First evening cuts, Sholing bucks trend / Dorset Sprinter dead

We start with confirmation that 31st December 2010 will the last day of operation on Dorset Sprinter X5 (City Centre-Ringwood). The way the government is going round cutting all they can, I fear this won't be the first example of a major town being cut off from Southampton's bus network.

First have two waves of timetable changes in January, starting on the 23rd with changes to the 80 (City Centre-Fareham), of which details are still to be released. The second wave, on 30th January 2011, affects the following routes:
1 (City Centre-Weston): Mon-Sat evening service cut to hourly after 2100. Last bus from town will be 30 mins earlier than now at 2317.
3 (City Centre-Townhill Park): Sunday evening services cut, with the last bus from town now at 2040 (previously 2240).
4 (City Centre-Totton): Mon-Sat peak and evening services cut, with last bus from town now at 1740 weekdays and 1735 Saturdays.
7 (City Centre-Bassett Green): Saturday last bus from town now an hour earlier at 2210. Sunday evening services withdrawn, last bus now at 1805 (was 2310). Not a big disaster as Bluestar 2 and Unilink U1 & U6 serve most of this route.
11A/12C (City Centre-Sholing): More evening buses via Bitterne, last one leaving town at 2245 every day (was 1945).
17A (City Centre-Lordshill): Mon-Sat evening service cut to hourly after 2100, with the last bus leaving town at 2301 (was 2331).

Don't forget the green panel on the right is your at-a-glance comprehensive guide to all Christmas and New Year bus services across all operators in the region. Merry Christmas!

Snow chaos

It's madness out there. The weather means that bus schedules are almost being rewritten every hour at the moment, so before travelling check with the operator's website or Facebook page, just to be sure that your bus will be running. Links are in the red panel on the right, below the green service changes panel.

Ringwood cut off / Xmas plans

It looks like Dorset Sprinter X5 (City Centre-Ringwood) will cease running after 31st December. It is not yet clear whether there will be any replacement, but we'd suggest that one is unlikely. It's obviously not making money as a commercial service and the county council are looking to cut their transport subsidies. Soon, the only way to get to Ringwood without a car could well be either National Express or by getting a train to Bournemouth and then a bus from there.

Bluestar and Unilink have revealed their xmas plans. I'll compile details from them and all other bus companies as I get them, in the panel on the right.

Above Bar diversions / Velvet Christmas

The top bit of Above Bar Street will be closed in both directions between Civic Centre Road and Cumberland Place this Friday and Saturday evenings after 1800, so all buses that use that section will be diverted. First explain their plans for Portswood and Shirley-bound services here.

Velvet have made their Christmas and New Year plans already. Highlights are a Saturday service on Bank Holiday Tuesday 28th December and a Sunday service on New Year's Day 1st January.

First 17 to Adanac / Free buses in Eastleigh

From 14th November, First 17 (City Centre-Lordshill) will divert to serve the Ordnance Survey's new offices at Adanac Park. There seems to be some confusion over whether the diverted journeys will be numbered 17 or 17B. First's website has timetables featuring both versions.

Eastleigh gets some free shoppers' buses from 22nd November. They will run on Mondays, Wednesday and Fridays until 31st December only and offer three routes with an hourly service between 0900 and 1600:
X1 Tesco Eastleigh-Bus Station-Bishopstoke
X2 Tesco Eastleigh-Bus Station-Allbrook-Boyatt Wood
X3 Tesco Eastleigh-Bus Station-North Stoneham
The exact routes to be taken aren't detailed, so there's an element of mystery as to which roads will actually be served.

Bluestar timetable changes

Don't forget First's timetable changes mentioned in the previous post come into force on Sunday.

A week later, on 31st October, Bluestar make a few minor timing changes to routes 1 (City Centre-Winchester), 2 (City Centre-Fair Oak) and 4 (City Centre-Romsey). The main change is that the 1 now has a later departure from town to Winchester at 2350 Mondays to Saturdays.

First cut details

The spur road from Commercial Road into Havelock Road in town is closed until approximately Spring 2012, so Bluestar 1 (City Centre-Winchester), 2 (City Centre-Fair Oak) and 14 (City Centre-Bitterne) as well as Unilink U2 (City Centre-Bassett Green) are following these diversions on journeys towards the City Centre.

First have announced details of the changes to their services taking effect on 24th October. Click on the route numbers for the new timetables:
1/1A (City Centre-Weston): Slashed to hourly on Sunday evenings.
7/7A (City Centre-Bassett Green/Millbrook Tesco): Slashed from half-hourly to hourly on Sunday daytimes. Other minor changes.
8 (Lordshill-Townhill Park): Divorced from the 8A. Now runs every 10 minutes between Lordshill and City Centre, every 20 mins to Townhill Park. Route alterations in Merry Oak and Aldermoor in the evenings. Other minor changes.
8A (City Centre-Hedge End Station): Divorced from the 8, no longer runs beyond City Centre to Lordshill. New timetable. No longer serves Rose Bowl. Some journeys run to Central Station.
16 (City Centre-Hamble): Timetable change. Some journeys divert via City College instead of Ocean Village.
17/17A (City Centre-Lordshill): Slashed to hourly on Sunday evenings.
26 (Hamble-Fareham): Extends to Hamble, replacing the 16A and representing a substantial cut in frequency on that section of route.

Unilink U1, U6: new timetables from Sunday

Unilink have unveiled new timetables starting this Sunday 26th September. U1 (Dock Gate 4-Airport) is increased to every 10 minutes weekday daytimes. U6 (Dock Gate 4-General Hospital) will no longer serve Ocean Village or Leisure World and weekend daytime journeys will no longer run to Dock Gate 4, terminating instead at West Quay.