Saturday 20 February 2010

Bluestar & Velvet new timetables / Co-operation in Hedge End

New timetables start tomorrow on many Bluestar and Velvet routes. Both companies will be co-operating in Hedge End and Botley with Bluestar 3 (City Centre-Botley) and Velvet A (Eastleigh-Boorley Green) accepting each other's return tickets and offering a co-ordinated timetable between Hedge End Superstores and Botley. Bluestar are also introducing an easy access guarantee on most routes, offering a free day ticket as compensation if you have to travel on a bus that isn't fully accessible to all.

Here's a quick summary of the changes happening tomorrow:

Bluestar 2 (City Centre-Fair Oak): Minor changes to some morning journeys.
Bluestar 3 (City Centre-Botley): Cut from half-hourly to hourly Mon-Sat daytimes. Fewer rush hour buses.
Bluestar 8 (City Centre-Hythe): Timings changed to offer a better combined frequency with Bluestar 10, 11 and 12 between Totton and the City Centre.
Bluestar 9 (City Centre-Waterside): New Sunday timetable with daytime frequency doubled to 2 an hour.
Velvet A (Eastleigh-Boorley Green): Weekday daytime timings changed.
Velvet C (Eastleigh-Hiltingbury): New timetables with minor changes to some journeys.
Bluestar F (Eastleigh-Bishops Waltham): Journeys to Marwell Zoo withdrawn. Weekday afternoon 1512 from Swanmore now terminates at Durley instead of continuing to Eastleigh. 0825 Saturday morning journey from Stoke Common to Eastleigh withdrawn.

From Monday 22nd February, Portsmouth Road around Wrights Hill and Sholing will be partially closed overnight from 2000-0600 for around 5 weeks meaning diversions to First 10/10A, 16/16A, 72 and 80. Should end 29th March.

On the weekend of 13th & 14th March, Passfield Road in Eastleigh will be partially closed. Velvet A (Eastleigh-Boorley Green) will be diverting via Derby Road and Southampton Road instead of serving Fleming Park.

Wednesday 10 February 2010

Velvet C temporary timetable / Brockenhurst diversion next week

Velvet A (Eastleigh-Boorley Green) is no longer on diversion in Eastleigh, but don't forget that the C (Eastleigh-Hiltingbury) is running a temporary timetable until 19th Feb due to the closure of Leigh Road.

Wilts & Dorset 56 & 56A (City Centre-Lymington) will be diverted in Brockenhurst for a week from Monday 15th February. It's due to work being carried out on the railway bridge. Details of the diversion here.

Staying with W&D, there will be timetable and route changes to the 34 (Romsey-Salisbury) and X7/X71 (City Centre-Salisbury) from 21st March. Details to follow.

Thursday 4 February 2010

New First timetables this Sunday / Velvet C temporary timetable

More details of the changes to First services taking effect with the new timetables on Sunday 7th February:
4 (City Centre-Totton): The last two buses on weekdays will now terminate at Shirley instead of Totton. Reduced to an hourly frequency on Saturdays. Only runs as far as Millbrook Tesco on Sundays, no longer serving Millbrook Roundabout.
5 (City Centre-Lordshill North): Last bus on weekdays now runs at 1828 from town. Reduced to an hourly frequency on Saturdays.
8A (Lordshill-Hedge End): Now runs to Hedge End Superstores on Saturday evenings.
9 (City Centre-Hightown): Evening journeys renumbered 9B terminate at Fairfax Court, no longer serving Hightown.
10 (Lordhill-Thornhill): Some evening journeys numbered 10B extend to Harefield.
11/12/13 (City Centre-Sholing): 13 withdrawn. Fewer evening buses.
Also minor timetable changes on routes 1/1A, 3, 7/7A, 8, 16/16A, 17/17A, 21 and 24.

Velvet A (Eastleigh-Boorley Green) is still diverted in Eastleigh. it's leaving the bus station via Southampton Road and Derby Road to Passfield Avenue, not serving Fleming Park in either direction.

Velvet C (Eastleigh-Hiltingbury) will have a special timetable from 8th to 19th February inclusive, due to the temporary closure of Leigh Road. Full details here.