A bold move or a last gasp? When the 17 launches that will leave most of First's potential passengers with a Bluestar alternative, so First had to do something in order keep Sotonians' bums on their seats.
As a comparison, FirstDay Southampton's new price at £3.50 is 20p less than Bluestar/Unilink's Southampton Dayrider at £3.70.
Here's a quick comparison of the route networks each ticket is valid on. Here's First's current route network in our city:
A big gap in the middle there. Here's the Bluestar/Unilink network in the city before this Sunday's launch of Bluestar 17, which will add new links to/from the General Hosiptal:
See full details of Bluestar 17 here.
I note the reason Chrissie Bainbridge a manager at First gave as to why they were cutting fares in Southampton.What a load of tosh that was to the public.The reason is obvious in the fact that Bluestar now or will be operating in areas that were until recently mainly only served by First.Must be getting really desperate by now at First Empress Road.
ReplyDeleteBusy day at GSC (or whatever you call yourselves this week) Marketing was it?
ReplyDeleteFirst still has a better network overall in the City, although Swaythling and the Uni is dominated by Unilink (currently run by GSC); only 2 buses an hour BS from Woolston-City (when they can be bothered to run them).
I'm more interested in how many cancellations there will be on BS11 & 12 next week - the 0820 12 from City has been cancelled 3 times in the last 10 days and that's before they have to find buses and drivers for the 17 next week. I see Totton have got those dreadful multi-coloured Cadets back - the boys and girls in Totton engineering are going to be pretty busy.................
Anonymous 22 October 2015 at 20:38:
DeleteSomewhat puzzled by your comment above regarding Bluestar 7, quote "when they can be bothered to run them". Since this service began operating, the only journeys that haven't run have been down to vehicle breakdowns. How First can say there was no demand for this is staggering, since every trip operated that I have seen has been carrying very good numbers. Think you'll also find the passengers love the friendly drivers!
Very odd comment about the cadets at Totton. Passengers love them for their ride quality, engineers love them for their pure simplicity to work on, and you very seldom ever see one at the side of the road. Passengers however seem to detest leather seats and heavily marked fake wood lino on Firsts fleet. Their drivers don't even like them!
DeleteI also think that you may be forgetting that next week is half term, the perfect week to bed in a new service, with plenty of vehicle and driver availability. I do have to agree that First has a great city network. I think its in Glasgow!
Really?!!
DeleteI'm amazed - not often you hear someone say good things about Cadets. The ones local to me are terrible, always on the side of the road. Worst buses in the depot.
Indeed all the Bluestar service 7's I have noted have had at most times more than enough passengers on them to warrant a 30 minute service.All First are intereseted in are their Red routes and I see more cuts to non red routes in the future.Had it not been for the fact Bluestar are introducing routes to areas that First were the main operator,non of these fare reductions would have happened in Sholing or Lordshill areas.At some future stage someone somewhere will pay the price for these fare reductions,with loss of more services.
DeleteBluestar just need to start up in Merry oak and Harefield now!!
DeleteFirst are appearing to be crapping themselves,as Bluestar 17`s launch gets closer.Bluestar actually listen to requests from the bus users and hence Bluestar 7,16 and now the no.17.I wish the no.17 the very best and hope it`s a resounding sucess,it`s been a long time overdue!
ReplyDeleteThe vast majority of people that I have spoken to, seem very in favour of the new 17 route. They say they are fed up being treated badly by the drivers in cages! There will also be a much better value ticket available by being able to use their network key from Blue star, rather than needing to buy the overpriced Solent go product. All this seems to play into Blue stars hands as they watch First cut any minor profitability, in their business, yet again. So many rumours flying around at the moment about Stagecoach being ready to take over from First, and having watched the huge investment from Blue star to protect the 1 route from any potential threat of joining up two Stagecoach depots, I would certainly not bet against it.
ReplyDeleteI gave up on First ,when i went and bought a period ticket at 5pm on the bus.The driver was moaning like hell about"Most people buy them in the morning ,not this time of day!".So good riddance First and its rud
DeleteMeant to end as rude,grumpy drivers!
