Image credit: Jon Craig Photos / First Bus Buses
We need bus services that people can depend on. They must be quick and reliable, easy to use and affordable for our residents.
Bringing partners together to improve transport across the region
The Combined Authority is bringing partners together to improve transport across the region, to provide sustainable, long-term solutions to help people move around the region more easily, reducing congestion and improving the environment we live in.
As part of this long-term vision, on 1 April 2020 the Bath & North East Somerset, Bristol and South Gloucestershire councils combined resources so the delivery of some operational transport functions is now carried out directly by the West of England Combined Authority.
Working together in this way means we can achieve more to address our challenges as a region, planning public transport across council boundaries.
Kids Go Free returns for another summer of free bus travel across the West
From Saturday 18 July until Sunday 6 September (inclusive), children and young people can travel for free for the whole seven weeks of the school holidays.
There’s no need to register – under 16s can just hop on board.
During previous school holidays, Kids Go Free has helped more children and young people travel by bus, with the biggest increases seen in lower-income communities. The data shows that journeys rose by an average of 98% in areas where family incomes are among the lowest 10% nationally, while areas within the lowest 30% income bracket saw an 89% increase during the scheme last summer.
Next stop, better buses: more bus improvements for the West
Helen Godwin, Mayor of the West of England, said:
"Delivering better buses across the West of England is one of our biggest priorities. We have already secured record-breaking investment for transport from the government, and I was delighted to recently announce new bus routes to better connect more of our communities including in the Chew Valley and Thornbury, alongside even more green electric buses coming soon to our region too.
"Thanks to the thousands of responses to our bus survey, we know that people’s priorities are a bus network they can trust, and one that is safe, accessible, and affordable, and our developing Bus Plan for the region in October will reflect that."
We help to make journeys in the West of England as simple as possible.
WEST provides journey planning and live updates, as well as information on public transport fares, routes and timetables and support for walking and cycling.
We manage the metrobus contract and provide service information.
metrobus is a modern public transport system for the greater Bristol area, adopting ‘buy before you board‘ ticketing and limited stopping at key destinations for faster boarding and shorter journey times.
Providing bus timetable information at bus stops and data to journey planners and apps, including real-time predictions.
Funding, advice and support for on-demand local transport services, such as dial-a-ride, community buses and voluntary car schemes.
Procuring and managing bus contracts supported with public money where the service is not commercially viable. We call these supported bus services.
Administering a service providing free off-peak bus passes for older people and people with qualifying disabilities.
Local bus services that operate wholly within the West of England Area (i.e. Bath and North East Somerset, Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire) the West of England Combined Authority is now the Bus Services Registration Authority.
Contact information
Visit WEST to find contact details for bus and rail operators, our transport team, and more...
For metrobus specific queries, complete the metrobus contact form on the WEST website. Alternatively, you can also call the team on 0117 922 2910.