The usual notice periods for bus service changes are suspended, so services can change at very short notice. If you do need to make an essential journey by bus, we therefore recommend you check the website of the operator to see what level of service will be running. Most services are running emergency timetables with a greatly reduced level of service compared to normal.
Here are direct links to the operators' current service level pages...
- Bluestar
- First Bath
- First Portsmouth
- First Southampton
- First Wessex
- More
- Salisbury Reds
- Southern Vectis
- Stagecoach Portsmouth
- Stagecoach Winchester
- Unibus
- Unilink
- Yellow Buses
Apologies for the gap between posts. I've been preoccupied with the aftermath of a death (not due to Coronavirus) in my family.
Good to see you are safe and sound mate.
ReplyDeleteBad times ahead for bus companies as will be an uphill struggle to get many to use buses again. Where some routes have not run now for eight weeks I suspect they will never return at frequency they were pre covid19. As a frequent bus user social distancing has been very well carried out on all services I have used so far
ReplyDeleteWhat bus routes are you referring to
DeleteXelabus routes I think Anon refers to as they haven`t run for a while.
DeleteWill they ever come back?
DeleteYes they will on 8th of June
DeleteNot much to come back too. As they have not operated now for 8 weeks and with us all being told to avoid public transport, most of what they do operate will be running round empty. Confidence in using public transport again for many is a long way off. It's shocking such places as Velmore have not seen even a skeleton service during this time.
DeleteAny idea what they will be operating
DeleteNo. It's a secret
DeleteBe intresting if the X9/10 will still get well used?
DeleteWell when reintroduced they will be running saturday schedules. I expect in the future if they last long enough this is how they will stay until Councils start cutting funds,which they will.
DeleteXelabus will be around a long time as they continue to win school tenders
DeleteNot many school contracts to win at present.In fact some parents may well in the future may be wary of sending their children by public transport.
DeleteAnd increase road accidents, pollution and obesity in the process.
DeleteBus operators will have to up their service levels from June 1 if all the shops will begin to open from then onwards.
ReplyDeleteIf they don't go out of buisness
DeleteDidn`t they receive a cash injection from the government to keep going during these times?Be interesting to see how they cope with all the extra shoppers wanting to head to West Quay AND keep safe distancing on buses.
DeleteIt will be a long time before bus services return to normal. Many just won't use them as they will feel they are unsafe which is what the Government has suggested to people. buses are in for a lean time ahead and not helped by the companies themselves in telling people not to use them giving the impression they are unsafe
DeleteI don't understand why people post so much doom and gloom about the future of bus travel on this site. Even if it takes a few years, bus travel will eventually return to pre-covid levels as people will be fed up with queuing in longer traffic jams caused by the government's advice from today.
DeleteThe post Covid19 for public transport is bleak. It will take years for some people to use public transport again with confidence. By the time things get back to more or less normal many bus routes and even some companies will be no more.
DeleteAs a transport geek, I will be travelling by bus and train as much as possible once this is over. I am willing to pay more for travel than I did before the pandemic to help the companies make up revenue lost from those customers choosing to forego public transport in favour of the car.
DeleteI'm not sure the general public would be
DeleteWhat about you Reece? Knowing your love of First City Reds, I expect you will be riding on them more than ever as soon as non essential travel is allowed.
DeleteI will be on a lot of buses mate that is for certain.
DeleteGood on ya mate. Don't forget to give the drivers tips to thank them for the hard work they're doing
DeleteOf course I will thank them for their efforts mate.
DeleteGood lad. Make sure you donate a bit of money to them while you're at it too!
DeleteYeah by paying for bus Fares but will only start using them once I am satisfied it is a lot safer to board on.
DeleteReece-Just keep your distance from other passengers and open the windows-I even had a whole train carriage to myself last night cause of all this fear-mongering about using public transport-at the end of the day there are over 65 MILLION people and the number of deaths(Very tragic that they are),is only a tiny,tiny number of the population
DeleteI would do exactly all these things but I live with family members who suffer from asthma I'm only 26 so got loads of times in my life to enjoy bus rides.
