Today, the South Downs Rambler, which last ran in 2015, starts again between Winchester and Petersfield. It's run by Bluestar and provides three return trips each Sunday and bank holiday until 2nd September. See the leaflet here.
One service not returning this year is the Beach Bus 99, which usually replaces the More 112 between Hythe and Lymington for the summer season. Bad news for anyone wanting to visit Beaulieu. But if Lepe Beach was your destination, then you're in luck because Bluestar 9 will have certain journeys extended beyond Langley to Lepe Beach between 22nd July and 1st September. See the special timetable here.
Bluestar/More's New Forest Tour gets going again from 7th July until 9th September. Open top buses will criss-cross the forest from Hythe, Ringwood and Lymington on the following circular routes:
More's Purbeck Breezer routes have already converted to summer mode with extra buses on routes running between Bournemouth, Poole, Sandbanks and Swanage.
Things are looking less rosy if you like shopping at Whiteley Village. The Saturday shopper service First W1 from Fareham has already been withdrawn and the W2 from Warsash will stop running after next Saturday 7th July. Anyone still wishing to get to Whiteley will need to use First 28/28A, but make sure you don't miss the last bus back.
If you live in Southampton or Eastleigh the first journey ex Winchester on The South Downs Rambler is hardly accessible,without a very long wait in Winchester,to anyone without a car by train or bus-You would need to make a very early start for this journey.
ReplyDeleteLet's see... The first Rambler leaves Winchester Railway Station at 0915, Broadway at 0920. To get there on Bluestar 1, you'd need to get the 0725 from Southampton (arriving 0810). Chandlers Ford has a short working at 0835, getting to Winchester at 0900. Eastleigh has no direct buses to Winchester or even Chandlers Ford on a Sunday. Stagecoach 66 won't get you to Winchester in time from Romsey.
ReplyDeleteLet's try the train... you'd need to leave Southampton Central on the 0755, Eastleigh on the 0807 to get to Winchester at 0823 - 52 minutes before the Rambler departs. The first train from Romsey towards either Southampton or Eastleigh is too late to connect with the early Rambler. It is possible to leave from London Waterloo at 0754 and arrive at Winchester at 0908, leaving 7 minutes to connect with the Rambler - I wonder whether the Rambler would wait if that train is delayed.
If you get the 0725 b*1 to winch for 0810, then you’ve got an hour to get breakfast and drinks/snacks for the journey.
ReplyDeleteI would have thought most people would have sorted their eating and drinking out well before they started out for the day,rather than chancing the fact that some outlet would be open on a Sunday morning that early,made even more difficult if you don't know Winchester very well
ReplyDeleteAll fair comments,but not a problem for visitors who have stayed over in Winchester for a weekend,or locals who can walk to either Winchester calling point.I'd say well done for getting the bus running myself.It calls at all bus stops on route,and the other named places which have no regular service for a stop to exist.As a way to access the South Downs way,or some of the lovely country pubs along the route,please try and support it.
ReplyDeleteWhen are bluestar actually going to purchase vehicles that don`t resemble a greenhouse on wheels once the temperature reaches 21c?Refer to routes 7,16 and 18.
ReplyDeleteProbably when we get regular summers! This one is the first hot one since 1976... The citaro buses will be gone by October, which are the biggest problem.
DeleteHad to laugh at folk moaning at Firstbus Soton on Twitter today. First tweeted back to them saying that they're unable to take complaints via Twitter. Another was told that their email inbox is no longer active. Instead they want you to call an advisor or fill out online form. First did similar with Facebook yrs ago in that public couldn't moan on there. Apparently tweets are now from Leeds & no longer from Norfolk. Hardly local Soton knowledge!
ReplyDeleteFirst have been a joke for ages,so this should come as no surprise.
DeleteWasn`t it First Southampton that posted on their site that they had closed their travel shop on the actual day it closed?Nice advanced warning First!
DeleteUni-link Southampton are to have 32 new buses delivered later this year!
