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.

First & Bluestar timetable changes in October

As well as the routes listed in the previous post, more timetable changes are on the way for the following bus services:

24th October:
First 1/1A (City Centre-Weston)
First 7/7A (City Centre-Bassett Green/Millbrook Tesco)
First 17/17A (City Centre-Lordshill)
First 72 (City Centre-Gosport)
The previously mentioned changes to route A (Eastleigh-Boorley Green) will affect the Mon-Sat evening journeys operated by First only. Velvet's daytime and Stagecoach's Sunday journeys on the A won't be affected.

31st October:
Bluestar 1 (City Centre-Winchester)
Bluestar 2 (City Centre-Fair Oak)
Bluestar 4 (City Centre-Romsey)
Bluestar 9 (City Centre-Waterside)
Bluestar 18 (Millbrook-Hightown)

More details as and when the bus companies make them available.

Cuts for Ringwood & Hursley, changes in Hedge End

Dorset Sprinter X5 (City Centre-Ringwood) has been cut again with a new timetable that started on Monday 6th September. It's down from 5 to 4 journeys a day each way on weekdays. On Saturdays there are now only 3 journeys from Ringwood to Southampton. Also notable is the withdrawal of the 0735 journey from Ringwood to Southampton which now makes it impossible for people in Ringwood to commute into Southampton on the X5 for a 9-5 job, leaving National Express as their only alternative to the car.

First 24 (City Centre-Hursley) will be withdrawn from Sunday 17th October, leaving IBM's staff with no direct bus link to Southampton for the first time in decades. IBM will run a minibus to connect with Bluestar 1 at Chandlers Ford. Another alternative is Stagecoach 46 (City Centre-Winchester), which has a bus leaving Southampton City Centre at 0654 and back from Hursley (Post Office, not IBM) towards So'ton at 1705 and 1808 although the evening ones only run as far as the General Hospital, not all the way into town.

A few changes due on 24th October 2010:
Velvet A (Eastleigh-Boorley Green) will have a minor timetable change.
First 8A (Lordshill-Hedge End Station) will have a route and timetable change.
First 16 (City Centre-Hamble) will have a timetable change.
First 16A (City Centre-Hedge End) will be withdrawn and replaced between Hamble and Hedge End by an extended route 26.
First 26 (Fareham-Hedge End) will be extended to Hamble to replace the 16A.
More details to follow on those.

The diversions to Bluestar 4 (City Centre-Romsey) in Maybush have ended early and it is now back to its normal route.