Millions raised from clean air zone to pay for buses

A clean air zone was introduced to Bristol in November 2022

Millions of pounds raised from the clean air zone will be used to pay for better buses in certain parts of Bristol.

From April, new and improved routes will start running in some areas across the city, as part of an upcoming deal with bus companies.

Bristol City Council is planning to spend £4.7m over the next three years to support unprofitable bus routes in areas where people rely on them.

These will include neighbourhoods without any existing bus services, and potentially a new circular route avoiding the city centre.

An update on the plans was given to the transport police committee on Thursday 24 October, said the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The Clean Air Zone was launched in November 2022 and raised £26m in one year.

A task force of councillors is exploring how to best spend some of the income from the clean air zone, and has met five times since forming to thrash out what areas should get priority.

Leading the task group is Labour Councillor Tim Rippington, who said:

"On Wednesday this week we met with four of the main bus operators in the city to ensure they were aware of our objectives and timetable.

"All were happy that they would be able to respond to the tender process within the timetable we've laid out for them, so that's good news."

New and improved bus services will start running from April

The money will prioritise routes through areas currently without any bus service and poorer parts of Bristol, as well as connecting popular destinations like hospitals, schools or stations.

Routes running through a liveable neighbourhood will also get priority - the first liveable neighbourhood is being installed in east Bristol, with another planned for the south of the city.

Orbital routes will also be considered. These circular services could run around the city, rather than routes that go into the city centre and back out to the suburbs - although bus companies predict they would "not be profitable at any time in the near future", Mr Rippington said.

Night buses could also get a boost, and the group has asked every councillor for gaps in services in their area.

This week the group is looking at initial plans for new routes or changes to existing ones.

Then they will finalise the plans, and ask bus companies to bid for the contracts to run through the services, which begin in April next year.