ReplyDeleteI know it seems a bit cliche to say this but I have been anticipating what could happen if Stagecoach bought First's Southampton operations. My bet is that the network could look like this:
ReplyDeleteCity routes (renumbered to avoid duplication with Bluestar)
R1: City - Woolston - Weston (every 7-8 mins)
R2: City - Shirley - Millbrook - Lower Brownhill (every 7-8 mins)
R3: Lords Hill - General Hospital - Shirley - City - Woolston - Thornhill (every 7-8 mins)
R4: City - Portswood - Townhill Park - Midnabury (every 10 mins)
R5: City - Northam - Bitterne - Sholing (every 15 mins)
R6: City - Woolston - Peartree - Bitterne - Harefield (every 30 mins)
R7: City - Woolston - Merry Oak - Bitterne - Harefield (every 30 mins)
Interurban routes (numbered to tie in with existing routes where possible)
16: Southampton - Woolston - Netley - Hamble (every 30 mins)
26: Southampton - Chartwell Green - West End - Hedge End - Botley - Wickham (every 60 mins with additional hourly journeys between Southampton & Botley)
36: Southampton - Upper Shirley - Bassett - Airport - Eastleigh (every 60 mins with guaranteed connection to services E1 and E2 at Eastleigh)
46: Southampton - University - Bassett - Valley Park - Hiltingbury (every 60 mins, 4 journeys per day continue to Hursley & Winchester)
66: Southampton - Maybush - Lordshill - Nursling - Romsey - Abbotswood - Hursley - Winchester (every 30 mins)
M1: Southampton - Portswood - Airport - Eastleigh - Fair Oak - Marwell Zoo (every 60 mins, operates during summer months only)
As First have so far survived in Southampton albiet with a reduced network,I don't see why this will not continue-As for some of the routes that if Stagecoach took over might operate,from what I note posted very few would in the form suggested.
DeleteIt is my belief that First will be gone by next April, but it could be as soon as the end of this October. I hear that the next attack on them will take place from September!
DeleteNo one has ever attacked them in Southampton,apart from Bluestar in introducing the 17 in response to first attack on the 18-I know of no attack on them from September and don't know where such rumours start.
DeleteI do, and it's far from a rumour! You are right that there have been few attacks on them, more capitalising on their mistakes and the transfer of faith and passenger numbers from First to the blues.
DeleteIt will be late October, not September
DeleteAs one states it will be September,another states it's October,and if they know this to be correct it can't be that much of a seceret,so perhaps they could share the news with all that read this site.
DeleteDoes this mean a large scale Bluestar presence in Woolston?
Deletei would have thought Bluestar were more than content with their present 7 in Woolston without adding to it-The rest of the Woolston area is more than adequetly covered by First and reqires no additional services.
DeleteBus battle in Weston on the cards?
DeleteMust remember that buses are operated by private companies who are after maximum cash for shareholders,hence the flooding of buses in Thornhill till recently and now Shirley Warren and anywhere that`s going to seriously boost their coffers.
DeleteMore changes from First in September. The X5 has revised times & route in Ocean Village & to/from St Anne's school is withdrawn. The 3 is also having revised times & route in Ocean Village, & is getting a revised Sunday frequency according to VOSA.
ReplyDeleteThe 3 route will more than likely be reduced to every 20 mins just like the Bluestar 17 on a Sunday.
DeleteSeems like a remarkably routine set of changes to register for September. Considering the two Anons above who are arguing as to whether First Southampton will be gone in September or October. You really wouldn't think if First are "gone" in September or October that they would bother registering such minor service revisions for September.
DeleteBut then at least one of the Anons, judging by his or her hyperbolic writing style, has been boring the pants of this site for at least a year now with his definitive knowledge of First's immanent departure from the city. It was due in spring, then this autumn, and now another potential slip to next April. Can't help but notice First are still here. No doubt when First do leave they'll claim it proves they were right all along. If any of us are still alive by that point.
