Top politicians are being urged not to axe the “lifeline” bus which is the only route to Bristol for many village residents.

1,064 people signed a petition to the West of England Combined Authority (WECA) urging it to keep the X91 running through the Chew Valley.

It is the only bus which connects the huge area of North East Somerset to Bristol but it could be coming to an end after July.

The petition warns: “Removing this service would likely force many residents back into their cars, undermining the progress we’ve made in reducing traffic and environmental impact. It would also disrupt the daily routines of countless individuals who depend on the bus for access to work, education, healthcare, and other essential services.”

Presenting the petition at a WECA committee meeting on June 5, Chew Valley transport campaigner Jackie Head told West of England Mayor Helen Godwin and the WECA committee: “I want to keep coming to these meetings but the reality is my village is one of the ones that would be cut off.”

Villages south of the Chew Valley Lake — Compton Martin, Ubley, East Harptree, and West Harptree — all face being cut off from a Bristol bus service if the X91 ends, but other villages in the Chew Valley could be served by a new bus as part of a two hour long route between Bath and Bristol. David Harding, a Liberal Democrat councillor for the Chew Valley on Bath and North East Somerset Council, warned the meeting that the new route was “overly circuitous.”

The X91 was set up by the Chew Valley Sustainable Transport Group in 2024, under a WECA scheme to fund local groups to set up bus services, after locals were left stranded when all of the Chew Valley’s buses were axed in 2023.

In addition to the petition, 18 people submitted statements to the meeting about how they relied on the X91 to reach work, education, the supermarket, or hospital appointments.

Peter Luckett wrote: “I sold my car in favour of commuting on the X91 to and from the office.” Sally Calverley warned: “This bus service is a lifeline between rural communities and the city. Please don’t assume we are all rich and privileged out here! We need this bus service.”

The Chew Valley Sustainable Transport Group has now come up with a new proposal of how the X91 could keep running, calling for it to be a two hourly service continuing to call at all the villages, with a separate service running hourly to connect Bishop Sutton to Midsomer Norton.

Mr Harding said: “The Chew Valley Sustainable Transport Group proposed a sensible motion to cover a similar network footprint while still retaining the X91. Please listen to this suggestion and have  the common sense to adopt it.”

Ms Head said: “Please listen to our plea and intervene to help retain the X91.” Ms Godwin told her: “I do genuinely appreciate all that you do and how much commitment you put into this — so you are being heard.”