Bus Stands, Bristol Temple Meads

Image: © Martin Addison Taken: 25 Jun 2011

Buses wait for passengers outside Bristol Temple Meads station. The closest vehicle is on a new free service which started operating on 11th June 2011. On the right is one of the volunteers who was handing out cards advertising the service and explaining what FreeBus is all about. The FreeBus project (probably the right word for it at this time) is, to quote from the FreeBus website (at http://www.freebus.org.uk/ )... "FreeBus is a non-profit organisation funded by memberships and donations from Bristol residents. Whilst passengers are encouraged to become members or donate, the service is free at the point of use. FreeBus aims to develop a model for communities to take control of their transport systems. With your help we can provide a comprehensive, environmentally friendly and free public transport system for Bristol, so please get on board!" The vehicles are currently supplied by Wessex Connect, one of the smaller groups of bus companies. Quite what the major local operator First thinks of it all is a matter for conjecture but it seems that there is significant local disquiet about the fares charged on bus routes which may have prompted this experiment. I understand that the cab fares are very high as well. Whatever the politics of the situation, it was going most of the way towards our destination so we hopped on board :-) For the record, the vehicle is an ADL Dart with Mini-Pointer body (i.e. it's the very short 8.8 metre version!)

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