Portishead's residents' bus meeting is on Wednesday 18 November, 5pm to 6.30pm, at the Folk Hall and on Zoom. Questions can be sent to the council in advance.

Portishead’s next residents’ bus meeting is on Wednesday 18 November, from 5pm to 6.30pm, at The Folk Hall, and anyone who uses the town’s buses, or is affected by them, can come along in person or join online.

Portishead Town Council runs the meetings as a regular open forum. This one, it says, will focus on local public transport and give residents the chance to speak directly to councillors and to the representatives involved in managing and improving local bus services.

The council is clear about what is driving it. “With ongoing concerns around bus reliability and service frequency, the session will give members of the community the chance to share their experiences, raise questions and hear updates on recent developments affecting local transport,” its news release says.

“Accessible, reliable and affordable public transport remains an important issue for many residents across Portishead,” the council adds. “The regular bus meetings provide a valuable forum for community feedback, helping to ensure local concerns are heard and considered as discussions about future services continue.”

How to take part

  • In person: The Folk Hall, 95 High Street, Portishead BS20 6PR, 5pm to 6.30pm on Wednesday 18 November. The council asks residents to come along; no booking is mentioned.
  • Online by Zoom: bit.ly/3O4cQ27, meeting ID 825 9062 5042, passcode 468072.
  • By phone: dial 0208 080 6592 (UK national call rate) and use the same meeting ID and passcode.
  • Can’t make it, or would rather ask in advance? Email info@portishead.gov.uk or call the council on 01275 847 078.

The council says it is encouraging “all bus users, as well as anyone affected by local transport services” to take part, and describes the meeting as a place where “residents, councillors and transport representatives can work together to discuss local challenges and contribute to shaping the future of bus provision in Portishead.”

A recording will be posted afterwards on the council’s residents’ bus meeting page, which also holds presentations and documents from earlier meetings. The council stopped producing written minutes for these meetings in 2023, so the recording is the record.

What it means for you

If a late, cancelled or full bus has cost you a shift, an appointment or a school run, this is the room where the people responsible for the service will hear it. Specific examples help: the route, the stop, the day and the time. If you cannot get to the Folk Hall at 5pm on a weekday, send the question in by email beforehand and watch the recording later.

For the wider picture, bus use across North Somerset reached 704,453 boardings in July, its best month since April 2023.