DeleteAlso commercial guards on trains don't seem to move about so fare evasion must now be on the up
DeleteThat`s fair enough then Reece-guards on trains apparently aren`t allowed to sell tickets onboard trains due to the distancing at the moment and possibly one of the reasons why they are trying to deter too many people travelling by train as they know loads would end up with free rides as a result.
DeleteI would expect they are getting free rides all the time at the moment. Especially those that board at an open station such as Bitterne Train Station.
DeleteAnd those like Romsey station with ticket machines almost always out of order.
DeleteBasically anywhere with free passage onto train platforms
DeleteI expect most First Southampton bus drivers are overjoyed you don't use them at present. Forever talking to them when they are working.
DeleteWelcome back Soton bus update and very sorry to hear of your sad news.
ReplyDeleteFor your information all the details of Xelabus restarting services appears on their web site. Good to see them back
ReplyDeletePerhaps with the resumption in a limited form of Xelabus services in stages from 8th June 2020,Xelabus should update their twitter site
ReplyDeleteFull details are now on their web site
ReplyDeleteThe X6/X7 special timetable is due to go on line on Thursday
As a fan of Xelabus they tell me Enviro 424 is at the paint shop to be in full livery out of the Hospital branding; 543 is losing its Thurston vinyl wrap and 421 and 422 Scanias have come to the end of their lease and returned to Scania.
Somebody needs to set up a crowdfunding campaign to save our bus services and prevent communities from becoming car dependent. Trust me, climate change will be a much bigger long term issue than Covid.
ReplyDeleteClimate change? Really? If you care to look up Doctor Patrick Moore, I suspect you will change your mind fairly quickly. Nearly all of it is caused by the activity of the sun, with the contribution by mankind being minimal. He is a founder of Greenpeace, and a top scientist.
ReplyDeleteNot just that though. More cars on our roads means increased congestion, air pollution and accidents, all of which will contribute to more deaths and damage to the economy than Covid.
DeleteAs people keep posting about how the future of the bus industry will bleak, it might be a good idea to list five routes in the Southampton Bus Update area which you think will face the axe as a result of Covid. These are my predictions:
ReplyDeleteFirst City Red 1
First City Red 2
First City Red 11
Xelabus X15
Yellow Buses 1b
UniLink U9 should not be running altogether now either
DeleteU9 provides a useful link to the General Hospital. Can't see why it should be axed at a time when getting doctors and nurses to their place of work is more crucial than ever.
DeleteThe bus has no one on it by the time it get's to St Denys.
DeleteIn the Townhill Park or General Hospital direction, Reece?
DeleteI'm sure if they upped the U9 frequency to at least one bus per hour, more people would use it.
Towards Townhill Park
DeleteWhat a random selection of routes listed for the chop. To suggest Yellows 1b will get the axe "as a result of covid", a route largely unchanged since the days of trolleybus 23, serving a large housing area and schools not served by any other route, as well as being part of the 1 routes linking Bournemouth and Christchurch, beggars belief. I would love to understand the posters logic behind that one.
DeleteWhile I'm here my thoughts are with the person who runs this site, thanks for such a great job over the years and allowing this little community to thrive.
@Anonymous20 May 2020 at 17:05
DeleteI would disagree with the CityRed routes being for the chop - these ones are performing really surprisingl well.
The one I would add to the list is Bluestar 16, which was every 10 minutes, but is now once an hour. While Cityred 7 is running every 20 minutes, and really needs to increase to every 10 or 15 minutes.
I can't see Bluestar 16 running much after this is all over.
To be honest, I can see where you're coming from. Bluestar 16 isn't the strongest of their routes and it is wholly duplicated by First's 7 and 8 anyway so nobody would be cut off if it went. As for the City Red routes, I suggested these on the grounds that they are also wholly duplicated by other services. Alternatively, if CR1 is doing better than Bluestar 12, then the latter company may just decide to axe their route and leave Calmore to First.
