The number 2 bus is a vital lifeline to thousands of residents in the village of Combe Down.

It links Bath city centre to

• Widcome,
• Prior Park Gardens and School,
• Combe Down Primary School,
• Combe Down Nursery,
• and finally Mulberry Park which has a school and nursery as well

This, and the 22 which is also at risk of being cancelled, are the only buses that serve Combe Down and the growing thousands of residents that live here.

In particular, hundreds of new families have recently moved or will move to the Mulberry Park development at the heart of Combe Down.

This was built on the promise of being well served by public transport in a bid to encourage people to get out of their cars. Parking is limited, and there are no cyclelanes, or pavements wide enough to safely support wheelchair users or prams between Combe Down and Bath City Centre. 

The hill is also too steep to expect elderly pensioners to regularly walk to and from the centre where many vital services are. 

Finally, part of the village of Combe Down (particularly parts of Fox Hill and Mulberry Park) are lower income, and therefore people cannot afford to regularly get a taxi to and from the centre.

As such this move will severely impact the elderly, the disabled, young families attending vital schools and nurseries, and workers who need to regularly get in and out of the centre, many of whom moved specifically to the area because of the transport links.

It will force those who can afford them back into their cars. This will put our children at the local schools and nurseries at risk. The speed and volume of traffic is already cause for concern, and by reducing the frequency of this service, it will get worse, as will gridlock and air quality in the city.

We ask:

• Bath Councillors Gerry Curran and Bharat Pankhania
• Bath Council Leader Kevin Guy
• Our MP Wera Hobhouse
• The Mayor of the West of England Dan Norris

Step in and help us save this bus route and return it to it's previous frequency.

Please sign and share this petition, to spread the word and let BANES and First West know we don't want this route to be cancelled.