Monday 18 January 2016

Bluestar 17 frequency boost

Bluestar have announced today that their newest route, the 17, is doing so well that it's frequency is being increased from 28th February.

Click the image for details on Bluestar's website

The route only started running in the final week of October, so for it to be going every 10 minutes this soon is a sign that it is doing very well indeed. It provides direct competition for several First routes and improves access to the General Hospital by allowing passengers to transfer from across Bluestar's network without having to fork out extra for a multi-operator Solent Go ticket. Some of those passengers will have switched from First, but there will also be others that didn't or couldn't consider going by bus before.

The 17 has fared considerably better than the 16, which launched over 3 years ago and now runs every 15 minutes after having most of its route changed.

Bluestar 4 will also have some timetable changes from 28th February.

45 comments:

  1. Excellent news, finally a service which I can rely on, I have already made the switch and really pleased with this news,

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  2. The better news of the change to come includes being able to get on the bus outside West Quay.

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  3. Indeed good news.With the 16 it would have been better to have had a 30 minute frequency linking Bitterne and Townhill Park and perhaps the other two journeys could have gone to Harefield and thus reconnected Harefield to Northam once again

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  4. Let us hope at some time in the near future, Bluestar take what steps they can to improve the running of their service 18,in particular at peak times.For todays traffic situation, the running time at peaks and even at off peak times,is not ample with drivers left strugling to maintain the service.

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  5. It will be intresting to see where the Clean Air Zones in Southampton will be located as they will be in place by 2020.

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    1. Well it won't make much difference until they sort out the thousans of cars that polute the city daily.I understand they will be exempt,but stand to be corrected on my comment

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  6. This service although great,seems to lack regular users,in that if the 17 follows a 3,a lot of the time the 17 will be virtually empty.

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    1. The same I'm sure applies to the three,if the 17 is in front it gets the passengers and the 3 will be virtually empty

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    2. ^is this just the same person talking to themselves in all the comments?

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  7. I do wish Bluestar would proof read a bit harder, says "Febraury" in the article.

    Also, is it just me or is that picture ^ up there and also the one on the website says "You can now get OFF the bus at WQ" ... Shouldn't that be get ON?

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    1. Maybe they read this, as those errors have been rectified now lol

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    2. When I was in their travel Shop on Tuesday,the staff were on the telephone to Eastleigh informing them of the error.

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  8. Both Reece and the anonymous response comment on the forthcoming clean air zone or zones. The situation might not have deteriorated as quickly as it has and to quite the level it is now if some of the bus lanes had been kept. Look for example at the Briton Street area: eastbound in Briton Street - bus lane gone; northbound in Orchard Place - bus lane gone, road now two way and parking allowed. Can this really be helping anyone, and doesn't Southampton need more of them?

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  9. The bus stop signs have now been replaced along West End road in Bitterne,showing the First no.12 as still using the stop!DOH!!

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    1. If you want a good laugh have a look at the two new stops they have put in by Park Walk in New Road Southampton. This refers to the numbers on the flags either side of the road.Almost a total bosh up.

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  10. It would seem Bitterne local services B1/B2/B3 are to be withdrawn as from 25th March 2016 unless they are being put out for retender by SCC

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  11. Looking on Vosa Bus Registration today Yellow Buses are making timetable changes in April.

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  12. PH0006159/408 - FIRST HAMPSHIRE & DORSET LTD, BUS DEPOT, EMPRESS ROAD, SOUTHAMPTON, SO14 0JW

    Registration Accepted
    Starting Point: Southampton, Vincent's Walk
    Finish Point: Marwell Zoo
    Service Number: M1
    Service Type: Normal Stopping
    Effective Date: 25-MAR-2016
    Other Details:

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  13. It would seem First have registered M1 to operate this year from 25th March

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  14. The Daily Echo are reporting on an alleged sexual assault on a passenger travelling on First`s No.3,during last Wednesday evening.Hope any witnesses come forward and be safe all ,while travelling by bus!

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  15. Passengers moan that buses arrive late,whilst waiting till the bus stops before leaving their seats just lately.This is something that really winds me up!

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    1. There are notices in the BlueStar buses telling you to stay in your seat until the bus stops.