DeleteThe reason for me suggesting Yellows 1b is because I think this the route they have neglected the most. It used to have a generous 15 minute frequency but has been cut back and now has very few through journeys from Christchurch to Somerford.
The Bluestar 16 has never run eVT ery 10 minutes,the highest frequency being every 15. This is what one day it will I'm sure return too.To suggest it will be axed is nonsense. when it was running in normal times the patronage was very good after Bluestar took their time in building it up again after First desserted a similar route
DeleteGood to see we are back to normal and the bluestar fan club lives again!
ReplyDeleteGood to see the anti independent society back
ReplyDeleteSince when did City Reds become independent???
DeleteI was referring to Xelabus and YB
DeleteI know, I was just being sarcastic!
DeleteWho is anti independent,why is the Bluestar fan club back again?. There are service operated by big and small companies that will disappear in the future,due to the fact the Government and to some degree bus companies have indicated that bus travel is unsafe. even bus enthusiasts have indicated on this site they have been avoiding bus travel even to food shop and using a car where they have one. Myself I have been using buses all through the present crisis and have had no problem in social distancing.To much scaremongering from people in high places. We should all be supporting the bus industry not destroying it.
ReplyDeleteExactly. I repeat we should be supporting the bus industry through these tough times as much as possible, whether it's through crowdfunding, donations or ENCTS pass holders paying for their journeys.
DeleteGovernment will allways allow disabled people and those with learning disabilities to be given bus passes
DeleteTrue, but it doesn't mean they have to use them all the time. I have a disabled pass myself but am considering voluntarily paying for bus journeys to provide some much needed income for the operators involved.
DeleteNo point in paying fares if you have a concessionary pass. The Council reimberse bus companies every time you or anyone else uses there pass. It's not the pass holders fault if the amount paid is not enough. Upto the bus operator to fight for more if they are not happy.
DeleteReally Anon @0201?
DeleteThe Government forced the acceptance of Concessionary passes on bus companies and the Councils were forced to reimburse the operators with ever decreasing funds.
The new found "free travel" increased the travel plans of those that could use them, which further spread the thin amount of money even thinner.
A bus with every seat taken by a concessionary pass holder makes a loss. A route making a loss gets a frequency cut chasing away the passengers paying full fare because the route is no longer viable for them. The route loses more money and gets cut.
The Government wanted to decentralise the core services of the country, but keep all the money for itself. Big Society was the vision, by removing most of the centralised experience and support and letting society try to sort itself out.
I will now try and steer things back out of politics by saying deregulation should never have happened and this is the perfect time to take all bus (and train) operations in house and delegating it, not smashing it to pieces.
Not the fault of those who have concessionary passes. If you have one use it fully whilst you have it. Not your problem as to funding. Leave that to those who created it in the first place. Many routes would have disappeared anyway even without pass holders. Even more will go in the future due to the fact large swathes of the public won't use public due to people suggesting it's not safe to use it due to social distancing. To some Councils Covid19 will be seen as a blessing to cut further bus routes. In this Country the way public transport is treated is a disgrace
DeleteThen maybe they should introduce more stringent conditions for travelling free then.
Delete* Only allowed to travel between 1000 and 1400, and after 1900.
* Must give up seat to a fare paying passenger at all times.
* Must leave the bus first if it is full.
Oh no, we can't not do that.
You obviously have a problem with concessionary pass holders. If you don't like the system travel in some other way. The pass is not free it's Government funded and if you don't like the way it's funded than contact your local MP and voice your concerns. Meanwhile stop picking on those who are entitled to it.
DeleteI have to admit, I was using my disabled pass quite a lot for some non-essential travel before the lockdown, but would anyone really have a problem with that?
DeleteWhen bus companies are now insisting on 15 passengers maximum per bus, yes I would have a problem as an NHS worker trying to get to work now.
DeleteWhich companies as I haven`t seen this?
DeleteVery concerning if bus companies are limiting the number of customers as Anon@21:23 rightly says it could mean key workers not able to get to work due to shoppers taking up those seats-especially with retailers due to open next month.The WHO recommend keeping a 1m distance and we should go with to alleviate the chaos caused by the 2m rule.
