South Bristol 52 bus service to be cancelled in September

A "lifeline" bus service serving south Bristol will be axed next month.

The 52 service, which runs from Broadmead in the city centre heading south through Bedminster and Highridge to Hartcliffe, will cease running from 3 September.

The service is one of many in the region which is partly funded by local councils, but subsidies for several routes are being withdrawn.

Local councillors and residents said the service was "absolutely crucial".

Conservative councillor Richard Eddy, who represents Bishopsworth, said the West of England Combined Authority (WECA) should step in and fund the route with money from the Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP), a government grant.

"The 52 service is absolutely crucial to local people without private cars and it's essential it's maintained if whole communities are not going to be marooned and cut off," he said, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).

Sue Mullins, who lives in Bishopsworth, added: "This axe will seriously impact many residents who use the bus, not only to get into town but also to get to the Imperial Park shopping centre and South Bristol Community Hospital.

"The 52 service has been a lifeline and provides independence to those unable to catch the alternative 75 and 76 bus services."

The 52 bus is run by Transpora, which operates several transport businesses across England.

The company said it "loved serving communities" along the route, but could no longer afford to do so.

Charlie Butler, Transpora marketing and communications manager, said: "In April, we continued operating the 52 at our own cost following funding cuts by the West of England Combined Authority, which saw a number of supported community routes withdrawn.

"We continued operating the much-needed 52 on the basis it worked between some funded school routes.

"The funding for those schools has now also been withdrawn, so therefore we cannot afford to operate this route with any funding going forward."

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