Well said as it is getting boring every subject on the blog gets twisted into first southamptons impending doom we must be on at least the 7th apocalypse by now.
DeleteDont think these doom mongers realise that if first go it will
Delete1)create unemployment in southampton as gsc will not take every first employee on
2) push fares up as gsc will not keep fares at current levels
3)could create more traffic as some people may not like bluestar so return to there cars
Whatever these time changes for the 3 or X5 are, they'll be posted on traveline SW say within a mth? But trouble with First as usual is that they'll only put info on bus say a wk before it happens? Causing consternation in the process. First are their own worst enemy.
ReplyDeleteBluestar 2(502) service is getting a revised timetable from Sept 17th according to VOSA today
ReplyDeleteWeird that that has appeared, but the B*5 change on the 3rd Sept hasn’t been on there?
Delete5 Romsey to Boyatt Wood? It was on there on 18/07 stating revised route & times as of 3/9/18
DeleteOh must have missed it. But still appearing 2 days after the 2 when it changes 2 weeks before. Oh well..
DeleteFirst route 6 is having revised times & route from Sept 2nd... reckon there will be more changes happening
ReplyDeleteThe 6 Is no longer expcted to be serving Ingleside.
ReplyDeleteHave First dared to tell Eastleigh about this yet? Cllr Airey - very pro bus - lives in Ingleside, and I'm sure he'll have something to say.
DeleteIf Cllr Airey knows about buses, he will know that Ingleside isn't commercial and to get First to divert the 6 that way, a subsidy will be required, and EBC will have to put it hand in its pocket. If like many local councilors, he is just a waste of space who likes the sound of his own voice, he will issue a pompous press release berating First and then do absolutely nothing.
DeleteTime will tell!
Is the pompous comment absolutely necessary?
DeleteActually, Cllr Airey is extremely helpful. The original claim that the 6 is no longer going to serve Ingleside is wrong. It will be diverted away from Ingleside at certain times - Monday to Friday morning and evening peak periods - to help reduce delays because of congestion within Southampton. Why residents of Eastleigh should help to ease Southampton's incompetence in getting rid of a number of bus lanes is another matter.
DeleteAnd how does one know this?
DeleteI should imagine as the poster has been in contact with Councillor Airey,who has answered the query-As for bus lanes wether there or not Southampton City Centre is a nightmare most of the day-As for Eastleigh another bottleneck,I have never noticed any bus lanes there to ease bus operators problems-At least Southampton does have a few.
DeleteIt would seem that as time goes by more an more DD's vehicles are appearing on Bluestar routes,whilst First has gone in the opposite direction with only SD vehicles
ReplyDeleteBy October the 1, 2, 17 and 18 routes will all be DD. B*3 is supposed to be, but isn’t always.
DeleteHopefully with double doors as well.
DeleteThink double doored buses were the plan when they recently had a trial with a Brighton bus on route 18.
DeleteYes, it will be the current unilink buses, which are being repainted to bluestar colours when unilink get their new fleet.
DeleteThey’ve already started. About 3 are done/almost finished. Once Unilink dropped to vacation times, they had an excess of buses so got the ball rolling a few weeks ago.
DeleteSaw 1548 on *18 yesterday afternoon painted in bs livery(30july)
DeleteFirst Southampton have confirmed their worst kept secret this pm...that the 3 isn't going to serve Ocean Village anymore from Sept 2nd.
ReplyDeleteNew X4 & X5 timetables are available on that traveline SW site already. No sign of new 3 times yet but seeing as X4/5 are already on there, then hopefully won't be much longer to wait.
ReplyDeleteFirst Twitter accts all getting answered by same person today by name of Tannita. They're answering for Wessex, Soton, Pompey, Norwich, Manchester, Aberdeen etc etc. Hence lack of replies to some people's queries seeing as they're answering for the whole country!
ReplyDeleteJust shows what a waste of space the First Twitter site is. They certainly value customers if this is the case.