DeleteI hope these companies will ramp up the levels of service then as I wouldn`t want to have to wait another hour to get to work due to these measures.
DeleteSome First Solent drivers are already trialling it, and First Solent are now going to enforce it.
Deletehttps://www.firstgroup.com/help-and-support/coronavirus-information
Bluestar are not enforcing that rule. Drivers have been asked to report any bus that runs at over fifty percent capacity, so that a duplicate can be provided. It is entirely for the customer to decide whether they wish to board or stay aboard, or whether to wait for the next bus. Personal responsibility, just as it should be!
DeleteSuggests bluestar are hardly taking any responsibility at all for it. Strange as most retailers are being proactive and responsible about it. Time will tell.
DeleteI like the fact that retailers are proactive and responsible. Most you have to q outside to get in which is fair enough,but when you get in other customers are not the problem. You find in most large outlets you are falling over staff litering the place. Hardly looking after staff i would have thought let lone the customer. All the bus companies in this area have done an excelent job in distancing people. If you don't like the way they are handling it then don't use them and stop winging about it on here
DeleteAnon 21/5/20 @ 21:23, I understand everyone would have a problem with it now due to Covid, but what about in the pre-covid days? Would you have had a problem with people using their concessionary passes for day trips to the seaside and tourist attractions back in January and February?
DeleteCouncils haven't exactly eased the situation mornings by letting the passes to be used at anytime. as many supermarkets have a slot for elderly certain days between 0800 and 0900 it's obvious pass holders are going to take advantage of restrictions being eased,and good luck to them. In any case I would imagine many who have these passes have some kind of work to go to anyway.
DeleteIt will interesting, considering Stagecoach have now said they are reducing capacity to approximate 25% of seated numbers Tuesday.
DeleteFollowing from a certain tweet by Morebus, I have just discovered that they are running a service to Ferndown and Uddens industrial estate numbered FE1. It is due to be withdrawn next week but even so, this route has seemed to pop out of nowhere! There is no mention of it on the Morebus website or any hint of it by posters on this blog. Maybe an expert in the bus industry would like to reveal how long this FE1 route has been in operation for.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.morebus.co.uk/new-bus-service-ferndown-uddens-industrial-estate-employees
DeleteExactly a year. They launched it on the last week of May 2019, when More used to launch their summer frequencies.
DeleteIt would seem Go South Coast will now be operating the former Herringtons service 49 between Damerham and Salisbury on Tuesdays. Nice to see it will still be running
ReplyDeleteNice to hear that Damerham still has a public transport link to the outside world. I wonder what nearby Alderholt has these days?
DeleteAlthough Alderholt is quite built up with houses it has never really been bus operating territory. In the same sort of area other places such as Cranbourne,Stuckton,Frogham are the same. Most have never had other than market day buses to Salisbury or Ringwood. Most other services have just been School buses.
DeleteAlderholt has a Cango type service no 97?
DeleteIndeed it does. However very limited with a very small vehicle. In Hants and Dorset days the 97 was quite good and covered a larger area than the present community version of it.
DeleteLondon Bus Passengers will soon have to start paying bus fares as the Goverment are ordering TFL to resume collecting bus fares.
ReplyDeleteBack to using the front door again. The centre boarding and alighting to keep the driver a bit safer not lasted long.
DeleteI wonder how much longer the Mayor of London will be running Tfl in its present shambles
ReplyDeleteAs for OAP passes- I don't know why they couldn't have kept the old system of 20p single or 30p return fares. Not much £ but better than 0 for bus companies & I'm sure 20p isn't that much of a stretch for an OAP to pay?
ReplyDeleteIf that were implemented bus companies would get less than the do at present or are you suggesting this on top of what Councils pay already
DeleteWith inflation, the quoted old fares would now be £1 single and £1.50 return. That would produce an increase for the operator and little hardship for the rider. It would also discourage the people who ride many times each day because it is free, taking up seats that others now need for distancing. I would not be surprised to see this happen in the near future.
