Friday 13 December 2019

Christmas & New Year bus services

All of the service amendments are in for the Christmas and New Year period. Here's how our region's buses will be running, day by day..


Monday 23rd December 2019:
  • Bluestar: Saturday service on all routes, except for 6, 35, 39, H1/H2, which will have a weekday service. Extra morning journeys on routes 5, 9 and 12.
  • Damory, Southern Vectis, Unilink: Normal weekday service.
  • First Bath D1, First Portsmouth, First Southampton: Saturday service.
  • First Weymouth: Saturday service, except for routes 4A, 6 and X54, which will have a weekday service.
  • More: Saturday service, except for routes X1, X2, X3, X6, X8, 24, 38, 119, 125, 191, 193 and Ringo, which will have a weekday service. Extra morning journeys on routes 5, 8, 9, 13, 14, 16 and 17.
  • Salisbury Reds: Normal weekday service on all routes, except for Activ8, which will have a Saturday service.
  • Stagecoach Portsmouth: Saturday service, except for route 38, which will have a weekday service.
  • Stagecoach Winchester: Saturday service, except for routes 6A, 46, 63 and 461, which will have a weekday service.
  • Unibus: Vacation weekday service on routes U1 and U3 only. No service on U2 or U4.
  • Xelabus: Saturday service on routes X4, X9, X10 and X11. Weekday service on routes X6, X7, X15 and Bitterne Hoppa. Wednesday service on route X17.
  • Yellow Buses: Saturday service, except for routes 18, 33, 36 and 737, which will have a weekday service.


Christmas Eve 24th December 2019:
  • Bluestar: Full Saturday service on all routes, except for 6, 35, 36, T3/T4, which will have a weekday service. Extra morning journeys on routes 5, 9 and 12.
  • Damory, Southern Vectis: Normal weekday service.
  • First Bath D1: Saturday service.
  • First Portsmouth, First Southampton: Saturday service with early finish.
  • First Weymouth: Saturday service with early finish, except for routes 4A, 6 and X54, which will have a weekday service with early finish.
  • More: Full Saturday service, except for routes X1, X2, X3, X6, X8, 24, 38, 112, 119, 125, 191, 193 and Ringo, which will have a weekday service. Extra morning journeys on routes 5, 8, 9, 13, 14, 16 and 17. No night buses.
  • Salisbury Reds: Normal weekday service on all routes, except for Activ8, which will have a Saturday service, but no 2105 departure from Andover.
  • Stagecoach Portsmouth: Saturday service with early finish, except for route 38, which will have a weekday service with early finish.
  • Stagecoach Winchester: Saturday service with early finish, except for routes 46 and 461, which will have a weekday service.
  • Unibus: Vacation weekday service on routes U1 and U3 only. No service on U2 or U4. No night buses.
  • Unilink: Weekday service with early finish.
  • Xelabus: Saturday service on routes X4, X9, X10 and X11. Weekday service on routes X6, X7, X12 and X15.
  • Yellow Buses: Saturday service with early finish, except for routes 18, 33, 36 and 737, which will have a weekday service with early finish.


Christmas Day 25th December 2019:
  • BluestarSpecial timetable on routes 1X (Southampton-Eastleigh-WInchester) and 18 (extended to General Hospital and Lordshill) only. No service on other routes.
  • MoreSpecial timetable on routes M1 (extended to Royal Bournemouth Hospital) and M2 (extended to Christchurch) only. No service on other routes.
  • Southern VectisSpecial timetable on routes 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9 only. No service on other routes.
  • Damory, First, Salisbury Reds, Stagecoach, Unibus, Unilink, Xelabus, Yellow Buses: No service.


Boxing Day 26th December 2019:
  • Bluestar: Full Sunday service on all routes except for the 6, which won't run.
  • First PortsmouthSpecial timetable on routes 1, 2, 3, Star 7 and Eclipse E1/E2 only. No service on other routes.
  • First SouthamptonSpecial timetable on routes 1, 2, three, 7 and 11 only. No service on other routes.
  • First WeymouthSpecial timetable on routes 1, 2 and 10 only. No service on other routes.
  • More: Sunday service on routes M1, M2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 13, 14, 16, 17, 40, 50, X3 and X8 only. No service on other routes.
  • Salisbury Reds: Sunday service on routes X3 and Activ8. Special timetable on routes R1, R2 and X4. No service on other routes.
  • UnilinkSpecial timetable on route U1 only. No service on other routes.
  • Yellow BusesSpecial timetable on routes 1, 1a, 2, 3, 4, 5, 5a and 6 only. No service on other routes.
  • Southern Vectis, Stagecoach: Full Sunday service.
  • Damory, First Bath D1, Unibus, Xelabus: No service.