ReplyDelete2 days ago Courtney answered tweets, today are mainly being answered by a Gemma, whether you're in Aberdeen, Berkshire, Soton etc. Essex, Bristol don't say who they are but still ridiculous that 1 or 2 folk are answering for whole country from Leeds.
DeleteThey don't exactly get many tweets sent to them locally anymore,as folk have long since given up to the fact they rarely receive a satisfory answer.For such a large organisation its customer services are paethetic in some areas.
DeleteSome IOW services cancelled by GSC today on VOSA
ReplyDeleteJust the normal end of summer season notifications. Nothing unusual to get excited about!
Deletebusesofhantsdorset.co.uk site updated now reckons the 3 will increase on Sundays to every 12mins? Having previously stated going down to every 20 mins.
ReplyDeleteVOSA only said "revised" frequency for Sunday, no mention of less or more often.
First Southampton have finally put on their site about service updates on their network. It does Indeed mention Sunday frequency as 12 mins.
ReplyDeleteNow all they need are passengers.Shame most had the good sense to migrate to Bluestar a while back.
DeleteYawn......
ReplyDeleteWhy don't you go elsewhere and bother other folk with your pathetic anti-First comments. As someone who lives on a GSC route, they are far from perfect in my view; better at marketing and PR spin than First maybe but dismally bad at actual service delivery day to day.
Perhaps We could all be informed as to where this dismally actual service delivery day to day occurs on the GSC route you live on?
DeleteBluestar are investing in Southampton and first are seemingly withdrawing gradually,unless you`re are a traitor to Southampton then I`m sure you`ll give Bluestar your full support in future.
Delete'Bluestar are investing' - if we look at the average age profiles of each fleet, First renewed a majority of their fleet during 2014-15, and refurbished some of their buses from 2009. The average fleet age of First's buses is 5.3 years old, whilst Bluestar's average age is 6.6 years old. Whilst in the last 2 years Bluestar have been investing more, in the few years before that First have invested more.
Delete'Unless you're a traitor to Southampton then I'm sure you'll give Bluestar your full support in future' - explain how supporting First based on your better experience of day to day service is being a traitor to Southampton?
Whilst I am not the original poster of the above comments, I think it is very obvious which of the two main operators has a plan in Southampton. Bluestar follow a well thought out progression of their services and fleet, whereas First seem to throw money when they can, but otherwise seem to lurch between one crisis and the next. I think the poster was just observing the difference between the two, and the likely outcome in the longer term?
DeleteBluestar has picked up routes abandoned by a greedy First such as the 16,which when I last looked seemed well loaded.Bluestar are also adding more and more double deckers,rather than axing double deckers.
DeleteRemind me again which operator has a travel shop at the Bargate providing face to face contact with the company ,answering queries and dealing with lost property etc,then remind me which operater closed their Southampton travel shop with no pre-warning.
Deletefirst vs bluestar bluestar for me as there buses are much nicer to ride on and they are putting double deckers on the 18 which are better than first fleet of streetlites id like to see bluestar expand more routes to woolston
ReplyDeleteSo would this fed up bus traveller.
DeletePlenty of unhappy 3 customers concerned about the route change & hoping First will reconsider. When First realise traffic is just as bad along newer route... what's the betting they'll do what they did with the 7? Reverse Townhill loop... didn't work. So they reverted back to prev route, & repeat!
ReplyDeleteMost September 2018 changes for Fareham,Gosport and Portsmouthnow displayed on Traveline site
ReplyDeleteIve just had a long weekend in soton and used more fhad then gsc did you want me to forward my address for the death warrent to be sent for being a traitor to soton for going on the lot which is the former corperation rather then former hants and dorset!
ReplyDeleteA skeleton of the former corporation buses.
DeletePester power has worked. First Southampton have announced that they are going to stick with original 3 route via Ocean Village after all...
ReplyDeleteSee that First have reconsidered the rerouting of the 3... going to still go via Ocean Village after all.
ReplyDelete