DeleteElderly people and others also need seats whether they pay or not. People can travel as many times as they like. I'm surprised you don't want to ban all these types of people. I expect when you get to the age when you can have one of these passes you will be first in the q to get one.
DeleteWhen anyone under the age of 55 get to bus pass age, there will not be a bus pass anyway.
DeleteNo At the present rate there will be no buses so there won't be any arguement as to who should or not use them.
DeleteWhat an absurd comment. To think that there will be no buses by then is like saying that anyone over 55 should end their life as soon as they are no longer fit enough to drive or cycle.
DeleteLots of absurd comments at times on this site. So one extra one won't hurt.
DeleteCentre boarding and alighting to keep the driver a bit safer has not lasted long perhaps because the drivers have considered that it might be preferable to allow fresh air to circulate by opening the front doors.
ReplyDeleteBy far the biggest danger to drivers is dealing with cash payments. A smaller danger but nevertheless still a danger is people WEARING masks. When you breathe normally most exhaled air will project forward and hit the screen between you and the driver. When you are wearing a mask it forces some of the exhaled air to be spread in all directions - this effect is easily verified because that is why safety goggles tend to steam up when you are wearing a mask while doing DIY
Exactly!
DeleteSomeone needs to tell the London mayor this as he seems to be stirring up trouble about masks.
DeleteWhile the government RECOMMENDED the use of face coverings on public transport(Despite telling everyone for weeks there was no benefit from doing so),we had Go Ahead South Coast putting out on social media that you "SHOULD" wear face coverings on buses-at the end of the day it`s up to people whether they choose to or not just as is the case in supermarkets.
DeleteBluestar increased service level from May 31st. Alternate rows of seats blocked. Only window seat, not aisle seat to be used. Rear facing seats out of use as well.
ReplyDeleteWhere have you seen this to?
DeleteIndeed where?
DeleteAll subject to the government giving extra funding to do so. But what happens when the government stop the extra funding? It can't go on forever.
DeleteGovernment need to change the distancing rules to 1m ,or 1.5m,just like most other countries as it is causing chaos in all areas of life and avoidable if we follow other nations.
DeleteThey will do once we don't get as many cases and deaths
DeleteOr they will just do it on public transport as nearly every bus service would be unprofitable if everyone had to keep 2m apart. Obviously people would need to wear face masks for it to work.
DeleteIt's an illusion that face masks cut risk of getting it. In fact for many face masks are quite dangerous because of other medical problems. Not good also for many that wear glasses.
DeleteAnon @19:10-very true and probably the reason most intelligent bus users and drivers continue to ignore the pathetic attempts by Go Ahead South Coast to try to get it`s staff and customers to don this nonsense.
DeleteMasks cut the wearer's chances by twenty percent. They cut the person's chance near the wearer by eighty percent. Every little helps, but agree that they are a menace to spectacle wearers when driving and to everyone that does not know how to wear them and take them on and off safely!
DeleteRemember last month when someone said on here staff info shouldn't be shared on a public platform?
ReplyDeleteWhoever posted that said info was for anyone to find via:
bluestarbus.co.uk/staff
Basically same site u find timetables etc except just put /staff @ end of address
And b4 u ask I'm only a passenger (when they're running) & not staff
DeleteIt just takes you to the normal website.
DeleteWell it takes me to the staff section ok, so you must be doing something wrong?
DeleteShouldn't that web address be taken down from here if its meant to be confidential?
DeleteWell to late now as those who read this site will have noted it
DeleteInteresting to read the article that said that if drivers were suspicious of a customers conduct ,or why they were travelling during the lockdown to feed it back to their boss who would pass to the police-so basically act as a grass then.
DeleteIan you are only one of a few that actually speaks common sense mate.
DeleteTo be fair, if a company really wanted an internal page to be private, then they would have employed someone to make it private.
DeleteThe problem is that many companies take poor advice that Google and others comply with "Do Not Index" requests.
It doesn't just work with Bluestar but with the other Go Ahead South Coast operators as well and you can see Andrew Wickham`s wittering on there too.
