Expanded Bus Service Proves Success of Reducing Traffic

“It would never happen in Clifton.” It wasn’t easy, but it did.

As new bus routes are launched in Bristol, this is how local leadership lead to more buses and fewer cars.

When plans to remove parking bays were first proposed, to allow for the pedestrianisation of Princess Victoria Street, some Clifton residents urged councillors to wait until there was a better bus service. However, local leaders knew that it doesn’t work that way— it is traffic congestion itself that was causing delays, making buses unreliable and unattractive to passengers. 

James Freeman, the previous CEO of First Bus, in a conversation with local councillor Paula O’Rourke, made it clear: “You remove the traffic congestion, and then we will put on a greater number of more reliable buses.”

In the face of a great deal of opposition, remember the coffin procession to signify the death of the high street? We managed to reduce congestion. With fewer cars clogging the roads, buses are now able to run closer to schedule, encouraging more people to use them. This has created a “virtuous circle”— as bus reliability improves, passenger use increases, further easing congestion and allowing for more services to be added. It’s a policy we are trying to replicate in different ways across Bristol.

Public transport in Clifton is seeing a major transformation, with new and improved bus services making travel more reliable and convenient. Thanks to efforts to reduce car congestion and prioritise buses across the whole city, First Bus has been able to increase service frequency and introduce new routes to and from Clifton.

As a result:

• The No. 8 bus, previously running five times an hour, now runs six times an hour. And will be fully electric from this summer.
• The new No. 5 route has been introduced, providing an additional link into the city.
• From 6th April, the brand-new No. 77 bus will run three times an hour, taking passengers from Horfield Common to Clifton Down via Clifton Village—a long-requested route since the cancellation of the No. 9.

Clifton councillors, Paula O’Rourke and Jerome Thomas have long campaigned for the return of a bus service that allows Clifton residents to access vital services around Clifton Down. 

Cllr. Jerome Thomas said, “These improvements have been made possible because more people are choosing to travel by bus, allowing First Bus to expand its services. Now, with a better bus network in place, we hope even more residents will make the switch to public transport”.

What’s more, Victoria Street is now a hub for residents and visitors alike; the newly pedestrianised area is a destination for shopping and socialising – and more people can get there by bus and not worry about where to park!

Cllr. Ed Plowden, Chair of the Transport and Connectivity Committee, said: “We always said that prioritising buses and active travel was the key to better public transport. Now, in Clifton, with fewer cars on the roads, buses are running more reliably, and more people are choosing them. This is exactly the kind of “virtuous circle” of positive change we are trying to achieve.”

These changes are part of a broader strategy to create a greener, more accessible city, ensuring that public transport remains a convenient, affordable, and sustainable option for all.