Friday 27th December 2019:
  • Bluestar: Saturday service on all routes, except for 6, 35, 39, H1/H2, which will have a weekday service. Extra morning journeys on routes 5, 9 and 12.
  • Damory, Southern Vectis: Normal weekday service.
  • First Bath D1, First Portsmouth, First Southampton, Unilink: Saturday service.
  • First Weymouth: Saturday service, except for routes 4A, 6 and X54, which will have a weekday service.
  • More: Saturday service, except for routes X1, X2, X3, X6, X8, 24, 38, 119, 125, 191, 193 and Ringo, which will have a weekday service. Extra morning journeys on routes 5, 8, 9, 13, 14, 16 and 17.
  • Salisbury Reds: Normal weekday service on all routes, except for Activ8, which will have a Saturday service.
  • Stagecoach Portsmouth: Saturday service, except for route 38, which will have a weekday service.
  • Stagecoach Winchester: Saturday service, except for routes 46 and 461, which will have a weekday service.
  • Unibus: Saturday service on route U3 only. No service on other routes.
  • Xelabus: Saturday service on routes X4, X9, X10 and X11. Weekday service on routes X6, X7 and X15.
  • Yellow Buses: Saturday service, except for routes 18, 33, 36 and 737, which will have a weekday service.


Saturday 28th & Sunday 29th December 2019:
All operators: Normal weekend service.


Monday 30th December 2019:
  • Bluestar: Saturday service on all routes, except for 6, 35, 39, H1/H2, which will have a weekday service. Extra morning journeys on routes 5, 9 and 12.
  • Damory, Southern Vectis: Normal weekday service.
  • First Bath D1, First Portsmouth, First Southampton: Saturday service.
  • First Weymouth: Saturday service, except for routes 4A, 6 and X54, which will have a weekday service.
  • More: Saturday service, except for routes X1, X2, X3, X6, X8, 24, 38, 119, 125, 191, 193 and Ringo, which will have a weekday service. Extra morning journeys on routes 5, 8, 9, 13, 14, 16 and 17.
  • Salisbury Reds: Normal weekday service on all routes, except for Activ8, which will have a Saturday service.
  • Stagecoach Portsmouth: Saturday service, except for route 38, which will have a weekday service.
  • Stagecoach Winchester: Saturday service, except for routes 6A, 46, 63 and 461, which will have a weekday service.
  • Unibus: Saturday service on route U3 only. No service on other routes.
  • Unilink: Saturday service, but no night buses and no 0030 U1C from the Airport.
  • Xelabus: Saturday service on routes X4, X9, X10 and X11. Weekday service on routes X6, X7 and X15. Wednesday service on route X17.
  • Yellow Buses: Saturday service, except for routes 18, 33, 36 and 737, which will have a weekday service.



New Year's Eve 31st December 2019:
  • Bluestar: Full Saturday service on all routes, except for 6, 35, 36, T3/T4, which will have a weekday service. Extra morning journeys on routes 5, 9 and 12.
  • Damory: Normal weekday service.
  • First Bath D1: Saturday service.
  • First Portsmouth, First Southampton: Saturday service with early finish.
  • First Weymouth: Saturday service, except for route 6, which will have a weekday service. Extra late journeys on routes 1, 2, 3, 8 and 10.
  • More: Full Saturday service, except for routes X1, X2, X3, X6, X8, 24, 38, 112, 119, 125, 191, 193 and Ringo, which will have a weekday service. Extra morning journeys on routes 5, 8, 9, 13, 14, 16 and 17. Night buses will run.
  • Salisbury Reds: Normal weekday service on all routes, except for Activ8, which will have a Saturday service, but no 2105 departure from Andover.
  • Southern Vectis: Friday service, complete with night buses.
  • Stagecoach Portsmouth: Saturday service with early finish, except for route 38, which will have a weekday service with early finish.
  • Stagecoach Winchester: Saturday service with early finish, except for routes 46 and 461, which will have a weekday service.
  • Unibus: Saturday service on route U3 only. No service on other routes.
  • Unilink: Saturday service with early finish. No night buses.
  • Xelabus: Saturday service on routes X4, X9, X10 and X11. Weekday service on routes X6, X7 and X15.
  • Yellow Buses: Saturday service with early finish, except for routes 18, 33, 36 and 737, which will have a weekday service with early finish.


