Bath & North East Somerset Council’s Park & Ride services will be running more frequently and later into the evening during the Christmas period.
Buses from Newbridge, Lansdown and Odd Down will operate until 10pm on weekdays during the Christmas Market.
More buses will also run at weekends which will double the frequency of services – on Saturdays there will be buses every 5 or 6 minutes, and on Sundays every 7 or 8 minutes.
Extra buses will also run on Sunday 27th December when Bath Rugby has a home fixture, and on the Bank Holiday, Monday 28th December.
Councillor Anthony Clarke (Conservative, Lansdown), Cabinet Member for Transport, said: “The Christmas Market attracts thousands of visitors from across our area, as well as the rest of the UK and overseas, generating over £20 million for the local economy.
“However, the increase in visitor numbers into the city during the festive period inevitably puts additional pressure onto our highways network.
“We are therefore putting in place additional measures to accommodate this increased demand and ensure that the market is as accessible as possible.
“Our Park & Rides are a good way of getting shoppers and visitors in and out of Bath city centre without using their car, and laying on additional weekend buses and extended the Park & Ride opening times also help keep traffic moving in the city during this busy period.”
Late evening services will operate on the following days:
Christmas Market: Thursday 26th November – Saturday 12th December.
Monday – Saturday late night operation, last buses will leave the city centre at 10pm.
On Sundays 29th November and 6th, 13th December, the last buses will leave the city centre at 6pm.
Monday 14th December – Saturday 19th December.
Late night operation, last buses leave the city centre at 10pm
Sunday 20th – Thursday 24th December – normal service.
Christmas Day & Boxing Day – no service.
December 27th & 28th – Sunday service (last buses leave the city centre at 6pm).
December 29th – 31st – normal service.
New Year’s Day – no service.
2nd January, normal Saturday service.
(Normal operating hours are 6.15am – 8.30pm Mon-Sat and 9.30am – 6.pm Sunday/Bank Holidays.)
The bus shelters at Odd Down Park & Ride have also been replaced in time for the Christmas Market.
The new shelters are bigger and provide better weather protection for waiting passengers.
The shelter for the number 42 service to the RUH has also been improved.
Full details can be found here: http://bathecho.uk/banes-pandr-xmas2015
