Bristol region set to lose 18 bus services in October

Metro mayor Dan Norris said there would be two new services introduced to cover some of the region

Eighteen Bristol bus services are set to be axed in October, the West of England metro mayor has revealed.

Official confirmation of which routes will be cut is expected next week, following a major network review.

But Mayor Dan Norris has already named the 11 commercial and seven subsidised routes due to be scrapped.

Lib Dem councillor Sarah Warren said the "appalling cuts" would "fall most heavily on disadvantaged and isolated communities".

Labour mayor Mr Norris said the West of England Combined Authority (WECA) had thrown "the kitchen sink at it, but ultimately we need more bus drivers".

He had voiced his concerns earlier this week, after the Department for Transport pledged an extra £130m funding for bus operators in England.

The cuts, which are largely the result of a national bus driver shortage, come into force from October 9

Commercial services due to be cut:

• 5 Downend to Bristol

• 22 University of Bath to Twerton

• 41 Lawrence Hill to Bristol

• 42 Odd Down park and ride to Bath's Royal United Hospital

• 72/72A Temple Meads to UWE Frenchay

• 171/172 Paulton to Bath

• X2 Bristol to Yatton

• X5 (in part) Bristol to Weston via Portishead

• Y3 Yate to Bristol

• Y4 Yate to Bristol

• Y5 Chipping Sodbury to Bristol

Subsidised routes due to be cut or changed:

• 11 Bathampton to Bath

• 12 Haycombe Cemetery to Bath

• 20 University of Bath to Twerton

• 36 Bristol to Annes (to be extended to Brislington but with the loss of Wick Road)

• 82 Paulton to Radstock (Tyning)

• 96 Hengrove to Brislington

• 178 Radstock to Bristol

Because of a four-week consultation period on the proposals that ends this week, a First West of England spokesperson said they could not yet confirm the services being cancelled, reported the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

"We are committed to providing a full and accurate picture of all the changes once the consultation period has ended," they said.

Mr Norris said he hoped for better news when further government funding kicks in next April

Mr Norris, who heads WECA, which co-ordinates the region's strategic transport, accepted that "these cuts will be disheartening and worrying for local people".

As well as a lack of drivers, "we are also living in unprecedented times with annual inflation in the bus industry letting rip at over 40 per cent", he added.

Conservative councillor Steve Reade said it was "frustrating" to "yet again to see the WECA mayor refusing to fight for vital bus services and again rolling over and ridding our communities of public transport".

The operator is due to confirm all the changes by Friday 2 September.