Bristol Bus Routes Rerouted from Broadmead Shopping Streets 2026

Key Points

• Twenty-five bus services travelling through Bristol city centre will be rerouted away from Broadmead’s busiest shopping streets from Sunday 30 August 2026.
• All bus stops on Union Street, The Horsefair and Penn Street, plus one stop on Broad Weir, will close as part of the Bristol on the Move City Centre project.
• New and upgraded bus stops will open on Fairfax Street, Broad Weir, Lower Castle Street and Bond Street for people travelling to or from Broadmead.
• Bristol City Council, working with the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority and bus operators, launched the Broadmead Bus Changes campaign on Monday 27 July 2026 to inform the public.
• Travel advisors will be available in the area before and after the changeover date to help people find new bus stops and plan journeys.
• Councillor Ed Plowden said the changes will allow creation of new public spaces with planting, trees, seating areas, public art and space for community events.
• Mayor of the West of England Helen Godwin said the changes lay foundations for a better transport system alongside transformational investment in new homes, shops and public spaces.
• The council reassured disabled persons’ groups that new disabled parking bays for Blue Badge holders and accessible taxi ranks will be provided, with no facilities closed before new ones open.
• Route maps and information are available online at travelwest.info/broadmead-bus-changes, with bespoke information to be displayed on each closing bus stop.
• The project is part of wider plans to accommodate thousands of new homes, shops and leisure spaces being built in Bristol city centre in coming years.

Bristol (Bristol Express News) July 28, 2026 – Twenty-five bus services that travel through Bristol uk/local/city-centre/">city centre will be rerouted away from some of Broadmead’s busiest shopping streets from Sunday 30 August 2026, in a significant transformation of transport routes through the city centre. This is part of the Bristol on the Move City Centre project, which is changing transport routes through the city centre in preparation for thousands of new homes, shops, and leisure spaces being built in the coming years.

From 30 August, all bus stops on Union Street, The Horsefair and Penn Street, plus one stop on Broad Weir, will close.

People travelling to or from Broadmead will need to use alternative nearby bus stops in the city centre, including new and upgraded bus stops on Fairfax Street, Broad Weir, Lower Castle Street and Bond Street.

How will commuters and shoppers be supported during the Broadmead bus changes?

As this will be a big change for commuters, shoppers, students and tourists, the council, working with the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority, bus operators and Broadmead businesses, has launched the Broadmead Bus Changes campaign on Monday 27 July 2026 to help people prepare for the changes.

This features posters and adverts that point people towards more information and 25 new route maps online at travelwest.info/broadmead-bus-changes. There will also be travel advisors in the area in the lead up to and following the changeover, to help people find their new bus stops.

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What did Councillor Ed Plowden say about the bus route changes?

Councillor Ed Plowden, Bristol City Council’s Chair of the Transport and Connectivity Committee, said:

“These new bus routes will change the way thousands of people travel through Broadmead, so we’re working with our partners to make sure people know what is happening before the changes take effect.”

As reported by Bristol City Council communications, Councillor Plowden stated:

“The Broadmead Bus Changes campaign provides information online, on buses and across the city centre, while our travel advisors will be available on the ground before and after the changeover date to help people find their new bus stops and plan their journeys.”

He added:

“Once the bus routes have changed, there will be bespoke information displayed on each bus stop that is closing to direct people to their new bus stop.”

Why are buses being moved away from Broadmead’s busiest shopping streets?

Councillor Plowden explained:

“Moving buses away from some of Broadmead’s busiest shopping streets will allow us to create new public spaces, with planting, trees and seating areas, new public art and space for community events, while supporting wider plans for the city centre.”

“With thousands more people expected to live in the area, when major developments are completed, these changes will help create a city centre that is greener, safer and more attractive for residents, visitors and businesses.”

What assurances have been given to disabled persons’ groups?

Councillor Plowden said:

“Having listened to concerns from disabled persons’ groups and Disabled people, we also want to reassure everyone that we are providing new disabled parking bays for Blue Badge holders and accessible taxi ranks and, much like our approach to replacing bus stops, we will not close any of these facilities before opening the new ones.”

