Monday 4 January 2016

Catch up / FirstWeek offer

Services are now all back to normal, but you may have missed the following changes:

Wheelers W1 has a new timetable and amended route in Romsey.

Xelabus X14 no longer runs.

First have new timetables on the following routes: 2, three, 7, 10, 11, 12, 13.

First also have a temporary special offer on FirstWeek Southampton (minus Swaythling) tickets - click the image for details:


Xelabus have new timetables on most routes. Full details here. The X11 no longer serves Bitterne or Hedge End.

First have more timetable changes on the way from 21st February affecting routes three (again!), 8, 10 (again!) and E1/E2.

40 comments:

  1. These continual tinkering round with times and changes to route by First, has now become all a bit of a joke

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    1. The changes are getting petty now as well .Changing the no.10 ,from every 7/8 mins ,to every 8 mins.are they really that desperate?

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  2. Uni-link are the only bus operator you need in Swaythling.Never seen such a busy service as their U1,outside of London !

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    1. Whoever designed this route is amazing!it gets the residents of Winn road out of their cars,when you have such a frequent service passing along your road!It`s how bus services should be!

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  3. I wonder if the change to the 8 is that the bus turns into Above Bar Street when arriving into the City Centre.

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  4. Quiet a few changes noted for First from 21st Febuary 2016 in Southmpton and from 28th February 2016 for Bluestar 17 and Xelabus X4

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    1. I`m sure First are already working on changes for March,April,May...

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  5. It would seem as from 7th March 2016 the Xelabus Tesco Shopper buses X21/X22/X23 are to be withdrawn

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  6. Evidently according to Gareth Blair they will still operate but will be free for all passengrs

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  7. Dear Customer
    The X21/X22/X23 is being de-registered from fare paying to a contract service so will continue. The X4 registration is to reduce Saturday service to 2 hourly.

    Customer Services
    Xelabus Limited

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  8. Why is the Saturday X4 Service being reduced to every 2 hours?

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    Replies
    1. Too many parents driving their little darlings everywhere these days,instead of getting them to catch a bus to town on Saturdays,plus all the internet shoppers,rather than high street shoppers!

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  9. Like most operators Saturday buses don't anymore attract the custom they once did,and therefor more than likely the reason for a reduced frequency.

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  10. As someone who was barred from First`s Facebook page for querying why they couldn`t make a go of certain routes,when Bluestar could,i hope they sell up and get out of Southampton ASAP.Bluestar all the way these days!

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    1. Makes you wonder how many other people first has barred from their Facebook page ,if that`s the case.I don`t blame you for giving your business to Bluestar instead,i reckon i would as well.

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    2. There are many people barred from posting on the First Southampton site.Most were barred after they revised the layout earlier last year to the facebook page and posted protests about the continual services changes.The Southampton facebook page is now not even worth looking at,and as I'm a person also banned,I must say I don't miss at all not being able to post anymore.You can of course still go via customer services to complain,but in most cases that's a waste of time also.First in Southampton seems to be a bus company of its own in how it deals with customers as you will find there is no difficulty of posting on other websites that I have noted

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    3. Shame on First!Trying to stop free speech it would appear.Time for a First boycott?

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    4. Echo... echo... echo... o... o...

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    5. Bluestar also prevent people commenting on their Facebook page too.

      I should know - I am one, for the dreadful sin of having asked why my bus didn't turn up one morning . I was told "circumstances beyond our control" which turned out to be a breakdown which I would have thought was well within their control.

      Let's have some consistency; both First and Bluestar do the same thing!

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    6. Do have to wonder why First axe some contributers from its Facebook page and not others.Why hasn`t that bus spotter from Newbury been banned,for repeatedly telling First they should run more buses on some of its routes?It`s that inconsistancy which leaves one wondering.

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  11. PH1121126/201 - GO SOUTH COAST LTD T/A SOUTHERN VECTIS, 2-8 PARKSTONE ROAD, POOLE, BH15 2PR

    Variation Accepted: Operating between SOUTHAMPTON and ROMSEY given service number 4/604 effective from 05-Mar-2016. To amend Timetable.

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  12. Concerning 'free' shopper buses,I understood that they are only 'free' when the passengers go to the end destintaion,not for any journeys which end short of the final destination of the superstore.This avoids free pass and various other registered stage carriage rules being wrongly interpreted.

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    1. The Xela routes to Tesco Bursledon were all at one time run by First bus & before that Blue Line & were FREE to & from the store only routes. No intermediate travel allowed. Not until about 3/4 yrs ago have they been 'normal' routes with fares charged & customers allowed to claim money back from Tesco in lieu of fare.

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  13. PH0005857/127 - STAGECOACH (SOUTH) LTD T/A STAGECOACH HANTS & SURREY, BUS STATION, SOUTHGATE, BASIN ROAD, CHICHESTER, PO19 8DG

    Cancellation Accepted: Operating between Port Solent and Farlington given service number 24 effective from 27-Mar-2016.

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  14. The SCC "consultation" on withdrawing the subsidy from the W1, for the part of the route through Winn Road and Highfield, ends this week. SCC is also consulting on withdrawal of the subsidy for the X12.
    So more changes are likely.

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  15. Any idea when all will be announced?

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  16. The notice on "consultation" only gives the closing date for comments. Presumably, SCC will have to go through some decision making process. The notice is on the W1 stop in Vincents Walk.

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  17. Bluestar 17 going every 10 minutes from February 28th

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    1. How do you know this?

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    2. its true, BS shall be releasing details this week.

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    3. I've no inside knowledge but wouldn't be surprised. Seems to be getting fantastic loadings for a new route.

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  18. PH0005070/85 - BOURNEMOUTH TRANSPORT LTD T/A YELLOW BUSES BOURNEMOUTH, YEOMANS WAY, BOURNEMOUTH, BH8 0BQ

    Variation Accepted: Operating between Fisherman's Walk and Somerford, Sainsburys given service number 1B/1C effective from 11-Mar-2016. To amend Route.

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    Replies
    1. This is SOUTHAMPTON bus update,Reece,NOT BOURNEMOUTH bus update!

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    2. Nothing exciting, just service 1b from Christchurch using Southbourne Grove and Southbourne Road to get to the Fishermans Walk stop, which will be moving south of Beresford Road as part of a highways scheme in that area. They are currently diverting that way whilst the works are on going, and that registration confirms the revised route from the expected end of the roadworks.
      Ken - Traveline Dorset

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    3. Anonymous at 14 January 2016

      It must be ok for me to post that bus registration or otherwise it would not have been approved in the first place.

      I'm not the only one who post bus news that's not in Hampshire.

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  19. First`s new timetables from Feb 21 ,are now on traveline.Can`t see any major changes,just the usual monthly tinkering we`ve come to expect from First.

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    1. Looks like changes to peak hour running times to reflect increased traffic.

      Something Bluestar could learn from. Their 18 timetable is barely achievable off peak but the poor driver shave no chance of keeping to time in the peak and the service just falls apart, whereas First's 2 and 10 do at least tend to come roughly when they are due, because they are given more running time.

      Typical Bluestar I'm afraid. New buses but cr*p service

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    2. Whilst agreed the 18 timetable needs looking at and revising,I don't accept the fact that the First 2 and 10 come roughly when they should do.At times they are as bad as the 18 and so is the First 3 7 and 11

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  20. http://democracy.portsmouth.gov.uk/documents/g3353/Public%20reports%20pack%2021st-Jan-2016%2017.00%20Cabinet%20Member%20for%20Traffic%20Transportation.pdf?T=10

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