In Weymouth, a new timetable with only minor changes started on Sunday on First 2.
In Bournemouth & Poole, Yellow Buses have had some major changes to most routes since Sunday. New timetables: 1/1b, 1a, 2, 3, 4/4a, 5/5a, 6, 7, 8, 18, 33, 36, 737, N5.
In Portsmouth, First 6 and 12 have launched while there is a new timetable including a Sunday service on the 13/14.
From next Monday 14th Jan, we have new timetables on:
Stagecoach 38 (Petersfield-Alton)
Stagecoach 64 (Winchester-Alton)
Hampshire County Council are continuing with austerity as they slash bus subsidies in 2019. Cuts will happen on the following routes from 17th Feb:
Stagecoach E1/E2 (Winchester-Eastleigh)
Stagecoach 6A (Winchester-Abbots Barton)
Stagecoach 46 (Winchester-North Baddesley)
Stagecoach 63 (Winchester-Owslebury)
Stagecoach 66 (Winchester-Romsey)
Stagecoach 67 (Winchester-Alresford)
Xelabus X4 (Eastleigh-Hedge End)
Xelabus X6/X7 (Eastleigh-Hiltingbury)
Xelabus X8 (Eastleigh-Boyatt Wood)
Xelabus X9 (Eastleigh-Bishops Waltham)
Xelabus X10 (Southampton-Bishops Waltham)
Xelabus X17 (Bishops Waltham-Petersfield)
...and from 3rd March on First Fareham routes F2, F3, 10, 20, 21, 27 and 28/28A.
Details of those as we get them, but it won't be pleasant.
Can`t believe what is now the Xelabus X17 used to run every two hours Mon-Sat and now look at it!
ReplyDeleteAah the good ole 52 Southampton To Petersfield.
DeleteWhen did the 52 dissapear
DeleteAfter leaving Swanmore all the way onwards is just rather superb scenery.Apart from Droxford,West Meon and Esst Meon there is more or less no population to speak off and what there is would most definetly be car users in todays world.Where the largest population is the route is well covered by Stagecoach 67.Even the 67 relies on Council subsidy to keep it alive.How the X17 survives in todays world is a miracle.Surprised Meon Valley Mini bus have not operated it as I'm sure it's more suited to that type of operation.
DeleteNever understand why the 38 doesn't run on Saturdays. Surely there must be a) shopping traffic and b) tourists wanting to visit Selborne. And there's really no excuse for austerity in affluent Hampshire. Things really have gone downhill in the last 15 years; in 2003 I remember we still had the old 52 (later 7) running every two hours Southampton to Petersfield. Talk of a 'green' society will only work if you provide the public transport to give people an alternative to using their cars. Without that it's hypocrisy.
ReplyDeleteWhat a load of old tosh, please take off your rose tinted glasses and appreciate that we live in a different age. People do not want to use the bus. Most of the households on my road have 2 or 3 cars as this country is obsessed with being a car owner.
DeleteI seem to remember that the South Downs National Park paid for the 38 on a Saturday for 2 years, but very few people used it.
Indeed.And anyone visiting the area on a Saturday comes by car and did so when there was a Saturday bus service,hence why it was withdrawn.It's simple in todays world,use it or loose it.
DeleteGood Morning
ReplyDeleteFor your information our changes are as follows in order to clarify the listing above:
Service X4 - One later journey withdrawn M-S, reduced timetable on Sundays and Public Holidays.
Service X6/X7 - Revised M-F timetable with less journeys operating around Hiltingbury. Reduced timetable on Sundays and Public Holidays.
Service X9 - No reduction in timetable. Only retiming of one journey. Sunday and Public Holiday service to Colden Common withdrawn but replaced with a Service X8 to Boyatt Wood only.
Service X10 - No reduction in timetable just a M-S late afternoon journey re-timed.
Service X17 - Will be one round trip only and start from Eastleigh.
