A North Somerset Labour councillor has helped to secure the relaunch of a bus service linking Clevedon and Yatton two years after it was axed.

Clevedon Yeo ward councillor Richard Westwood campaigned hard to get the two settlements reconnected by bus after the X7 service was terminated in April 2019 with the First group blaming the move on low passenger numbers.

His lobbying paid off when North Somerset Council agreed in March 2020 to restore the route but the plans to restart the service last September were delayed by the Covid crisis.

The new Route 54 service – which runs between Clevedon, though Kenn, to Yatton and continues to Claverham and Bristol Airport on six days a week – finally got under way on 1 April, operated by the HCT Group.

Richard welcomed the first service into Clevedon and said he was delighted to see the route running again. ‘Please, folks, use it,’ he added. ‘If there’s a good take-up, the buses may possibly be able to run more frequently.’

The Route 54 timetable can be found at: http://www.hctgroup.org/the_hct_group/bristol_community_transport/bus_services_5/route_54_15