DeleteIt would be ideal if Stagecoach took over First Soton. There is the potential to join up 3 Scoach depots as Farlington isn't a million miles away. Could ride all along the South coast on a Soach Day ticket. Does seem daft now when Scoach run the 69 to Fareham, that not far away in Port Solent Scoach run the 24 & at QA Hospital the 20 also. If Scoach were to take over the X4 then it'll be fabulous - yes I know that's a Hoeford/Hilsea service but to have an alternative to First would be brill. I think Go-ahead & Scoach would "sit" side by side ok, without an all out war, like in Brighton
ReplyDeletei`d prefer the HCT group to take over!Instead of profit generated for shareholders,the money would go back into the community instead!Suggest people google HCT group and see themselves.What a fantastic move that`d be!
ReplyDeleteFantastic idea!!
DeleteDESPER-RED.
ReplyDeleteJust like their customers are for a decent bus service!
DeleteMaybe someone should ask the council if they would consider running an "arms length" bus company where they were the only shareholder.
ReplyDeleteThen maybe people will feel like they can make the council accountable.
Darren,
DeleteSouthampton City Council DID have an arms length operation, sold under Government incentive to the staff, who then sold out to worst. I very much doubt a return to council ownership.
Some months ago, First reorganised their fare structure into zones, just about doubling the fare between Woolston and Netley, to £3 single. My wife is notyet old enough for the bus pass, but we both have the over sixties railcard. The single fare on the train - with the railcard - is £1.80.
ReplyDeleteSaw a few First no.10`s running to Bitterne and Thornhill early this eve,with just one or two passengers,so if they are constantly monitoring their services,as they claim,then perhaps they should reduce this service to the frequency it requires,or is this just the case for Harefield/Merry Oak services?
ReplyDeleteYou write "Bluestar/Unilink's Soton dayrider at £3.70" - but remember it's only £3.70 on Bluestar, still £3.50 if you buy from a Unilink driver, or the app - which itself is sneaky, as if you download and buy from Bluestar app it's 3.70, but download and buy from Unilink app and its £3.50
ReplyDeletetHIS GLARING ANOMALY JUST ABOUT SUMS UP HOW INCOMPETENT bLUESTAR
DeleteThis glaring fare anomaly just about sums up how incompetent Blue star management is. As for the motley selection of unreliable vehicles in various liveries we are now lumbered with on the 11/12 route, I am expecting yet more breakdowns, and yet more gaps in service, without so much as an apology.
Why Bluestar feel they need to compete in the City of Southampton when they don't even have a depot here is quite beyond me. The amount of pollution they must cause from those clapped out Citaros belching out black smoke as they run dead from Eastleigh at all times of the day and night ain't helping to keep our city clean, that's for sure!
Perhaps you should take the vehicle situation up with VOSA
DeleteWhat is certainly not keeping our City clean, is the ridiculous duplication of services by First. Copy the 18 at Millbrook, and do exactly the same at Thornhill. At least when Blue star do it, they mimic 3 routes together.
DeleteActually the Dayrider price difference is because the university blocked the price increase, not Bluestar/Unilink's choice
DeleteYes that's the reason and nothing to do with the fact it's incompetence with Bluestar
DeleteHow old are the Citaros, that they are considered clapped out? 06 plate on a bus of any make is hardly ancient, though it might be on a car.
DeleteFrom a passenger's perspective I would say the Citaros are anything but clapped out. In fact only this week I was on one when a couple of teenagers got on, and one remarked to the other that they liked these buses better than others because they are nice and new!
DeleteMay be a different story mechanically - I don't know.
But I would certainly choose to travel on a Citaro rather than some horrible wood-and-leather thing any day.
I boarded a Bluestar 17 ,in Shirley heading to town ,at lunchtime today and it was very busy!Not bad for the first day!
ReplyDeleteBluestar have reduced their prices as well !Saw advert on a Bluestar 18 ,that the weekly pass for Bs18 is back to £5 a week and a weekly ticket for BS17 will be £10 a week,as an opening offer.