The Sunday and Public Holiday timetables were only an experiment by Eastleigh BC to try and boost shopping in the town.
Full details of timetables will be available in new Bustimes booklet available from 28th January 2019.
Customer Services
Xelabus Limited
Thank you for such information.
DeleteOh dear Claudio.Even more reductions to service levels in Hedge End.I wonder why that is?
DeleteDear Anonymous. Please don’t be a stirrer. The Sunday timetable was just a trial and they are just reducing it. And it was a trajectory I don’t use, the X4 to Eastleigh. Of course there is more demand to go to Southampton than Eastleigh. (The 8 passes off Wildern Lane every 30 min), Bluestar has a bus every hour. Xelabus X9 goes as well to Eastleigh but it is not an alternative to Southampton because it takes a long route to Eastleigh.
DeleteI even wouldn’t mind to have a bus every hour to Southampton by a variation of the 8 (an 8A) with the same route as the X4 from the superstores.
First a few years back served the centre of Hedge End one bus running in one direction the other in reverse.This was short lived as the customers wern't there to support it.It would seem in your postings anyone that comments on your posts that you don't like their reply you instantly attack.The comment above at 1338 9th January reflects the fact that Hedge End of late is not a good operating area in todays world and that's why the service keep getting reduced.Myself I'm surprised the 2110 Bluestar 3 from Southampton still survives.This runs courtesy of EBC who fund it,but would seem most evenings hardly anyone passenger wise supports it
DeleteThought First F3 was commercial not HCC. If HCC cut more from the 28 Whiteley will be more gridlocked than now! Always found HCC double standards.....paying zillions for the Eclipse to start up in Fareham-Gosport plus now extending the busway when in reality the 'real' roads can cope in the extension area, yet will not subsidize to a decent service level buses in Whiteley. Which to those not in the know has a thriving Business park, a thriving shopping centre, a multiplex cinema & loads of restaurants. Not forgetting the actual thousands of homes in the area & North Whiteley development just starting with more houses/schools etc. The bus service is one every TWO (& a bit sometimes) hours. Hence not a real alternative to a car hence total gridlock every day!!
ReplyDeleteWhiteley is not a bus operating territory.No good subsidising bus services to Whiteley that no one will use.Most roads wherever you go today are gridlocked with cars,whos owners seem to be quite happy sitting in and not moving at any particular speed.It's a car crazed society we live in today and except in certain areas the bus is obsolete.Even in areas where the bus is well used at present,this will decline as time goes bye,and in the end no bus service will be subsidised by any Council.I don't expect the new development to the North of Whiteley will see any improvement to bus services.All you can look forward too in the future is further gridlock.Whiteley does have a thriving Business park due to the fact it's car orinated and nothing will change this.
DeletePeople do use buses to Whiteley. The ones that run at peak times do have passengers. The roads are clogged because there is no alternative. There are no sensible timed buses to get people to work or to shop. You can not get a bus that arrives before 9am! One bus every TWO hours is not a viable transport system. North Whiteley will bring improvement as developers money will pay for it. Hopefully this wil actually allow people a choice.
DeleteYes-And when the developers money runs out,bang goes the bus service.Just watch what will happen to Xelabus X5 when the developers money runs out
DeleteHi Xelabus when are the E200MMCs entering service and what routes will they be used on?
ReplyDeleteDear Customer
ReplyDeleteThe E200MMC buses will be entering service up to Easter. The first (442) has been delivered and will enter service on X4/X6/X7. The other 9 will displace the existing Enviro single decks as they will be Euro 6 compliant and it is intended to retain a small number of the Enviro fleet as the Scanias 412 - 415 will be withdrawn by the summer.
Customer Services
Xelabus Limited
Where are the Scanias moving onto Xelabus?
ReplyDeleteAnd please call me Reece
Hi Reece
DeleteHello Reece
DeleteRemember service S105 that was about to be launched by Mr Gard?