DeleteThe really confidential stuff is posted on the staff app which only staff can access so some of you need to stop getting so upset about it
DeleteWhoever is giving out confidential information and staff web addresses to members of the public should be ashamed of themselves! Industrial espionage is a criminal offence. Regardless on what forum you communicate the information.
DeleteSomeone mentioned a few weeks ago on here that there were rumblings of "Shearings" imminent demise. It became official yesterday afternoon, regarding Shearings, National Holidays and their hotels.
ReplyDeleteI would imagine that Laguna would also be near the edge, as they seem to specialise in foreign groups who also stay in their hotels? Never been a fan, ever since the dreadful fatalities many years ago under a similar trading name. Always wondered why they retained the name? Does anyone know why they kept the name?
DeleteI predict: Bluestar 1, 2, 9 and 16 will go up to every 20 minutes. Bluestar 4, 7, 11 and 12 will go every half hour. Bluestar 3, 5, 6 and 8 will return to normal timetables (they mostly were anyway) and Bluestar 17 and 18 will go every 12, possibly every 10 minutes, from May 31st, well June 1st.
ReplyDeleteI can't see bluestar keeping the same drivers on the 16 though
DeleteJust put all the timetables back to normal. The Government is paying for buses to run round near empty and advising not to use public transport. Still what happens when the money runs out. this can't go on forever. The solution is for us all to abandon public transport and find our own way of getting about as more and more restrictions are imposed on it.
DeleteFrom the numbers on the 17 yesterday, it's like everything has gone back to normal already! Since the Dominic Cummings fiasco, everyone seems to have decided that coronavirus never happened. 42 passengers on the bus that I was on, with only two wearing masks and one wearing gloves. This is not going to end well. Thanks Boris.
DeleteWell seeing the way things are going with new infections and deaths, I bet most cities are now reaching herd immunity. No wonder people are gonna go back to normal if this is the case.
DeleteSaw two BS17`s together tonight and two Cityred 3`s together coming from the General hospital to help with the distancing crap.
DeleteThe government has announced the virus will be with us for another 12 months at least.
DeleteAlso we are likely to get a 2nd wave.
A hospital in Weston Super Mare has had to stop accepting new patients including AandE patients so we are no where near over or the end of the pandemic.
There has been no second wave in countries that eased lockdown before us, but we are starting from a worse point than many of them and with the lockdown in complete disarray from government mixed messaging, I fear we will not come out of this easily. If only Boris would get a grip and be decisive, instead of hanging on to his mate!
DeleteBoris is decisive. Go to work,but don't go to work. Stay at home but don't stay at home. Don't use public transport,but do use public transport Don't wear a mask,do wear a mask. This is why people are now getting fed up and making their own mind up what's best for them. never seen so many called experts on the TV all with different messages about a similar question given them.
DeleteChina has and had to put cities back in Lockdown residents can only leave homes once every 2 days
DeleteWhat Reece do you think We should do?
DeleteI wasn’t far off.. https://www.bluestarbus.co.uk/increased-services-sunday-31st-may
DeleteWe should not be opening schools and shops not considered important until September at the earliest.
DeleteOf course we should be opening them If you can use food shops no reason not to use other outlets. All shops are of importance to most of us. No different to social distancing measures implemented by say Sainsbury's to that of say primark when it reopens. Even if you practise distancing you can still it seems pick the virus up. In fact many who have stayed at home with no contact with anyone have picked it up.
DeleteMost won't even know it as the virus will be so mild
DeleteMost parents are not sending their kids back to school either and I'm sure NHS staff would happily tell you that it is to early for most shops and school to reopen.
DeleteYou Reece like many others read or watch to much doom and gloom news on TV. What's so special about September for everthing to happen. Most have now been advised to go back to work and most shops will reopen round about 15th June 2020. Sometime chances have to be taken or We will all suffer even worse. I would have thought if you work and are at present off,you would be only to glad to return as most others I speak to are.
