Saturday 27 August 2022

Changes on the way / Stagecoach increase fares / Xelacuts bite

More fairly minor timetable changes to several routes from Sunday 4th September on:


First Solent have a new timetable on routes F1 and F2 from Monday 17th October. They had been slated for the axe but have been saved by a funding reprieve.


Stagecoach fares will rise from Thursday 1st September. The adult Dayrider Gold remains £9.10, Winchester Dayrider rises 20p to £4.90 and the Portsmouth Dayrider goes up 30p to £4.70.


Xelabus X17 runs this Wednesday 31st August for the final time, leaving Bishops Waltham with no bus service towards Petersfield for the first time in decades. The X8 runs for the last time this Sunday, after which Boyatt Wood will now be a bus-free zone on Sundays and bank holidays. The X6/X7 run for the final time on Saturday 3rd September.


From Monday 5th September, Southampton Minilink launch the C between Eastleigh and Chandlers Ford, partly replacing the X6/X7. Velmore is spoilt for choice, also being served by an extension of Xelabus X4. Hiltingbury is left with no bus link to Eastleigh.


First Wessex have registered changes from 9th October on their routes 34, X51X52 and X53. Not yet clear what they are, but we'll bring you more as we get it.





50 comments:

  1. City red changes from 31st October
    1 - frequency reduced combined with 13
    2 - some journeys rerouted to General Hospital (2a)
    3 - frequency increase
    7 - frequency reduced
    9 - withdrawn
    13 - frequency reduced combined with 1

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    Replies
    1. Wow the 9 will be withdrawn.
      I wouldn’t be surprised if Bluestar launches service 16A via Woolston and Spring Road

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    2. Firsts final attempt at a war with Go - Ahead? The 8 is also due to be extended to the General Hospital.

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    3. Wow didn’t see this coming!

      - 1 to be merged with the 13? I don’t really see the demand for a Calmore - Harefield route, unless it simply means that the same bus will be shared between both routes. I’m guessing the frequency is reduced to hourly?
      - 2a to the General Hospital, what’s the point? Bluestar already have an adequate service between Millbrook and the Gen on route 7. This will just scupper reliability on the core route between Millbrook and Weston
      - The withdrawal of the 9 is no surprise now that Mini-Link 14 covers Merry Oak. Maybe the Bitterne Hoppa to Sholing will be increased to make up for it.
      - Also the extension of 8 to the General Hospital. Which route will this take?

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    4. 1&13 will use 2 buses instead of the current 4 with an hourly frequency between 0800-1800 only 13 will also go via Merry Oak not Peartree Avenue leaving West Quay at xx41 each hour.
      2a to try and compete with Bluestar on the Weston - General Hospital corridor they lost some years ago.
      7 reduced to every 20mins 7 days a week.
      8 via Shirley same as 3 to Aldermoor.

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    5. So Peartree Avenue will be losing all of its bus service? Can’t see Bluestar leaving this one alone

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    6. The 3 gets increased to every 10 minutes.

      The 8 extension is a brilliant idea. It finally brings about a direct link between Bitterne and the General Hospital - something that only ever happened on Christmas Day!!

      The 7 is reduced to every 15 minutes. Not ideal.

      The loss of the 9 is no surprise to anyone. But the changes to the 13 is. Why people think that Bluestar would be interested in Peartree Avenue, I don't know - they have enough problems of their own. IF anything, this could be an opportunity for Mr Gard to fill a gap.

      But don't presume that the state of the 9 and 13 is final. There is still a possibility that the council may step in with funding.

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    7. Effectively the 1 is dead with Bluestar back up to three buses per hour. No demand for Harefield extension. Complete waste of time with the 2a. Keep it simple, stupid!

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    8. The 2a is merely three buses in the morning from Weston to the Hospital. Serves two purposes - provides a direct link for those CR Customers going from Weston to the Hospital, and allows three 8's to start from the hospital.

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    9. How do these same people get home? Or is it a one way journey, that they never return from?!

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    10. Bluestar served Peartree Avenue in the past with a diversion of their route 3 to Hedge End, so I don’t see why this couldn’t be done again?
      Or alternatively they could divert the 16 that way, resurrecting the Townhill - Woolston link which was axed in 2014. Now that the 7 will only be running every 15-20 mins, trying to compete with it won’t be as much of a priority.

