A £60m public transport interchange has opened at Bristol Airport to provide more frequent connection for people to travel to the site by bus and coach.

The project is part of the airport’s £400m transformation programme and will see around 250 public transport movements a day.

Work on the interchange, which began in May 2023, has been carried out by building contractors Griffiths Farrans joint venture.

The two-year build of the public transport interchange (PTI) has been caried out by building contractors Griffiths Farrans joint venture.

It provided 120 jobs on site during the peak of the project with more than 60 new jobs created, as well as supporting the local supply chain.

The project also provided work opportunities for those looking to get into engineering and construction careers, with 15 apprentices and T Level placements from Weston College among those to work on the project. 

The PTI was opened Mike Bell, leader of North Somerset Council, Sadik Al-Hassan MP and Dave Lees, CEO at Bristol Airport.

The transport interchange, located on the top of a new multi-storey car park, has 16 bus/coach bays, whereas previously there were five. It means customers can now benefit from a dedicated bay for each service, sheltered bus canopy including a covered Silver Zone bus waiting area, live transport information screens and there’s now an integrated system online to book onward travel with Great Western Railways.

A record number of people are now using public transport to commute to and from Bristol Airport. The A1 Flyer bus service alone carried more than one million passengers in 2024 with a further 300,000 using the A3 Flyer service. Currently there are 135 daily movements on the A1 flyer with a 44% increase in the last year.

Dave Lees, chief executive at Bristol Airport, said: “The Public Transport Interchange has provided vital skills and employment for local people and apprentices, and sourced regional suppliers, helping to boost the local economy. Engagement with local schools and charities has also been at the heart of the development.

“And we’re delighted to announce that the A1 and A3 Flyer bus service will be completely electric from 2026. This is all part of our commitment to net zero operations, and by more than doubling the number of bus and coach bays this demonstrates we are committed to encouraging customers to use public transport where possible. The increase of passengers using the Flyer bus service, as well as 20% of staff is a step in the right direction.”