NEW ON-DEMAND BUS WESTLINK LAUNCHED THIS WEEK

The service runs Monday to Saturday 7am – 7pm, except on bank holidays.

The WESTlink on-demand bus service in North Somerset has had its official launch. With a fleet of 30 bright green buses, this is the largest offering of its kind in the UK. Booking your journey is simple and straightforward, with the addition of a telephone number, app or website exclusively for making reservations. In addition to connecting communities in the West, it also gives those without access to a local public service the ability to get back on track.

This can range from medical trips, small errands or engagements with family and friends. WESTlink paired with existing bus and train services makes sure every individual has their mobility needs met in one convenient place.

The minibuses operate without a fixed timetable or route, instead using an automated system to join up people’s desired journey into one trip to get passengers to where they need to be as efficiently as possible.

The price for a journey is £2 per adult, £1 per child until the end of June, and concessionary bus passes are also accepted. Fares will then be charged at standard commercial service costs, in line with Government guidelines from July.

Areas are separated into zones, with North Somerset having the largest area including some of Weston and Nailsea, Clevedon, Portishead, Yatton, Bristol Airport and Chew Valley.

To book a journey using the App, download the ‘WESTlink’ App via the Apple App Store or Google Play by searching WESTlink and create an account. Alternatively, passengers can phone 0117 457 8561. The number is charged at local rates and available now.

For more information about WESTlink, including a map of the zones the buses cover, click www.westlink.app.

The WESTlink service is part of North Somerset’s Bus Improvement Service Plan (BSIP). This will make bus travel across North Somerset faster, convenient, coordinated and better for the environment than running a car.

Following a successful bid to the Department for Transport (DfT), over £105m of Government funding has been allocated for bus improvements, with £48m earmarked for capital improvements in North Somerset alone. £57.5m will be used as a pooled revenue fund with the West of England Combined Authority to enable delivery of the Bus Service Improvement Plan.