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  2. Morebus route 11 is confirmed to be withdrawn from the 19th September. The X6 will be rerouted via Bearwood to replace it, although no confirmation of the exact route as of yet.
    https://bustimes.org/registrations/PH1121126/148

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  3. The cynic in me thinks that the merging of the 1 with the 13 is just so that First can retain a route numbered 1 when the time comes to withdraw the Southampton - Calmore portion. There is seriously no reason for it to exist now that Bluestar is providing an adequate service on route 12 again.

    As other posters have mentioned I agree it is an odd choice to reroute the Harefield service via the slower Merry Oak route rather than Peartree, giving the former 2bph but the latter none whatsoever. If Bluestar don’t step in, maybe Simon Gard will reroute the 14 via Peartree Avenue, or even First might do so with their route 8.

    Speaking of the 8. I think it is a wasted opportunity that it will follow the exact route of the 3 to the Gen Hospital. It should go via Hill Lane and Winchester Road as that is a quicker route, as well as serving areas which currently have a very poor bus service to town.

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    Replies
    1. Why would you want to run a bus up hill lane? Few houses and few bus users in that part of the city ?

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    2. Nearly 20 years ago when the 5A ran that way, when it had a good service it was very popular often filling up a double decker.

      People stopped using it as it was being cut back on a frequent basis.
      If it came back on a 20 minute service running all day people would use it if the bus companies gave it a good amount of time.

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    3. Why aren’t the residents of Hill Lane bus users? Because their service was gradually butchered over several years, that what was once very good provision on the verge of turn-up-and-go is now relegated to a Mon-Fri daytime only service going round the houses. Depending on the time of day, Hill Lane could be a much quicker route for buses from the General Hospital - City Centre than via Shirley, but none of the bud companies are willing to try it out.

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  4. Minilink 13a to operate 7 days a week from 31/10

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    Replies
    1. That's going to be the end of the "new 1/13" as well as the 9 then should the changes to City Red be true

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    2. Not if Mini Link operates in every other half-hour to First. Competition between companies is becoming a thing of the past so operators might as well co-ordinate their schedules to make the best use of regular interval frequencies. Taking Harefield as an example, First cutting this rite from 30 mins to hourly is quite a dramatic cut, so Mini-link could utilise the opportunity to fill the gap so both operators run half an hour apart, making life more convenient for the travelling public.

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    3. I can't take anything about this "Minilink" firm seriously. Their website can't even spell the road the business is registered in correctly. (Of which is just a semi detached house)

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    4. I can confirm that we will be making some timetable & route changes to our Southampton City services from the 31st October 2022.

      14 City Centre - Chartwell Green
      This route will be withdrawn replaced by an enhanced 7 day service on route 13a with a much longer period of operation on weekdays.

      13A City Centre - Harefield
      This route will operate 7 days a week hourly.
      Monday - Friday this will be for a longer period of the day than the present 14 allowing bus users to make journeys that would not be possible following another operator withdrawing services and reducing hours of operation in the area.
      Saturdays - Revised timetable.
      Sunday & Public Holidays - Current timetable remains.

      Timetables will be available shortly.

      Simon Gard
      Operations Manager
      Southampton Mini Link

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    5. "Competition between companies is becoming a thing of the past so operators might as well co-ordinate their schedules"

      Well.... Southampton Mini Link already make good use of a red bus....might as well become a sub contractor.

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    6. Is it me or will both the 13* and 13A be following the exact same route? Not exactly perfect co-ordination when no replacement service will be operating on the road that First have withdrawn from.

      *Assuming it isn’t absorbed into the 1 from Calmore. All the postings on here so far don’t make it clear whether there’s actually going to be a change of number on First’s route to Harefield.

      Delete
  5. https://www.vehicle-operator-licensing.service.gov.uk/search/find-registered-local-bus-services/details/600784/
    https://www.vehicle-operator-licensing.service.gov.uk/search/find-registered-local-bus-services/details/600768/?fbclid=IwAR20Sth8KyokOT9nEnu82W_K5CZ4EqUYhYAS9toHM4DH_sCY8qeHx2JFfrI#
    https://www.vehicle-operator-licensing.service.gov.uk/search/find-registered-local-bus-services/details/600766/?fbclid=IwAR2h6FZIjV1NCYT64l6YqFOvo-ZiMM21a8tcJBNxDofwRD2UiiSX0j7GPug

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  6. I see that a Cityred double decker has burst into flames on the A31 from the Echo site.They have only very recently entered service as well.

