bristol is set for its first ever 24/7 bus service(Image: PAUL GILLIS / Reach PLC)
A bus service is set to run 24/7 from today (Sunday, August 31) as one of a raft of changes First Bus is bringing to the Bristol bus network. The m1 metrobus between Hengrove Park and Cribbs Causeway will now run 24-hours a day, seven days a week.
From today, a new overnight service will be introduced, converting the m1 to a 24-hour operation every day of the week. Buses will run half hourly all night.
The city’s first ever 24/7 route, along with several other changes, is being delivered in conjunction with Bristol City Council and the West of England Combined Authority.
There will also be a more regular service on the m2 route between the Long Ashton Park & Ride and the city centre, with buses every ten minutes at weekday peak times rather than every fifteen minutes.
Night buses will be introduced on the 1 route on Monday-Saturday nights, and on the 2, 4 and 6 services on Fridays and Saturdays.
Other major changes include the 5 and 77 services being extended northward to serve Stoke Bishop.
A new U1N night service will be introduced to serve the route between Stoke Bishop and the University of Bristol during term time.
In Bedminster, the A1 Airport Flyer will no longer run via East Street in a cityward direction, instead going via Sheene Road, Malago Road and Dalby Avenue after West Street.
The newly revamped bus network is set for a rocky start after over 1000 drivers voted to strike in early September, in a move which threatens to cause carnage during the start of the school year.
An initial five-day strike has been called from September 4 to 8, with further action planned for September 16 to 19.
The dispute follows Unite members rejecting a two-year pay deal which included an extra £1 per hour until March 2026, followed by just 30p from April 2026. New starters were offered an additional 50p, rising by 10p next April.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham accused First Group of “putting profits over people”, while regional officer Amy Roberts said union members in the West had “no choice” but to go on strike until they received what they considered to be a satisfactory pay offer.
Electric buses have also been introduced on routes around Bristol in recent months. Bristol Live reporter Tristan Cork likened a night-time journey on one of the new vehicles to being at a disco, or on a spaceship.
Another major change on August 31 will be the “significant expansion” of the U2 service beyond Langford to and from Weston-super-Mare, via Churchill, Sandford and Banwell, creating a new direct link between those places and Bristol. However, due to low usage the U2 will no longer run on Sundays.
A new service, the X12, will be introduced on college days that will link Filton, Rolls Royce, Clevedon, Worle, South West Skills Campus and the Weston-super-Mare Interchange, operating on college term days only. The service will be open to all.
Firstbus will also be taking over the 25 route between the city centre and Fishponds, previously operated by Stagecoach.
Many other routes, servicing areas all across the city, will have revised timetables and “frequency improvements” in a bid to improve punctuality.
A lot of the funding for the improved routes has come from revenue generated by the Bristol Clean Air Zone.
Full details of the upcoming changes, including revised timetables and route maps, can be found on the First Bus website.