DeleteI will only return to work If i feel safe doing the job and as it stands I won't be going back to do a 15 hour part time job that I won't feel safe doing and I will protect my family that I live with as they suffer from asthma.
DeleteI am on the autistic spectrum my self mate
DeleteThankfully most of the population are not so scared about what might or might not happen The best thing for you is give your job up and let someone else have it so you can stay permantly at home
DeleteChat with NHS Staff when you see them out and about and tell me if it will be safe for schools and shops to reopen
DeleteNo fan of Reece but here he speaks sense - reports from medical staff often say that they have never seen anything like this virus - have no idea about the correct procedures for treatment - learning by trial and error made difficult by inconsistent outcomes - suspect deaths by other causes like heart attacks, kidney failure etc may be manifestations of the virus
DeleteExactly why schools should not be reopening anytime soon. The same goes for all nonessential shops that are being planned to be opening up soon.
DeleteI don't read the news I know stuff from people who I know what have a job in the NHS and yes this is a real virus.
Reece, I am also on the autistic spectrum but I am not afraid of going out because of the fact that I may catch the virus. If I catch it, so be it. It'll be no worse than the common cold for me as I have no underlying health conditions. (autism is not a health condition in case you didn't know)
DeleteIf you live with asthmatic people you have to self isolate with them
DeleteWhere did you get this information from Reece?
DeleteEveryone in same household has to self isolate if living with those who are high risk
DeleteBe a long time before you come out into the world again then
DeleteBus operators say to remain seated until bus does pull over, which is how it should be. Trouble is especially on DD buses, unless you're up & ready, they often pull away before getting oneself downstairs. So dare I say drivers will need to change this bad habit by taking a few seconds more care at stops?
ReplyDeleteIn observation it's most of the passengers who have bad habbits and not the drivers. This is due to the Country becoming a nanny state with most lacking basic common sense.
DeleteWith respect, drivers have one camera upstairs, which can only see about half of the seats and a further camera by the rear doors. They cannot start to look at cameras until they have halted the bus and opened the doors, which means that any person on the staircase and any person who has been slow to leave their seat at the front or rear of the bus, is invisible to them. They are tasked with keeping the bus on time so have an impossible job. The worst offenders are people going just a few stops who insist on going upstairs and those with very young children doing similarly. Great if you are going from the first stop and alighting at the last, but impractical for just a few stops. Drivers pay particular attention to those making supposedly short trips going upstairs, as they are the most likely to be fare evaders!
DeleteI saw a City Red 1 bus back on the road today with a driver screen fitted.
ReplyDeleteSo on Bluestar`s message about the increase in services it also says to only use contactless or the app and the key isn't mentioned.
ReplyDeleteWithout doubt they are trying to ditch the key. It is very expensive to administer and they want to encourage people to use the app.
DeleteThe key is old fashioned
DeleteThey do seem to have omitted the key from their increased service announcement but don't panic, as all over social media etc they have pics asking u to pay via card, app, or the key.
DeleteStagecoach have been slowly dropping their version of The Key too.
DeleteFirst they started charging 50p to get one on the bus, then they made the app cheaper to buy tickets on.
However Yellow Buses is often cheaper on their the key version than on the app
DeleteFirst Touch Version of the key was proper short lived.
DeleteFirst Southampton are making timetable improvements from next week
ReplyDeleteUnless you live in Merryoak,Peartree or Harefield then stuff you
ReplyDeleteStill a better service then what Lordswood will be getting
DeleteLordswood has more than enough buses. What world Reece do you live in. you don't even use buses at the moment where you are to scared to use them
DeleteWhat when it will only be a Saturday service that finishes about 2pm every say.
DeleteWhat on earth are you on about Reece
DeleteHe is referring to Xelabus route X11, the only route to serve Lordswood proper.
DeleteWell He as far as I know doesn't even live there so why the concern of a service finnishing at about 1400 on Saturdays. Let the people who live there complain if they arn't happy about it.
ReplyDeleteBesides, many on the south side of the estate can use First 3 or Bluestar 7 to get into town during times when X11 isn't running. Probably more convenient as well.