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    Replies
    1. 32509 was the bus caught on fire, the bus was also trackable on bustimes.org

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    2. No point tracking it anymore.... it'll be a write off.

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    3. That's why it get removed from the fleet list on bustimes.org

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  7. This rumour about demise of the 9, but u said about 13 no longer serving Peartree Ave but instead will serve Merryoak? So in other words sounds like a sideways move because isn't it the 9 that serves Merryoak?

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    Replies
    1. The cancellation of the 9 is well and truly confirmed and the 13 will indeed serve Merry Oak.

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    2. So when was this announced? As I don't recall seeing it on VOSA.

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    3. If you click on the links above it takes you to the service changes and cancellations

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  8. Change to the X4 and X5 from the 16th October 2022

    Revised timetable Monday - Friday
    Improved timetable Saturday and Sunday to improve punctuality.

    Hopefully goes back to a pre covid timetable and frequency

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  9. What does everyone make of the £2 fare cap commencing from January 2023 to March 2023

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    Replies
    1. Why wait till January?It should have been brought in ,in December to help Christmas shoppers.Will help out those who travel on the Isle Of Wight ,as fares are notoriously expensive and return fares aren`t available.

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    2. Loads of buses would be packed to capacity in December if the 2 pound cap had started then

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    3. It`s a great deal for those travelling from Hythe/Winchester/Romsey to Southampton.

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    4. Include Salisbury as well

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    5. Currently £6.20 single

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    6. For someone commuting between Southampton and Romsey,it will probably work out cheaper to bus it each way,than catch the train,as long as you don`t mind the scenic route to get there.

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    7. If only wheelers W1 was still running that was a proper scenic route.

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  10. https://www.vehicle-operator-licensing.service.gov.uk/search/find-registered-local-bus-services/details/601087/?fbclid=IwAR30fUOUwbu51nzWXWYtQ1I6hucrP-goU-EsIF72IwHNbtFgd-0kyU1DwlQ

    https://www.vehicle-operator-licensing.service.gov.uk/search/find-registered-local-bus-services/details/601088/?fbclid=IwAR0U-D8nsVQ3WlPbCgtCZFb1xEu4BIGVHuYvCJXoySdRmnc_v7Ikd_VCAhU

    ReplyDelete
  11. Changes at Morebus will be taking place on the 19th September:

    m1/m2: Revised timetable to improve reliability
    10: Frequency reduced to every 70 minutes
    11: Withdrawn
    12: Withdrawn
    14: Revised timetable to improve reliability
    16/17: Revised timetable to improve reliability
    20: Minor timetable changes
    30/31/35: Withdrawn for winter season
    38: Increased number of journeys - 4 on school days and 5 during school holidays
    40: Winter timetable introduced with some minor amendments
    50: Winter timetable introduced with buses operating hourly
    60: Winter timetable introduced with buses operating hourly.
    70: Route retained for the winter months, operating hourly between Alum Chine and East Cliff only
    898: Last bus to operate at 14:35 from Poole ASDA
    X3: Revised timetable to improve reliability
    X6: Diverted via Bearwood estate to replace route 11. Most journeys from Poole will now terminate at Ringwood, with buses only continuing to Bournemouth every 2 hours. The Sunday service will now continue beyond Ferndown to Poole, but will no longer run between Bournemouth and Ringwood

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  12. All very quiet so far on what service our local bus operators intend to provide on the funeral day next Mon.

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    Replies
    1. Southampton Minilink running Sunday service next Monday on the 13A

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    2. Wonder how the big boys play their schedules-thought they would have come up with something on Monday.

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    3. Assuming a Sunday service, and maybe a Saturday and Sunday hybrid service on Bluestar used on Good Friday

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    4. GASC (more, bluestar, Salisbury Reds, Southern Vectis) running Sunday service on Bank Holiday Monday with a pause to service between 10am and 1pm. Services return to normal running between 1 and 2pm.

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    5. With trains running from Portsmouth ans Southampton overnight from tomorrow, it will be interesting to see whether National Express are running extras.

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    6. First appear to be running a Sunday service next Monday,but no pause in service during the funeral-unlike Bluestar.

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