ReplyDeleteThe £10 weekly ticket is available to use on any Bluestar bus within the Southampton Zone, not just the 17.
DeleteSaving passengers £3 a week on First`s weekly Southampton ticket offer price!
DeleteWith all this fare madness going on at present between First and Bluestar, at sometime in the future someones going to have to pay the price,perhaps that being more service cuts.Whilst for the moment the customers on certain routes are enjoying this,I wonder in the future if they will be quite so happy.
DeleteAll these fare offers it's hard to keep up with it all from one day to the next.I note now even bus shelters have become part of the war with massive posters either for Frst or Bluestar.I pray for the day when all the nonsense ends and the companies concentrate once again on their customers and not trying to destroy each other.
ReplyDeleteYep the promo budget must be up for both sides with all these bus shelter covers, also noted News Extra newspaper had a 4 page wraparound for cityreds which I'm sure doesn't come cheap. Unless all of this results in many thousands more journeys for both companies, it'll all end in tears...
ReplyDeleteAnon at 26 October, 21.34 and at 27 October, 01.52 - I believe it's called competition. You destroy the rival firm before it destroys you . . . Our moderator asks at the top of this feature "Bold move or last gasp?" I suspect the latter!
ReplyDeleteYes all a bit of a farce is competetion.As you state you destroy the rival firm before it destroys you,then after this you are left as the only operator.Is this then not a manopoly situation which was not the intention of the orriginal transport act,but in quite a number of places in the UK this has now become so.
ReplyDeleteHow long can worst bus keep up sending an empty or near empty no.10 bus to Thornhill every 7/8 mins?This pointless bus war must be costing them a small fortune,along with"limited time only fares cut",which has been running for nearly two months!
ReplyDeleteHopefully First will leave Southampton next year.I`m sure when they do eventually leave champagne sales will soar,as Southampton residents celebrate en-mass.
DeleteBus Wars TVS programme 1987 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hltajs9dI6Y Nothing changes it seems and the old footage of Southampton is interesting - recognise anyone or anywhere?
ReplyDeleteI can't help but wonder . . .
ReplyDeleteWe know the management of Xelabus visit the site and comment from time to time, and there are some pointed remarks which appear to be between First and Blue Star, but do management of either firm actually visit this site and read the comments about them?
I doubt it as they are both far to busy trying to destroy each other to note what comments are being made by outsiders against them
DeleteFirst are probably too busy deciding which non-cityred service they can axe,or reduce to hourly,to take any notice of comments!
DeleteSuspect the Blue star guys are too busy planning the new 19 route! They certainly are not likely to rest on their laurels now that they appear to have First so close to the edge, having cut their own profits with this despered price war at the one time of year when they may have actually made some money. Meanwhile the blues just expand gently and in a cost effective manner all over Southampton, almost in anticipation of the demise of their biggest competitor. Odd how they never challenge Xelabus or Wheelers, or could that possibly be so that they can say that they do still have competition,should the reds pack up and run as most seem to now expect?
ReplyDeleteWhere are all those moaning about the lack of the no.12 bus on the east of the city?Bluestar 16 does seen to be somewhat struggling,especially between Bitterne and the city.
ReplyDeleteIt's no surprise as between Bitterne and City via Northam the whole section is now between all the operators very over bused-The revised 16 would have been better running via Woolston every 30 minutes and still operating via Portswood every 30 minutes.This would have kept most customers reasonably happy.Townhill Park to Bitterne needs a service but every 30 minutes would have been ample.The 16 is gradually gaining a few more passengers that travel between Townhill Park and beyond Bitterne to City,but at present the loadings are poor as are the loadings most of the day on the Red 10,although at times they are quite good-Quite frankly in particular on a Sunday the service in each direction between Bitterne and City is plain awful with two or sometimes three buses running together and then a long wait.Certainly not a way to attract new customers
DeleteAs per usual, most of those complaining never actually used the 12 and aren't using the BS16. Still, it's probably carrying as many as it did when it went via Portswood.......
