A brand new WESTbusStop+ brings together buses and other ways to travel from A to B, thanks to the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority, led by Mayor Dan Norris.
People will be able to get on and off the bus, hire an e-scooter, securely store their bicycle, repair a puncture, charge up their phone, use free Wi-Fi, and more.
At the UWE Bristol based WESTbusStop+, passengers will also be able to admire Bristol-based mural artist Erin Hilsdon’s design inspired by local wildlife: including a fox prowling through woodland and a blackbird flying over meadows.
Other WESTbusStop+ locations across the West of England include Abbey Wood Shopping Park in Filton, Gainsborough Square in Lockleaze, Horfield Library, Lyde Green Park & Ride, Portway Park & Ride, Ridingleaze in Lawrence Weston, and St James' Place in Mangotsfield. They feature a range of services chosen by local people, including seating areas, water fountains, and Electric Vehicle charge points as well as local artwork.
Dan Norris, Mayor of the West of England, said:
“It’s great to see that the very first WESTbusStop+ site is officially open. I’ve always said we need to make bus travel a better experience for people. People need and deserve better. Plus it’s super important to make onward travel easier. So if you know there is somewhere safe and convenient to lock up your bike or hire an e-scooter then clearly more people will take that option.
“That’s got to be good news for reducing congestion on our roads and tackling the climate emergency. We’ve seen that already in the West of England with more people travelling by bus after taking up their free month of travel through Birthday Buses, and more people using our two new train stations, so I hope that WESTbusStop+ can see more such success.”
Paul Roberts, Head of Environment and Sustainability at UWE Bristol, said:
“The new WESTbusStop+ is a valuable addition to Frenchay Campus and will help the University meet its sustainability goals.
“The hub provides extra convenience for our students, staff, and the wider community when they are switching between types of transport, encouraging public transport use and active travel.”
The Mayoral Combined Authority will ask people how they use WESTbusStop+ and which facilities they find most useful through a survey found at the sites.