New Year's Day 1st January 2020:
  • BluestarSpecial timetable on routes 1, 2, 4, 7, 9, 12, 16, 17, 18 and 19 only. No service on other routes.
  • More: Sunday service on routes 5, 6, 16, 17 and X3. Special timetable on routes M1, M2, 8, 9 and 13. No service on other routes.
  • Salisbury Reds: Sunday service on routes X3 and Activ8. Special timetable on routes R1, R2 and X4. No service on other routes.
  • Southern Vectis, Stagecoach: Full Sunday service.
  • UnilinkSpecial timetable on route U1 only. No service on other routes.
  • Yellow BusesSpecial timetable on routes 1, 1a, 2, 3, 4, 5, 5a and 6 only. No service on other routes.
  • Damory, First, Unibus, Xelabus: No service.


Thursday 2nd & Friday 3rd January 2020:
  • Bluestar, Damory, More, Salisbury Reds, Southern Vectis, Stagecoach, Unibus, Unilink: Normal weekday service.
  • First Bath D1, First Portsmouth, First Southampton: Saturday service.
  • First Weymouth: Saturday service, except for routes 4A, 6 and X54, which will have a weekday service.
  • Xelabus: Saturday service on routes X4, X9, X10 and X11. Weekday service on all other routes.
  • Yellow Buses: Saturday service, except for routes 18, 33, 36 and 737, which will have a weekday service.


Saturday 4th January 2020:
All operators: Normal service resumes.


See all upcoming changes across the region at-a-glance here.


74 comments:

  1. TheThree is to be rebranded City Red 3

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    1. Really? Wow, Fk me.. hold my beer, that's just what I've been waiting for. I'm off to the First travel shop to swap my Bluestar ticket for a First one.

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    2. Pathetic comment

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    3. The travel shop is now closed down buddy

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    4. Apparently Cityred 1 is to be put out of it`s misery next year if you believe the rumours going round that is.

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    5. Saw a nearly full City Red 1 the other day. Almost spilt my pint.

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    6. Passengers better beware that patronage of both Cityred 1 and BS12 is pretty poor at the moment and if passengers don`t fully get behind BS12 they could find themselves without a frequent service if it all backfires and both pull out of Calmore due to losses.

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    7. No one on Calmore has to worry about their bus service being withdrawn.Why do people have to publish scaremonger tactics on facebook pages

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    8. The day that Bluestar back off of a route due to a little challenge by First, I will eat my hat. The blues are here for the long haul. When was the last time that they gave up on a route, anyone? I would venture that it was the beep bus episode many years ago, unless someone wishes to correct me!

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    9. Bluestar 3 was half-hourly until First started competing to Hedge End - Bluestar 16 soon switched route when the opportunity was presented as it struggled against First through St Denys - also the Beep Bus episode was solely to drive competition away from the Bluestar 1 route, they had no long term intentions - and it is not just First, some routes operated commercially by Xelabus used to be operated by the Blues

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    10. No Bluestar 16 changed route through Northam and Bitterne to replace the withdrawn First 12 back in 2015.

      And d we need to mention the beep bus this was about 10 years back?

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    11. I think the last Bluestar routes to be surrendered, that weren't wholly tendered, were the Red Rocket, then Baby Bluestar, E1 and E2 between Eastleigh and Winchester.

      Passing through several operators, including Velvet, Wheelers, First and now Stagecoach, in the intervening years these weren't tendered at the time, but are now supported by Hampshire County Council.

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    12. According to Xelabus services X4, X6, X7, X9, X10 are operated either partly or wholly(except Sundays) commercially i.e. without financial support from Hampshire County Council or Eastleigh Borough Council

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    13. First 12 loadings, although not good, did at least, even if not by a great amount, exceed those on Bluestar 16 so re-routing was a no-brainer for Bluestar

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    14. Yes it was the E1 and 2, you are right. The others are frequency or route amendments so don't really count as routes that they gave up on. From memory, there were parts of the E1 and E2 that carried a subsidy back in the Bluestar days, and when this was being reduced below reasonable levels, the blues threw it back. My point was that Bluestar have never given in to any First threat, by backing away, even if it meant financial pain.

