Keynsham’s K1 bus saved after backlash

KEYNSHAM’S K1 community bus has been saved after a backlash against the decision to scrap it.

The K1 was due to be replaced by a new K2 service on Sunday July 26.

But there was an outcry when it emerged that the K2’s route would serve the east of Keynsham, missing out much of the town that the K1 served.

Now West of England Mayor Helen Godwin has stepped in to reveal that Keynsham can keep both services.

She said in a video message on July 24: “We have heard from residents and we have listened. We know that residents really want us to keep the K1 route as well, which is the existing route that serves mainly the western side of Keynsham. I’m really happy to be able to share today that we are going to keep both routes.

“You will have the K1 and the new K2, both starting from next week, and both funded by the West of England Combined Authority and the government’s bus grant as well. I hope that helps people. Hope you feel heard and listened to.”

It is understood that both the K1 and K2 will be funded until at least March 2029.

The news will come as a relief to residents and councillors who had expressed dismay when the K2’s route was revealed shortly before the service began.

Councillor Dave Biddleston, who had been among those campaigning to secure the K1’s future, said discontinuing the K1 would disproportionately affect residents in one of the town’s areas of greatest transport need.

He told the Voice before news broke that the K1 had been saved: “The K1 was introduced to reconnect communities that had lost previous bus services, linking Bilbie Green, the Bilbie Estate and south Keynsham with the town centre, Keynsham railway station, the Chocolate Quarter and St Augustine’s Surgery.

“During its operation, the service became the most well-used WESTlocal route in Bath & North East Somerset, demonstrating clear local demand.”

Local residents also reacted with disappointment on Facebook at the prospect of losing the K1, saying this would affect, among others, elderly people who use the service for the shops and community hub in Queens Road.

Welcoming the news that the K1 had been saved, Cllr Biddleston said on Facebook on July 24: “We win!! We worked so damned hard and yesterday the K1 was lost. Last minute reprieve.”

He said hard meetings and arguments had won the day and praised the interventions of fellow councillors Alan Hale and Martin Burton, as well as Keynsham’s town clerk Dawn Drury.

Cllr Hale said: “It is nice to win one occasionally and this was an important victory for all those who need the K1 service.”

The West of England Combined Authority’s explanation for the original decision to stop the K1 was that the service was no longer required because of the introduction of First Bus’s commercial 43 service.

The new K2 serves the following stops: The Chocolate Quarter, Keynsham Station, Post Office, Memorial Park, Limekilns Close, Hurn Lane, Sunnymead, Courtenay Road, Cadbury Road, Tilley Close, Martock Road, Hurn Lane – East, Minsmere Road, Cherwell Road, Lambourn Road, Chandag Road, Unity Road, Ellsbridge House, Wellsway, Ashton Way, Keynsham Church, Arcadius Way.

It leaves the Chocolate Quarter hourly from 7.30am to 11.30am, then hourly from 1.15pm to 5.15pm, Monday to Friday. On Saturdays, it leaves the Chocolate Quarter hourly from 9am to 1pm, then hourly from 2.45pm to 5.45pm.

The timetable can be found by using the WEST journey planner at https://travelwest.info/

The new K2 will be operated by Kempsford Transport UK. The Big Lemon has agreed to continue running the K1 until August 29 while the tendering process for the longer term takes place.