Our bus infrastructure

We are investing £48 million of our Bus Service Improvement Plan funding into bus priority schemes. These schemes will be across our three key bus corridors; the A38, A370 and A369.

To improve your bus experience, we will be adding new transport hubs and upgrading bus stops and shelters across North Somerset. We will also be upgrading bus infrastructure in Clevedon.

The BSIP schemes will help to meet future passenger and network demand by increasing bus service capacity and performance. It will enable people to travel affordably, reliably and sustainably by bus.

We are engaging with local communities and representatives throughout the BSIP funding window. We want your feedback on the different schemes being proposed and implemented along the A38, A370 and A369. We are sharing the details on how to give your feedback on each scheme when they are ready.

Please check back on this page for the latest updates on different schemes.

The A38 corridor

The A38 is a key strategic route within North Somerset as well as between Bristol, Taunton and the South West. It is currently served by four key bus routes including the popular A1 service to Bristol and Bristol International Airport. Our ambition is to reduce all bus journey times along this key corridor so frequent bus services can become commercially viable. 

The following schemes and concepts are now at different stages of development at key locations affecting bus running times along the A38: 

 

Location     

Status of scheme

Latest news

Barrow GurneyCompleteBarrow Gurney improvement works set to start this April
Lime Kiln roundabout, near BristolProposed scheme is in development. Engagement period is underway. Public survey on proposed scheme opened from 9 February to 22 March 2024. Feedback received is currently being worked through and will help to directly shape any final infrastructure designs.Have your say on travel improvements for A38 Lime Kiln roundabout
Churchill junction, A38/A368 junction near Churchill and LangfordProposed scheme is in development. Engagement period is underway. Public survey on proposed scheme opened from 23 February to 5 April 2024. Feedback received is currently being worked through and will help to directly shape any final infrastructure designs.Shape new bus service improvement plans for A38/A368 junction

Please visit our Engagement and consultation process page to view any proposals that are currently open for feedback.

The A370 and Weston-super-Mare corridor

The A370 is a key corridor for bus improvements. The corridor is used by several bus routes including the popular X1 service (between Weston and Bristol) which carries 128,000 passenger journeys every month.

We have been working with communities to discuss, develop and implement bus priority schemes along the A370. The following schemes are now either complete, underway or under development at key locations affecting bus running times: 

 

Location

Status of scheme

Latest news

Long Ashton BypassCompleteLong Ashton Bypass bus lane now complete
New bus stop for the A3 at Worle national rail stationComplete and providing links to the West Country mainline.Changes to North Somerset's bus services from 3 September
Brockley CombeIn final phase of construction.Brockley Combe improvement works set to finish in April
Wood HillTraffic Regulation Orders (TROs) period of legal consultation has now closed. Works have begun and are expected to complete in August 2024.Wood Hill bus improvement works to start in March
BackwellProposed scheme under development. Responses from engagement period, including public survey and in-person event, are being considered. No formal executive decision expected before December 2024.Engagement summary report published April 2024
Smallway junction, near CongresburyProposed scheme in development. Public engagement and consultation phase yet to begin.Coming soon
Weston-super-Mare: Bristol Road / Walford Avenue / Queensway WorleProposed scheme in development. Public engagement phase yet to begin.Coming soon
A370/B3340 slip roadProposed scheme under development. Public engagement phase yet to begin.Coming soon

Please visit our Engagement and consultation process page to view any proposals that are currently open for feedback.

The A369 corridor

The planned package of bus priority measures along the North Somerset section of the A369 bus corridor is expected to reduce the longest round-trip bus journey times. The A369 is serviced by the popular X4 bus service connecting Portishead and Bristol. Improvements to its journey times and punctuality will contribute to improved passenger satisfaction, and increased bus patronage, securing the route’s commercially sustainability.

We have been working with communities to discuss, develop and implement bus priority schemes along the A370. The following schemes are now either complete, underway or under development at key locations affecting bus running times: 

 

Location

Status of scheme

Latest news

Beggar Bush LaneCompleteBeggar Bush Lane bus improvement works set to start

Rownham Hill, on outskirts of Bristol near Ashton Court

 

Proposed scheme is in development. Engagement period is underway. Public survey on proposed scheme opened from 7 February to 22 March 2024. Feedback received is currently being worked through and will help to directly shape any final infrastructure designs.Have your say on plans to boost A369 Portishead–Bristol bus services
Portbury HundredInitial scheme proposals under review.Coming soon

Martcombe Road

 

Initial scheme proposals under review.Coming soon

Please visit our Engagement and consultation process page to view any proposals that are currently open for feedback.

Clevedon

Between January and March 2024 we sought people’s views on initial proposals to upgrade the roundabouts on Tickenham Road, Ettlingen Way and Southern Way on the outskirts of Clevedon. The aim of the upgrades proposed were to make bus travel faster, more reliable and more sustainable. They would also improve infrastructure for pedestrians and cyclists.

The three roundabouts have been identified as areas of congestion along the popular X5, X6, X7, X10 and B2 bus routes, which link Clevedon and surrounding areas to and from Bristol. These services currently carry nearly 50,000 bus passenger journeys every month with demand expected to grow. Proposed upgrades include enlarging the roundabouts, introducing new bus priority lanes and improving crossings and pavements for pedestrians and cyclists. The changes at the roundabouts would benefit bus passengers and help services.

Please visit our Engagement and consultation process page to view any proposals that are currently open for feedback.

Worle High Street

We’ve been working with the community local to the High Street in Worle, Weston-super-Mare to help shape new plans to transform the area into a vibrant, revitalised and safer place to live, work and visit.

Workshops involving businesses, residents and community groups have been held between October 2023 and February 2024. We discussed potential improvements that could be made to develop and create a new set of designs for the area.

We are continuing to refine these early designs and will be sharing these for feedback in an online public survey later in 2024. 

Please visit our Engagement and consultation process page to view any proposals that are currently open for feedback.

Transport hubs, bus stops and shelters

We want to work with communities to co-develop inviting new bus transport hubs. These will help to improve the waiting environment and connectivity experience for bus and active travel users. 

We will be inviting people to comment on plans for these as soon as we can – but these could include features such as cycle parking and rapid electric vehicle charging points.

We’re also hoping to give many of our existing bus stops and shelters a facelift. This will include enhanced signage, modern shelters, living roofs in some locations and dynamic real-time information boards.

We will share further updates on this page once we have them.

About real time information (RTI)

Real-time information (RTI) about live bus departures are displayed at certain bus stops and online to help you see when your next bus is due. 

You can find out more about bus travel in North Somerset on the Travelwest website.

Reporting damage to existing bus shelters or stops

Have you noticed a problem with a bus shelter, bus stop or incorrect timetable? You can report it to the Public Transport Team by emailing public.transport@n-somerset.gov.uk or phoning 01934 426 715. Please let them know the bus stop name, bus service number, the direction the bus is travelling in, and the time and date as this will help us deal with the issue quicker.

Advertising on existing bus stops

Our Public Transport Team offers a range of packages with flexible pricing plans for advertising opportunities. These include our full colour digital real time information screens available in prime town centre locations from as little as £25 per fortnight. Email public.transport@n-somerset.gov.uk or phone 01934 426 715 to discuss.