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    15. Pretty sure the E1 and E2 were tendered services when Bluestar operated them and they are still tendered now. The changes of operator have simply been due to the contract being won or lost. The geographic location of it in between the operating areas of various different operators means there are usually plenty of bidders for it and as can be seen there have been various different winners over the years.

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    16. I believe when Bluestar has the E1/E2 (and before that the E3 too) only the Sunday journeys were tendered (possibly with the E3 via Badger Farm Sainsbury's too on weekdays).

      It was every 30 mins too - with the E1 and E2 operating hourly each. Cut back to hourly, during the latter part of Bluestar's operating tenure, to keep it commercial, I believe.

      When that failed, it reverted to be nearly entirely supported by HCC - the most popular section covered (commercially) by Bluestar's 5 to Boyatt Wood every 30 minutes.

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  2. How exciting that news is

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  3. I love the way quite a few people stand in the walkway from Morrison`s at West Totton and suddenly surge forward the fifty yards to the bus stop when the bus approaches rather than actually stand at the bus stop and make themselves look such snobs that they daren`t be seen actually waiting at a bus stop.

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    1. This seems pure fantasy. I have never witnessed anything that you describe and as the stop is a long way from the entrance, the bus cannot be seen from there and would not wait while people made their way over. It is not a timing point, so the bus goes straight through if there is nobody at the stop or getting off.

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    2. Yes indeed so much drivell posted on this site by persons with nothing else better to do

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    3. Practical-minded people do, on occasion, when the situation permits, stand away from bus stops. Saves a potential soaking from passing cars on a rainy day. Visibility can be improved - yellow-fronted buses were brilliant in their day, could see them from a mile off - nowadays they are an awful dark blue which is difficult for people with bad vision to pick up in low light and can even be partially obscured on busy roads by the haze from traffic fumes. Also it can be safer - I have, over the years, been spat at, verbally abused and had several objects thrown at me from passing vehicles while waiting at a bus stop.

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    4. Must be something about your appearence why people wish to spit at you etc.Maybe it would be safer for you to stay at home or find another way to travel rather than a bus

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    5. I don`t think the poster was referring to the entrance to the store but in fact the walkway between the car park and Michigan Way .I have seen people stood where the pathway comes out into Michigan Way waiting for the bus so I don`t think it`s nonsense.

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    6. If you are in the correct place for the bus at Morrison's why worry about those who are not?

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    7. Because you don`t want to be pushing in ahead of others who have clearly waited longer than you.

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    8. Ah yes, I can see my error reading the original post and was mislead by the distance quoated. The walkway is only a few yards from the stop. Yes, people do wait there as opposed to at the stop sometimes. They tell me that it is a good place to shelter from the wind when it is in a particular direction, so nothing sinister.

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  4. Yellow Buses sort of forgot to mention how they will run the 21 (Christchurch to Bransgore) during the Christmas period...
    After digging on the internet, I found out they will run on normal monday to friday timetable, except bank holidays.

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    1. Sadly Y/B 21 loads are very light on the Bransgore section with passengers seeming loyal to the More 125 on which there is rumour amongst it passengers that the 125 will be withdrawn in the new year...can anyone comment on this?

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    2. 125 is council funded while 21 is commercial. Council would normally withdraw funding if route is duplicated commercially, however as stretch from Bransgore to Ringwood isn't covered I would have thought its pretty safe. I suppose in theory they could alter contract to cover Ringwood to Bransgore or Burley only, but I suspect more would still run onwards to Christchurch commercially in that scenario to stop further inroads from YB.

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    3. The rumour about the 125 withdrawal is just a rumour. According to VOSA, the registration is still active, and there is not a cancellation in sight.

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    4. thanks for comments,... Y/B have now amend their web site ref festive season operation of 21

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    5. Eventually there will be just one operator serving Bransgore and Burton as the market isn't viable for both.

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  5. Also you might like to mention that on Jan 1st in Winchester there will be the small King Alfred running day & in between Gosport & Fareham the Provincial society will be running a free ALE & RIDE service.

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    1. But yet no buses running to be able to get to the events unless you use a train to get to Fareham

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    2. Good ole First!

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    3. I am sure some of the armchair experts here will have no problem getting an Operators Licence and running a New Years Day service....

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    4. I'm sure they won't have any problem.You going for one aswell?