DeleteNot the very disabled and elderly who rely on the X11
DeleteWell it's not been very reliable lately,as its not run for over two months and won't be for just about over another month.
DeleteBut will anyone have any confidence in the service as most will have started using their own cars or as stated used First 3 or Bluestar 7
DeleteI thought you posted disabled and elderly relied on it. Can hardly rely on something not running
DeleteThey do rely on it but the concern is they may have found other arrangements but we will see when the X11 is back up and running :)
DeleteWell of course they have made new arrangments for travel. You didn't expect those on the line of the route to sit at home for the past few months and not to do any shopping did you.
DeleteWill Yellow's route 11 and F1 Buster's Forest Explorer be up and running at all before the end of this summer?
ReplyDeleteDid they get the new open-tops? If they sold the old ones and didn't get as far as paying for the new ones I can't imagine this progressing now.
DeleteIf they did get them, I guess the next few weeks will be key, if the lockdown relaxation works and then further relaxation occurs there could be a lot of people holidaying in August in the UK (although maybe Yellows would be happy just to get the longer 12/BBB route running and leave anything else for next year). If we get a second wave then I guess all bets are off.
Let's hope the current relaxations are sound and based on scientific evidence, despite some worrying spikes in figures, and not just a way to distract us from Dominic Cummings activities.
Without wanting to get political on a bus blog, I just wish that I could have enough faith in our government that they weren't putting lives and the longer-term economy at risk just to keep one person in a job.
I really don't think so. There is not any demand!
DeleteI've been told to expect Yellow Buses changes from 14 June 2020 but as yet have not had details. I've seen a draft 12 which is a slight enhancement on the current Alum Chine service, but not yet a final version. The intention is to use the new Gemini open top buses in service from this date. I don't think we'll see 11 and F1 until hotels and holiday parks are allowed to open again but again until I get the actual operation that's still just speculation. We are working on stand arrangements in Gervis Place to remove the use of the stops with very narrow pavemenets, and again we expect to finalise changes early next week ready for the 14th.
DeleteKen Traveline
Claudio G, how can there be no demand for an open top bus service when Bournemouth beach was absolutely heaving today?
DeleteThere is no demand because at present the vehicle would have very limited passenger capacity.Most of those on Bournemouth beach would not have come by bus as it's not an essential journey.
DeleteI would argue that having open top buses running means a small amount of people who would normally want to go to the seaside could instead go for a day out on the bus, freeing up space on the beach to allow social distancing there.
DeleteLooking at Bluestar twitter site this morning they seem to serve a new destination that of Test wetwood. Their twitter site at times is shocking.
ReplyDeleteMeaning that the tweet was probably written on a phone... Some people here are appalling.
DeleteTest wetwood - didn't he used to host the Rap Show on Radio 1? ;-)
DeleteYup, Tim Westwood the legend! Man I could do with some old skool rap to get me through lockdown right now. Anyone here up for some Wu-Tang or Snoop Dogg?
DeleteI notice tonight no 1920 Bluestar 16 from City to Townhill Park and return. Not any notification on their twitter site as to this fact.
ReplyDeleteI was walking up townhill way about 1940 and I did indeed see this bus going towards City Centre as well as in Midanbury an hour later
DeleteIf you saw it at about 1940 it would have been 15 minutes plus early. The 2020 from City did run
DeleteWho's excited about professional football returning on the 1st of June?
ReplyDeleteMe and I have been following the German Football as well mate
DeleteGerman Football is nowhere near as English Football though. Cannot wait to see a bit of rivalry between Saints and Pompey once again.
DeleteOH THE SAINTS GO MARCHING IN!!!
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ReplyDeleteI have to say I`m absolutely disgraced at the fact people keep posting stuff that has nothing to do with buses on a bus blog.
DeleteWith most bus companies returning to pre Coronavirus timetables as from today June 1st 2020 it begs the question will anyone use them in any decent numbers. Tough times ahead for bus operators I suspect. In addition I to am sick and tired of people posting non related bus items on this site.
ReplyDelete