EARLY morning changes to bus route 172 travelling to Bath will go ahead.

From April 6 changes highlighted in a letter by Cllr Sam Ross, representing Clutton & Farmborough Ward (B&NES) to the Journal, equate to a loss of two morning services jeopardising children getting to school and commuters to their workplace.

“For the residents who depend on this service, these are not minor timetable adjustments. They represent the removal of services upon which they depend entirely,” warned the Green councillor in a letter to the West of England Combined Authority (WECA) urging it to halt the plan to cut the 172 from a half hourly bus to hourly.

Cllr Ross told the Journal: “For the residents who depend on this service, this is not a timetable adjustment. It is a cliff edge.

“These are ordinary people facing an extraordinary disruption to their daily lives, and they deserve a response.”

That response came in a statement from First Bus. They said: “Due to a reduction in funding, we will be making some changes to some of our services across the West of England, including operating service 172 every hour rather than every half hour, so that service levels are in line with passenger numbers.

“Alongside service 522 via Keynsham, customers will continue to receive a broadly half-hourly service between Midsomer Norton, Paulton and Bristol.”

Villages all along the A39 used to be served by a host of buses running to Bath and to Bristol. But in 2023, many of these were axed and the villages were instead left with the 172 and the new 522 service, both of which run in a “southerly loop” between Bath and Bristol via Midsomer Norton and Radstock.

A spokesperson for the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority said: “We know it can be frustrating when timetables and services are changed. This is why the Mayoral Combined Authority funds as many bus services as possible across the region to help keep communities connected.

"WESTlink, a demand responsive transport system, is also available in more rural areas to support local connections and access to the wider transport network.

“We are committed to improving all transport options across the West and have secured £750-million to invest in better transport infrastructure, as set out in our recent Transport Vision.

“Access to reliable buses is incredibly important, which is why we are inviting everyone to have their say on a new Bus Plan for the West of England.”

Cllr Ross added: “The withdrawal of the 179 service in 2023, the failure of WESTlink demand-responsive transport to serve our communities, and the now-proposed cuts to the 172 represent a pattern of managed decline that is having a devastating impact on rural communities in this area.

“If this pattern continues unchallenged, we will be left with hollowed-out communities, as people are forced to move away to access the work, education, and healthcare that public transport can no longer provide.”

The new Bus Plan consultation is open until May at: haveyoursaywest.co.uk/betterbuses