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    5. Not me. I don't have any background in industry, and I am working New Years Day already.

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    6. Right.not an armchair expert then?

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    7. Did not say I was, I said "the armchair experts," not "being an armchair expert."

      I appreciate that is an easy thing to misunderstand.

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    8. That's the problem in todays world.Far to many armchair experts commenting on a subject they know little about when they themselves think they do.Also an easy thing to misunderstand.

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  6. Happy Christmas to you too Claudio, and to all!

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    1. Hope you had a good Christmas Ian.

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  7. Thanks Reece. Yes a whole day off! Amazing how many people were out on Boxing day, who had no idea that First were going home extra early. Saw several Bluestar buses loaded to the gunnels between 7 and 10 tonight. They must have really cleaned up and won a lot of new friends again. I just don't understand why First want to keep committing financial suicide?

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    1. I had to tell a bus driver yesterday that the U6H did not run on Boxing Day as a Family boarded a 7 to Bevious Valley with a Bluestar Ticket and As I had to tell the driver that UniLink does not run on Boxing Day he let the family on that had a few kids with them.

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    2. In all My daily travels on Bluestar I have never yet seen one loaded to the gunnels between 1900 and 2200.When they run most First bus routes travel along the same roads as Bluestar and unless they have a prepaid ticket most people get on the first bus that comes along.In fact in how things run today most of us are just glad when something turns up

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  8. If only people made a choice of their bus operator by the service level on a couple of bank holidays. I think that just shows the level of armchair knowledge on this site.

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    1. You have to remember that the battle between our two main operators is won and lost by very fine margins. Not only did Blue Star produce very good revenues on one evening, they may have gained twenty or thirty extra passengers all year round, whose lost revenue to First could be vital in their battle to survive. Please do not assume that you know more than any other armchair expert! We all have a similar knowledge, although some may be closer to the action than others!

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  9. As you are know Bluestar produced "good revenues" yesterday I can only assume you work for the company and processed the days takings!

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    1. Assuming makes an ASS of U and ME! I could not possibly comment on your assumption, as you know that employees are not permitted to do so, on public forums.

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  10. What a load of bollicks people write this site who haven't a clue what they are on about

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    1. So true, and back biting others always loses the battle of minds. We are all allowed our views, but diplomacy is key to gaining respect of others.

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  11. Go South Coast as a whole cannot be doing that well as some drivers are suffering a long-term pay cut blamed on 'austerity' measures.

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    1. Your source for this utter nonsense is what? Every driver is substantially better off now than they were a year ago and get another rise in January. They don't suffer from wheel turning time only and are a country mile ahead of First!

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  12. Easy solution - higher fares for the good people of the Isle of Wight to pay for the wages across all of go south coast

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    1. This is also complete rubbish. More, Blue Star, H& D trim, Excelsior, Damory etc are very efficient profit producers in their own right.

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    2. That’s clearly not the case otherwise drivers wouldn’t have been saying drivers are suffering a pay cut from austerity measures. I think this was clearly highlight with the recent industrial action taken by some depots at GSC. Of course if the wages were that great they wouldn’t be so short of drivers .....?

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    3. Drivers have not had a pay cut and I'm not aware of any austerity measures. Industrial action was about the size of the annual pay increase.

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    4. Anon@ 1719, please stop listening to what one driver may tell you. There are no pay cuts and no austerity measures. The industrial action was to make sure that the annual pay rise was a fair one and was quickly settled afterwards. They are short of drivers in exactly the same way that every other business is short of staff. There are simply not enough people in the available workforce with the qualifications or aptitude to do the job. Every industry has the same problem in the South.

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    5. At least it’s good to hear the managements propaganda!

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    6. It's a shame that you seem unable to see others points of view.

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  13. Yes the usual nonsense getting trotted out about Southern Vectis making huge profits to subsidise losses elsewhere. I don't know if that was ever true (maybe in the bad old days of Solent Blue Line?) but it certainly isn't now.

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  15. Happy New Year... what do you expect from 2020 in the bus industry, Especially in the region?

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    1. I wanted to add that in Southampton, Bluestar is offering a reduced Sunday service on their core routes (1, 2, 9, 12, 16, 17, 18 and 19) plus a nice surprise on the 4 (as previous years), plus an unexpected 7 only on the east side of the city.

      During 2020 I expect nothing major happening, apart from a silly war between First and Go Ahead...
      Who will win? No idea, we may have to see during this year.

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