WESTlink

WESTlink is an on-demand minibus service that allows residents to book their bus journeys through an app, website, or phone. It forms part of the largest on-demand bus scheme in the UK. It aims to reconnect communities by offering people currently without a local service the opportunity to get back on the bus.

WESTlink operates within the following West of England zones:

• Northern (blue)
• Southern (green)
• a shared zone between the two (purple)
• the Future Transport Zone (FTZ) (orange) is a trial demand service

The service consists of up to 30 accessible 16-seater minibuses running across all three zones. The maximum wait time is expected to be 60 minutes.

Journeys can be booked

• through a free app
• by phoning the call centre
• through the website
• on-demand or on the day before travel

Smart technology will match your journey with other customers to best use the space on board. 

WESTlink services began on Monday 3 April. The running times vary according to zone.

‘Overlap areas’ between zones allow you to transfer between the north and south zones. Separate trips need to be booked for each zone.

A single fare for any journey length within an operating zone is £2 adults, £1 child.

All concessionary and older person’s bus passes accepted.

You can pay via a credit or debit card attached to your app account. You can also pay the driver with cash.

In future we plan to add to the ticket offering:

• day fares
• through-ticketing with other operators (standard bus/rail services)

You may want to be picked up or dropped off in an area that doesn’t have a physical bus stop. This could be a doctor’s surgery, pharmacy or a local shop.

If there’s a public need for an additional bus stop, we can create a virtual one that you can choose when booking WESTlink.

To request a virtual bus stop, please contact us via email. 

Getting set up

1. download the app through the Apple App Store or Google Play by searching WESTlink. This will be available to download from Monday 3 April
2. For security it will ask you to confirm your mobile phone number -  you will then receive a code by text that you need to input.
3. set up your account by putting in your name, email address, and password
4. add a payment card to your account to make buying tickets quicker and easier

Booking a journey

Once an account has been set up, it will recognise your current location and ask you to set a place you want to travel to. You can input an address or drag the pin. 

Confirm your destination. This can be any destination in your zone. You will be asked if you want to add any additional passengers travelling with you.

You have two options on when to book. 

• Travel now
• Pre-book

Travel now

To travel now, select this option. You will receive a trip proposal for when your WESTlink minibus will be with you. This will normally be between 5 and 45 minutes depending on demand and location.

You can ask to arrive by a time or depart at a certain time.

Pre-booking

You can also choose to pre-book a trip for later - up to the end of the following day.

For pre-booked trips, you will receive an offer of a 30-minute pick up window. 30 minutes before that window you will then receive a text message with the pick-up time. 

Track your vehicle

Whatever time you book, the app will show you:

• where the bus is
• when it is coming near you
• details of the vehicle picking you up. 
• your journey along with any other pickups and drop offs on your route
• an estimated time of arrival
• details of any fixed route and normal bus services in the area, in case these work better for your travel

Payment

If you pay by credit or debit card, the app will take payment when your trip starts. Just get on board when the bus arrives. 

If you pay by cash or concessionary fare, you will need to pay on board or show proof of your discounted rate.

You can ring the call centre to book a journey. 

When you get through to an operator you’ll be asked:

• name and address
• where you’d like to travel
• what time you need to arrive at your destination

You will then wait for a confirmation phone call confirming what time you need to be at your chosen bus stop.