‘We will be isolated if they cut the Y5’ - residents of village near Bristol concerned over bus cuts

A village near Bristol will be ‘isolated’ by cuts to its bus service, according to residents who have sent a petition to metro mayor Dan Norris.

The Y5 metrobus between Yate and Bristol centre is one of several services due to be cut in October.

It will mean that people living in villages on the northern outskirts of the city will be unable to travel to the city centre as well as local amenities.

Resident Sue Hillier lives in Shortwood, one of the villages in South Gloucestershire affected by the bus cuts.

She says the village in the parish of Pucklechurch, which has around 100 homes, will be effectively cut off when the Y5 stops.

“We will be isolated if they cut the Y5,” says Mrs Hillier. “Some villagers are elderly, some are disabled ,some work, some are children, some drive and others don’t - we are a mixed bunch.

“We are not able to get to our doctors, hospitals, schools, post office or village hall.”Mrs Hillier has set up a petition, which be signed by every household in the village, and it has been sent to Luke Hall MP for Thornbury and Yate, and metro mayor Dan Norris.

The residents have suggested an alternative route through Emerson’s Green and Shortwood to help the situation.

Mrs Hillier says: “Shortwood is a small community and the road to Pucklechurch is not fully paved so can be dangerous to walk.

“I personally went round the village asking for residents views and asking them to sign a petition to keep the Y5. Not one household refused and I asked all residents if possible to email the metro mayor and Luke Hall .

“Without this bus we cannot access shops, the village doctor, the village hall, hospitals or Mangotsfield and Pucklechurch schools.

“Myself and others have suggested an alternative route, allowing the 47 to travel trough Emersons Green and then through Shortwood to Pucklechurch and back.”

In August, hundreds of people packed a public meeting to raise concerns when Metro Mayor Dan Norris revealed First planned to cut three bus services covering north and east Bristol.

As well as the Y5, the other services threatened with the axe were the Y4 from Yate to Bristol city centre and the number 5, from Downend to Bristol.

Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service at the meeting in August, Pucklechurch Parish Council chairwoman Gail Boyle said: “If the Y5 is cut, the only bus through the village will be the one to Bath, the 620.

“Before the pandemic our bus service ran once an hour but since then it has reduced to once every two hours and quite a few of those do not turn up.

“This means that if you’ve gone to Bristol or you’re a student at college, you can be stranded for four hours if it doesn’t arrive.

“A lot of residents tell me that what they fear most is being isolated from their families, and this could happen with the loss of the service.”