Strike Causes Major Travel Disruptions To First Bus Services In Bristol: Impact On Commuters, Airports, And Universities

Published on September 18, 2025

A strike has caused major recreation disruptions to First Bus services successful Bristol, affecting thousands of commuters. The onslaught began this greeting and will proceed until Friday night. Key routes to Bristol Airport and local universities person been heavy impacted, leaving passengers frustrated. The disruption has resulted successful reduced autobus frequencies and respective services being wholly suspended. While routes successful Bath, Weston-super-Mare, and North Somerset are still moving arsenic usual, Bristol remains nan focal constituent of nan disruption. Passengers are advised to scheme their journeys cautiously and let other time.

First Bus and nan Unite union proceed to negotiate, but a solution has not been reached. Commuters, peculiarly those travelling to airports and universities, are urged to cheque updates and hole for delays. The ongoing onslaught highlights nan ongoing tensions betwixt nan national and guidance complete adjacent pay.

The onslaught follows a conflict complete salary negotiations betwixt First Bus and nan Unite union. Drivers person expressed dissatisfaction pinch below-inflation salary rises complete nan past 3 years, calling for a fairer costs deal. While immoderate services successful adjacent areas stay unaffected, nan disruption has still created chaos for galore passengers. The business underscores nan ongoing tensions betwixt workers and guidance complete adjacent compensation.

Background to nan Disruptions:

The onslaught action involves astir 600 drivers from First West of England, who run nan Cityline buses astatine nan Lawrence Hill and Hengrove depots successful Bristol. The ongoing negotiations person yet to nutrient an agreement, and nan national remains patient successful its stance for a sustainable and adjacent costs settlement. First Bus, successful turn, expressed disappointment complete nan business action, claiming that its astir caller connection is simply a “full and final” proposal.

In consequence to nan business action, First Bus is actively updating its website pinch nan latest accusation connected work disruptions. Passengers are advised to regularly cheque nan company’s website for real-time updates. Despite nan stand-off, Badgerline autobus services, which screen nan areas surrounding nan city, proceed to tally arsenic normal aft their drivers accepted nan salary offer.

Affected Routes and Services:

The business action has caused disruptions connected cardinal autobus routes that link cardinal Bristol to different locations, including Bristol Airport and adjacent universities. Notably, services successful Bath, Weston-super-Mare, Wells, and North Somerset stay unaffected by nan strike. However, services successful Bristol person been importantly impacted. Some routes will beryllium operating pinch reduced frequency, while others person been wholly suspended for nan long of nan strike.

Key Routes Affected:

• Bristol City Services:
  • Routes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5/5a, 6/6a, and others will spot reduced wave aliases altered schedules. For example, Route 1, connecting cardinal Bristol to cardinal destinations, will only run each 30 minutes from 07:00 to 19:00.
  • Routes 4, 41, and 45 will not run astatine each during nan onslaught period, leaving passengers without nonstop options connected these routes.
  • Some services will beryllium moving connected a constricted basis, specified arsenic Route 5, which will only run betwixt St. Anne’s and The Centre.
• University and Airport Services:
  • Services to Bristol Airport, a awesome world gateway, are notably disrupted. Passengers heading to aliases from nan airdrome are advised to cheque nan updated schedules earlier their travel. The Bristol A1 Airport Flyer will run connected a reduced schedule, moving each half hr alternatively of much predominant intervals.
  • Routes serving cardinal assemblage hubs successful Bristol are besides impacted, pinch immoderate buses moving astatine extended intervals.

Passenger Advice:

With nan ongoing strike, passengers are advised to workout patience and scheme their journeys up of time. First Bus recommends checking their website for work updates earlier departure to debar immoderate inconvenience. Those affected by work reductions tin expect longer hold times, peculiarly during highest hours. Passengers relying connected services to Bristol Airport, cardinal universities, aliases different awesome carrier hubs should return other precautions, including allowing much clip for travel.

While Bath and North East Somerset, Wells, and Weston-super-Mare services stay unaffected, passengers walking to these areas should still expect to spot immoderate delays owed to accrued request connected nan unaffected routes.

The Impact of nan Strike:

The conflict comes amid ongoing debates astir salary and moving conditions successful nan nationalist carrier sector. Unite, nan national representing nan drivers, has stated that nan existent salary proposals are inadequate, peculiarly fixed nan rising costs of living. In a statement, nan national accused First Bus of prioritizing profits complete group and urged nan institution to travel backmost pinch a much important offer.

While First Bus has reiterated that its latest salary connection is nan last one, it has besides expressed interest complete nan effect of nan onslaught connected section commuters. The onslaught has disrupted not only regular commuters but besides visitors and students who trust connected nationalist carrier for entree to universities and different cardinal metropolis attractions.

Conclusion:

As nan onslaught enters its 2nd day, passengers successful Bristol are advised to enactment updated connected work changes. Despite nan strike’s impact, galore routes extracurricular nan cardinal Bristol area, specified arsenic those serving Bath, Weston-super-Mare, and Wells, are operating arsenic usual. However, travelers heading to Bristol Airport and section universities should expect delays and scheme their journeys accordingly.

The ongoing conflict underscores nan hostility betwixt First Bus and nan Unite union, arsenic some sides proceed negotiations successful hopes of resolving nan dispute. Passengers are encouraged to cheque charismatic updates from First Bus and stay diligent arsenic nan business develops. As nan onslaught continues, nan result of these negotiations will beryllium intimately watched, peculiarly by commuters who trust connected these services to get to work, school, and different basal destinations.

Source: National World