      Always seems strange to me when they don't provide enough seats at busy periods.

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    2. That`s due to health and safety,cause they are then covered if someone falls over and sue`s them.Most people have the good sense to ignore it though!

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    3. no thats because the seats are left in the storeroom !!!!

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  16. That's because bus companies now tell you to remain seated until the bus stops.It's very irritating, as when you now try to board a bus,you start to pay the driver or show your pass,and are now in the way of people trying to get off.They look at you as if you are rude in not waitung for themm to get off,but in most cases when you board, you have looked to see if anyone wants to get off,and noted no one visable,and proceeded to board.The whole proceedure as stated slows the bus down and when the bus is running late makes the situation worse than ever.I can understand someone elderly and tottery on their legs to want to remain seated until the bus stops,but most passengers are pretty agile and ven when stood up there are plenty of handrails to hold onto to stop a fall if the driver has to suddenly do something unexpected

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    1. I think all buses should have double doors ,just like London buses and Uni-link,for this reason and it makes sense,rather than everyone trying to board and exit from the same door.

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    2. Very true, but my experience is that folk still try leaving the bus by the entrance or, in the case of the Blackpool "OMO" trams of the 1970s, try boarding at the centre exit. Will we ever win this one? Answers on a postcard, please!

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  17. Passengers are requested to remain seated until the bus has stopped. Also notice that most drivers wait for passengers to be seated before moving - well done to all drivers.
    However my gripes are 1. pax who talk to other passengers before getting seated and 2. those who join the bus and then look for their ticket/money

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    1. I hate the numpties who press the bell for the bus to stop,just as the bus is passing the stop they wanted.They then have the cheek to moan cause the driver didn`t stop!!

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  18. Passengers wait in their seats as instructed by signs on the bus!!!

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    1. Your supposed to ignore that!It`s only so that if someone did fall they are covered!Funny they still let people stand though,whilst displaying the signs as how are you supposed to stay in a seat if you don`t have one?

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    2. Very true!Uni-link seem to have loads of these signs to stay in your seats,yet they are so packed most of the time,that passengers have to stand ,so what`s the difference between standing and not holding on tightly and getting up in preparation for the bus to stop,whilst holding onto rails?

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  19. With the appallingly jerky transmissions on the streetlites and new enviro 200's passengers are often thrown up the bus - i feel sorry for the drivers trying to give a smooth ride. Even the Unilink enviro 400's have become very bad recently and drivers say the manufacturers have changed the settings on the gearbox and retarders making them difficult to drive smoothly.

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    1. Give me a Leyland Atlantean any day!

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    2. The Enviro 200 do rattle very badly, The Reason why first probally got new buses for CityRed 7 and replaced them with Micro Hybrid Streetlites

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  20. Changes to Bluestars £10 weekly ticket soon.. Will be restricted to services 7,16,17,18 only (and 4 to Shirley and 3 to bitterne) everyone else will be back to paying £15.

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  21. Not valid on 3 or 4 route !

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    1. You will find that some drivers will accept the ticket over common sections of route but others won't.Upon enquiry last week about this I was informed it is acceptable but they don't encourage it,About as clear as mud is such an answer

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    2. Whoops ! They changed their minds already - it will be valid on common sections of the 3 & 4 routes.

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    3. "From the 14th the ticket will not be valid for travel on any other Bluestar services, however, it will be valid on common sections of routes, which are shared with the routes specifed above." Common sections: 3 town to Bitterne and 4 town to Shirley.

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  22. M1 timetable is now on Traveline

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  23. The new M1 timetable is now being shown on traveline-It would seem for the moment to be opearting 25/03/16 until 10/04/16

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    1. If precious years are any indication, it's every day over Easter and May half term holidays, but weekends only until Mid July

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  24. PH0006159/355 - FIRST HAMPSHIRE & DORSET LTD, BUS DEPOT, EMPRESS ROAD, SOUTHAMPTON, SO14 0JW

    Variation Accepted: Operating between Southampton City Centre and Harefield given service number 13 effective from 10-Apr-2016. To amend Timetable.

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    1. Here we go again!First can`t stop tinkering for five minutes!any decent bus operator would have a stable network after twenty years,like Bluestar,not needing to make changes every month or two.Pathetic!!

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