“Our plans also include improving walking and wheeling routes from Broadmead to the new spaces and to provide new benches, lighting and an accessible map.”

What did Mayor Helen Godwin say about the bus changes?

Helen Godwin, Mayor of the West of England, said:

“Buses are so important for people across our region, with new routes and our new green buses moving us in the right direction.”

“The upcoming changes in central Bristol can help continue to lay the foundations for a better transport system overall for the West of England – and come alongside the range of transformational investment that’s lined up for new homes, new shops, and better public spaces in and around Broadmead and Castle Park.”

“The record £752 million that our region has already secured from government to invest in transport – including better buses, more trains, and mass transit – will do exactly that.”

Where can people find information about the new bus routes?

The Broadmead Bus Changes campaign features 25 new route maps online at travelwest.info/broadmead-bus-changes, with posters and adverts across the city centre pointing people towards more information. Travel advisors will be available on the ground before and after the changeover date to help people find their new bus stops and plan their journeys.

Once the bus routes have changed, bespoke information will be displayed on each bus stop that is closing to direct people to their new bus stop.

Background: What is the Bristol on the Move City Centre project?

The Bristol on the Move City Centre project is a comprehensive transport transformation initiative designed to respond to changes in the way people travel and use public spaces in Bristol city centre. The project involves new areas of public space, cycle paths, crossings, and rerouted bus services coming to Broadmead and surrounding areas.

According to BBC reporting, the project includes pedestrianised roads, new cycle lanes, re-routed bus services and new bus lanes as part of proposals to improve transport prioritisation through the city centre.

In Broadmead specifically, several bus routes will be adjusted to facilitate increased pedestrianisation in the area, including services operating to west Nelson Street Old Market along The Horsefair.

The project is designed to provide buses with greater priority and quicker travel times through the addition of new bus lanes, bus gates, and dedicated bus-only intersections.

As part of the redevelopment of The Galleries shopping centre—which will introduce 450 residential units and new retail spaces—Fairfax Street will be redesigned to be wider and more inviting.

Prediction: How will these bus changes affect Bristol residents, commuters and businesses?

The rerouting of 25 bus services away from Broadmead’s busiest shopping streets is likely to have significant implications for different groups in Bristol. For commuters and regular bus users, the initial period following 30 August 2026 may require adjustment as they familiarise themselves with new bus stops on Fairfax Street, Broad Weir, Lower Castle Street and Bond Street.

The presence of travel advisors and detailed route maps should help mitigate confusion, but some disruption to journey times and patterns is likely in the short term.

For shoppers and tourists visiting Broadmead, the changes may initially create some uncertainty about accessing the area by bus, though the new stops remain in the city centre and within walking distance of the shopping district.

The long-term benefit, as outlined by council officials, will be a more pedestrian-friendly environment with improved public spaces, planting, seating areas and community event spaces that could enhance the overall visitor experience.

For local businesses in Broadmead, the short-term impact may include reduced footfall from bus passengers during the transition period, though the council’s extensive information campaign and on-ground advisors aim to minimise this effect.

In the longer term, the creation of greener, safer and more attractive public spaces could increase the area’s appeal for shoppers and visitors, potentially benefiting businesses once the new developments are completed and thousands more residents move into the area.

Disabled persons and Blue Badge holders have been specifically reassured that accessible facilities will not be closed before new ones open, with new disabled parking bays and accessible taxi ranks being provided alongside improved walking and wheeling routes.

This should help maintain accessibility for those who depend on these services, though the effectiveness of these measures will only become clear once the changes are implemented.

For the wider West of England region, Mayor Helen Godwin’s statement that these changes lay foundations for a better transport system suggests this is part of a broader strategic vision backed by £752 million in government transport investment.

If successfully implemented, the changes could contribute to improved bus prioritisation, reduced congestion in pedestrian zones, and a more integrated transport network that supports the region’s growth in housing and commercial development.

The ultimate impact will depend on how well the transition is managed, how effectively the information campaign reaches affected users, and whether the promised improvements to public spaces and accessibility are delivered as planned.