NORTH Somerset residents can benefit from two new bus services from today (Tuesday, January 2).

The new 126 service connects Weston-super-Mare to Wells via Uphill, Weston Hospital, Bleadon, Hutton, Elbourgh, Sandford, Winscombe, Axbridge and Cheddarco.

Meanwhile, the number 9 service will run between West Wick and the bus interchange at Alexandra Parade. The route will include Worle retail park, Worle Lidl, Queensway, Lower Kewstoke Road, Church Road, Worlebury, Ashbury Drive, Baytree Road, Aisecome Way retail park, Winterstoke Road retail parks and the town centre.

These changes have been made as part of North Somerset Council’s Bus Service Improvement Plan, which has been funded by the Department for Transport.

Posting on Facebook, the leader of North Somerset Council, Cllr Mike Bell, said: "New services and improvements to bus services in and around Weston start from today, Tuesday January 2.

"The changes include the introduction of new bus services the 126 and the 9. There will also be some further changes from January 7.

"New bus network maps and detailed timetables for individual bus services are available to view online at: https://journeyplanner.travelwest.info/routes/region/3.

"The changes are:

"126 – From January 2, the new 126 service will run Monday to Saturday, approximately every two hours. The service connects Weston-super-Mare to Wells via Uphill, Weston Hospital, Bleadon, Hutton, Elbourgh, Sandford, Winscombe, Axbridge and Cheddarco.

"9 – From January 2, the new number 9 service will run Monday to Friday, three times a day between West Wick and the bus interchange at Alexandra Parade. The route will include Worle retail park, Worle Lidl, Queensway, Lower Kewstoke Road, Church Road, Worlebury, Ashbury Drive, Baytree Road, Aisecome Way retail park, Winterstoke Road retail parks and the town centre.

"7 – From January 7, the Sunday service will be doubled to every 30 minutes and timetable slightly updated. No change to the bus route.

"X1, X4, X6, X7, X9 – From January 7, the timetables will be slightly updated with no changes to the bus routes.

"These changes follow an evaluation of significant bus service updates made in September as part of North Somerset Council’s Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP), funded by the Department for Transport."

Cllr Hannah Young, executive member for Highways and Transport at North Somerset Council, said: “Listening to residents and implementing changes based on feedback is a crucial part of improving our bus services. Given the strong public call for the reintroduction of the 126 service, we are hopeful that it will be a popular, and therefore commercially viable route. 
 
“The council is committed to working with bus service operators so that our local communities can be better connected by sustainable transport options that make North Somerset a better place to work, study and live.

"These routes have been designed to connect residents to key services including schools and colleges, hospitals, and shops. It is challenging to find funds to support routes that are not well-used enough to be commercially viable but are nevertheless very important to our communities.

"We will continue to make further incremental improvements to the network and hope you will make the most of the £2 bus fare cap in the new year and try a new way to travel.”