DeleteNo point challenging worthless contracted routes really. If First do sell up,one imagines the new buyers will be keen to make a go of it,and be a little more enegetic in response to route threats.
ReplyDeleteI wondered who would be the first company to change a timetable yet again at the start of 2016.Well no surprises here as it's First in Southampton with yet another amendment to the Red 7 as from 3rd January 2016
ReplyDeleteNo doubt reducing the frequency,now that it`s not really competiting with BS16!
DeleteYes indeed it's now being shown on Traveline, but the start date as being 21 December 2015.Mondays to Fridays there is a slight but marked reduction in each direction at peak times
DeleteXelabus changes from 4th January 2016, of particular note the X11 no longer running between Southampton City Centre and Hedge End...... http://www.xelabus.info/latest-news/network-changes-from-monday-4-january-2016
DeleteThe X14 is also going in the new year!
DeleteNo surprise with the Xelabus X11 the loadings have been very poor and the Bluestar 3 will more than cope with the passengers that would have used the X11-No surprise also with the X14 being withdrawn and not replaced-I'm also surprised with most days dismal loadings that First B1/B2/B3 still survive,well for the moment anyway-I'm sure there will be complaints about the X11 being withdrawn between City and Hedge End,however you can't run buses all day mostly empty which in my observation has been the case-Shame realy as Xelabus have put a lot of effort into this service with reasonable buses on it, and good publicity-A sad day but that's how it is.
DeleteIt appears that CR7 will have an frequency increase from January, first reports on Facebook.
DeleteWhen are the local bus firms going to state what services they will run at Christmas?I`m sure they gave more notice last year.
ReplyDeleteI'm very sure on Boxing Day First will run their City Red Routes and Bluestar will do the same as last also maybe running the 7 and 17 on Boxing Day
DeleteBluestar/Unilink employees were told this week. Public will be told next week.
DeleteNetwork changes from Monday 4, January 2016
ReplyDeleteThe following changes will be made to Xelabus services from 4th January 2016:
Service X6/X7 – First Wessex are funding additional early morning Monday to Friday departure at 0705 from Eastleigh Bus Station to Fryern Hill.
The return journey will operate via Barton Peveril College arr 0750 (College days) and Eastleigh Bus Station arrive at 0800.
Service X9 – The 0811 arrival in Eastleigh has been very unreliable and we know many of our customers have asked if we can make this Journey more reliable. From 4th January this journey will depart Bishops Waltham 5 minutes earlier and the running time spread out more evenly to allow this service to get to Eastleigh on time.
In addition the section of route in Curdridge Lane through Lockhams Rd and Chapel Rd will be discontinued and all journeys will operate in both directions from Curdridge Lane via The Plantation to the B3035 at Curdridge Church.
Service X10 – The 0900 arrival in Southampton City Centre will be advanced to 0840 arrival at the request of a number of our customers. As a consequence running 20 mins earlier throughout.
Service X11 – This service will NO LONGER run beyond Southampton City Centre to Hedge End. It will only run between City Centre and Lordshill North on a revised timetable. Saturday service will be reduced significantly.
Service X14 – We will not continue to operate this service from 4th January and we understand it will not be replaced by Southampton CC
Service X15 – This timetable will change to give a more reliable service. It will no longer serve Oatlands Rd and Maddoxford Lane at Boorley Green.
A NEW timetable book will be available from early December.
Is it just me or does the BS17 not doing as well as expected?
ReplyDeleteLoadings look pretty decent to me for a brand new service. Maybe not all journeys, but some I have seen are very busy.
DeleteIn this morning talking to someone at Bluestar who would know,it would seem at present they are quite satisfied in how it's doing, and so far the only major comment from people in the area, is to the fact they wished there was an all evening service to the Brownhill Road area.
DeleteLoadings I've observed seem similar to First 2 - which isn't bad for a new service. This is between Shirley and Southampton though - no idea how it's doing past Shirley.
ReplyDelete