ReplyDeleteWell it looks like it has be renumbered to C1, and it will be a Christchurch Circular via Burton, Somerford Estate and Purewell.
With this move, a very clever one, it tackles a few direct competition: Yellow Buses 1B and Morebus service 24.
I do hope things go well with Mr Gard, and hope that a new bus war will not happen.
Nothing in the past that Mr Gard has ever done has ever lasted more than a short time.I would in no way imagine Yellowbuses or More have anything to worry about.
ReplyDeleteThey probably won't, but I do wish him luck. There are no independent operators in the conurbation (correct me if I'm wrong), so it's nice to see a smaller company step up.
DeleteI agree with Claudio that it's a clever move, competing on routes that the major players seem to be abandoning (both More and YB have reduced their services in the area in the last year), but regularly seem to be popping up in the local news as residents complain about loss of services.
Of course, as we all know, people complaining in the paper doesn't equate to people actually getting on the bus. But I don't see more as particularly invested in the 24 - so there is an opportunity here. Unlikely, but you never know!
Hello Alice. You are absolutely right.
DeleteI am trying to change the way I talk about companies and give them credit for trying things that other companies dont want to do.
Mr Gard may had some sort of problems, going pop with another bus company a few years ago, but who knows what he makes this time. People learn from mistakes. Just give him a chance.
I've seen some comments online from people in the area who are very enthusiastic about this new service. Also the timetable was posted on a FB group (as it seems to have been put up at stops already):
DeleteThe first bus leaves Burton at 9am (2 minutes ahead of More's 24), running first to Somerford Sainsburys, then back via the Estate to Christchurch High Street and back to Burton in a circular route. It runs every 30 mins with the last trip leaving Burton at 1.34 in the afternoon. On school holidays and Saturdays, there are three afternoon journeys after that - and yes, it'll be the only bus on Saturdays in Burton and Somerford.
It's a real improvement for two areas that have a pretty irregular service these days. The fares are also very competitive compared to the other operators. If Mr Gard gets it right, then he's onto a winner.
Anyone who supports Mr Gard is not quite the ticket.Mr Gards previous operations have been a disaster.All that's happening is that's it's putting what Morebus and Yellowbuses operate in jepordy.If more or Yellowbus decide to withdraw journeys which at present they operate on a knifes edge I will applaud them in doing so.If More and Yellowbus thought a Saturday service was viable they would be running it now
DeleteI'd think the Burton residents will be attracted by a direct journey to Sainsburys at Somerford. Now they have a couple of trips MWF by More 125, else its over 30 minutes with a change.
DeleteOnly time will tell.
Likewise bringing Saturday buses back to Burton for the first time in a couple of years. But will the residents use it?
DeleteWe have been developing the new service over the past few months and have worked closely with relevant local organisations to ensure the new service can best serve the needs of local residents.
DeleteWe have developed a service that takes into account reductions in service levels from other public transport providers in the local area and as we have lower operating costs than the larger international groups that operate in this area we can provide these on a viable commercially operated basis.
We will also restore a Saturday service to the area which will provide vital public transport links to local residents.
We welcome any feedback or input when developing our bus services and should anyone wish to do so please e-mail us southbournebuses@outlook.com or call customer services on 01202 428828
Customer Services
Southbourne Buses
City Red 11 frequency to be reduced back to every 7 minutes.
ReplyDeleteHow do you know this?
DeleteMust be costing both companies a fortune as neither operators buses look busy when I see them.
DeleteThe 17 in Weston and Woolston has slowly been improving
DeleteI just want to laugh. Nice try First but, not really...
DeleteThe City Red refurb plan has been put on hold.
ReplyDeleteWhat refurb plan is supposed to be happening?
DeleteHeard they wanted to put usb charging points across the fleet as well as some seats. Well it has been put on hold... never mind, and it doesn’t mean anything guys.
DeleteBS7 seems to be increasing its loadings with one bus I boarded at lunchtime having hardly any unoccupied seats left.
