SInce the launch of the Air Decker back in 2013, Bath Bus Company has seen the service continually grow, with more passengers opting to take the A4 as their preferred mode of transport to get to and from Bristol Airport. Local journeys have also become more popular as it has created new links between South Bristol and Bath & North East Somerset which has cut journey times for some and given others new employment opportunities.
A number of changes will come into effect from 1st September 2019. Operating hours will be extended with an additional departure from Bath at midnight and a 1am departure from Bristol Airport. This will be implemented to assist those who arrive on later scheduled flights. Some modifications will be made to the running times throughout the day which take into account heavy traffic that can delay certain journeys. Having listened to our customer feedback, these changes will improve service reliability.
There will also be some changes to the existing fare structure. Our popular 10 journey ticket valid anywhere between Bath and Highridge will be £20.00, meaning each jounrey made only costs £2.00! There will be a slight increase on single journey airport fares but return fares will remain the same. New leaflets which contain the updated timetable and fares will be available on board the buses from 1st September and further information will be uploaded shortly at www.airdecker.com
At a cost of almost half a milllion, Bath Bus Company is continuing to enhance the A4 service with an additional 2 brand new vehicles scheduled to arrive by the end of 2019. These will be low emission diesel engines (producing lower emissions than the average family car), table seating on the upper deck, USB charging ports, luggage racks for secure storage and automatic and live-announcements keeping passengers informed of any journey updates and bus stop details.
Ticket machines which will facilitate contactless card payments and the reading of QR/ bar codes, provided in partnership with the local authorities, are also being introduced in the near future. These machines will speed up boarding times and give passengers who wish to pay on board the bus another quick and convenient payment method. This should improve the overall customer experience and contribute to the high standards people have come to expect from the Air Decker.
