First West of England has rerouted the U1 service to the University of Bath to travel via Westmoreland Road under the railway bridge after responding to feedback from residents, schools and businesses.
In September 2016, the local bus operator put eight brand-new low-emission double-decker buses on the route to improve the customer journey experience and reduce the number of vehicles on the road.
To accommodate the new buses, First West of England was advised to reroute the service to avoid the low bridge under the railway on Westmoreland Road, which had a recommended height limit of 13’ 3”.
Since then the service has been travelling via Upper Oldfield Park, which has raised concerns from schools, residents and businesses in the area.
Following the feedback, First West of England worked with Bath & North East Somerset Council and Network Rail to determine if the new double-decker buses could fit under the bridge.
The trial was successful and the bridge limit has been raised to 14’ 6”, which can comfortably accommodate the double decker vehicles.
Andrew Sherrington, General Manager for First Bath, Wells and Weston-super-Mare commented: “We’re always keen to receive feedback, from not only our passengers, but also other members of the communities that we serve.
“Initially, it was disappointing when we learned that our new double-deck buses wouldn’t be able to operate through Westmoreland Road.
“However, we’ve worked our partners and demonstrated that the low bridge can accommodate our double-deckers. We’d like to thank both Network Rail and Bath & North East Somerset Council for their valuable assistance.”
Councillor Anthony Clarke, Bath & North East Somerset Council Cabinet Member for Transport, said: “We wanted to try and resolve this issue as the changes to the route had caused concern for local residents, schools and businesses on Upper Oldfield Park.
“Fortunately, our officers were able work with First and return the route to Westmoreland Road.
“I am pleased that First has been able to introduce more environmentally-friendly vehicles along this route and that we have been able to address those concerns.”
Service U1 is one of the best options for getting between the University of Bath, Oldfield Park and the City Centre. With a bus at least every 10 minutes during the day and services running 24/7, it’s ideal for students travelling between lectures, on a late night library session or enjoying drinks with friends.
The U1 service operates eight double-decker buses, that featuring free Wi-Fi, USB charging points and information screens with the latest news updates.