ReplyDeleteIn Sat`s edition of the Daily Echo Bluestar say that the Christmas Day services were very popular on p7 of the paper.
ReplyDeletePH0006159/341 Registered
ReplyDeleteFIRST HAMPSHIRE & DORSET LIMITED
Route: Haslar, Gilkicker Road to Fareham Bus Station via Hoeford, Gosport Bus Station
Service number: 11 ()
Service type: Normal Stopping
Effective date: 03 Mar 2019
Very cheeky of Bluestar today-the 17 left Vincents Walk then stopped opposite West Quay waiting for the 11 to come behind before moving on towards Woolston.
ReplyDeleteI highly doubt the driver did that for the reason you imply, most drivers just don't think that way. They drive when their running board tells them to drive and they wait when it tells them to wait. West Quay is a timing point on the 17, so hardly surprising that buses will sometimes wait time there. If the 11 was coming along behind at the same time then that's s probably a coincidence.
ReplyDeleteYou seem to be very naïve then as the bus didn`t stop to let on/off passengers and had only moments ago left a timing point and therefore shouldn`t have sat there for a few minutes for any other reason.
DeleteSo dear anonymous 15/1/19 9:57
DeleteIs it okay for first to run every 5 minutes service 11 just to clog Vincent’s Walk and it is not okay for drivers to wait at West Quay?
Apart from that, in my honest opinion, now that first has competition in every flagship routes, they should decrease slightly the frequency to every 10 minutes. It would be more than enough.
17 probably had no where to wait in Vincents Walk cos First were blocking the stand so sensibly continued to next stop to wait time.
DeleteNo doubt about it,there are far too many buses to Weston,which is not a particularly large estate.Many other areas of the City are also very overbused
DeleteAnon @18:38-the 17 DID wait in Vincent`s Walk.
DeleteAgreed, Weston doesn't need 14 buses an hour to town.
DeleteAs I didn't buy Saturdays Copy of the Daily Echo is there an article online regarding the Bluestar Christmas Day bus services?
ReplyDeleteLoads of Xelabus Schools routes being changed in February
ReplyDeleteMost Xelabus February service changes now on Traveline.The way it's going Eastleigh to Chandler's Ford will soon have no bus service whatsoever
ReplyDeleteSOUTHBOURNE BUSES C1 TIMETABLE NOW ON TRAVELINE
ReplyDeleteIt has been on southbourne buses website since Monday.
DeleteWe now have paper copies available from
DeleteChristchurch Library &
Christchurch tourist information
Large print also available on request from our office.
Customer Services
Southbourne Buses
Hi Xelabus
ReplyDeleteWhy are you cutting journies on the X6 and X6?
Due to a funding cut by Hampshire county council.
DeleteI'm surprised Xelabus haven't offered to run journies commercially
DeletePerhaps there is little profit to be made from it.
DeleteAnd X7
ReplyDeleteThe X6 and X7's around Hiltingbury and North Millers Dale have been hit very hard.
DeleteFor what could be described as a Town service,the whole service has now become just a joke.Even Velmore which use to be good bus teritory,seems to have deserted the bus.The age of the car has taken over.
DeleteStagecoach 46 and 461.
ReplyDeleteIf the Traveline timetable for the 17th Feb is to be believed then the 46 and the college version of the 46 have come out rather well from this round of HCC cutbacks. When compared to the previous rounds of HCC cutbacks.
Mind you, if the present cutbacks had been any harder then the people of Hiltingbury and Valley Park would have been in great difficulty whenever they had a Hospital Appointment.
So many tests and procedures these days require that one does not drive afterwards.
The new 46 timetable is not much use to anyone now except perhaps for a few students.I suspect it won't last much longer.The timetable lends itself to a person being a car user and not a bus user
ReplyDeleteSome of the other journeys will now run as part of the 461 college service, some journeys on which will run year round rather than just term time. So the overall service level is not much different to now.
Delete