As if you needed reminding, the biggest change to Southampton's bus routes for several decades happens this weekend, when First revamp their entire network. Only routes 4 (the new Gosport one, not the old Totton one), 4A, X4, B1, B2 and B3 will remain unchanged.
There's an info day at West Quay tomorrow.
The city centre map has been released, showing exactly where the new routes will stop. See it here. See also the new full First network map and the new timetables.
We've reviewed the new network, route-by-route, in previous posts, but here's a handy quick guide explaining what will happen on each of the old routes. Click the links for full analysis of the changes on each route:
1/1A City Centre-Weston
Will be replaced by New 1. Biggest change: Jurds Lake Way is losing its service.
3 City Centre-Townhill Park
Will be replaced by New 7. Biggest change: More buses on weekday evenings and Saturday daytimes.
4 City Centre-General Hospital-Totton College
Will be replaced partly by New 8A but mainly by New 10. Biggest change: Weekday daytime frequency to Totton cut to hourly.
5 City Centre-Aldermoor
Will be replaced by New 5, New 8A and New 10. Biggest change: Route changes along the Hill Lane and Bellemoor corridor.
7 City Centre-Bassett Green
Will be replaced by New 5. Biggest change: All evening buses cut.
8 Lordshill-City Centre-Townhill Park
Will be replaced partly by New 1 and partly by New 2. Biggest change: Sunday daytime frequency to Townhill Park is doubled.
8A City Centre-Hedge End
Will be replaced by New 2A and New 8/8A. Biggest change: More frequent buses serving more of Hedge End than before.
9 City Centre-Hightown
Will be replaced by New 2A, New 8/8A and New 9. Biggest change: Buses from Harefield & Hightown will run via Peartree and Woolston instead of Northam.
10 Lordshill-City Centre-Thornhill
Will be replaced partly by New 2A but mainly by New 3. Biggest change: North East Road in Sholing will no longer be served.
11 City Centre-Sholing
Will be replaced by New 9. Biggest change: Weekday daytime frequency cut from 5 to 4 buses an hour.
12 City Centre-Sholing
Will be replaced by New 5. Biggest change: Mon-Sat daytime frequency cut from 3 to 2 buses an hour.
16 City Centre-Hamble
Will be replaced by New 6. Biggest change: Earlier first and later last buses.
17/17A City Centre-Lordshill
Will be replaced mainly by New 2/2A/X2 and partly by New 1. Biggest change: New faster route X2 between town and Millbrook.
21 RSH Hospital-City Centre-Lordshill North
Will be replaced mainly by New S1 and partly by New 8A. Biggest change: Route change to serve Kingsway.
72/80/80A City Centre-Locks Heath-Gosport/Fareham
Have already been replaced by New 4/4A/X4. Biggest change: More buses to Locks Heath and through buses to Portsmouth.
One drawback in this new rouutes is that no buses will serve the Ocean Village in the evenings. Except the 6 to Hamble but these only run on Thu, Fri and Sat.
ReplyDeleteOr Town Quay. Which has extended the walk I have to do to the bus stop considerably.
ReplyDeleteLikewise, the new 6 still fills up in Thornhill which means it is jam-packed by the time it gets to Woolston and Sholing. Isn't it about time, these districts got their own bus service? Thornhill is already served by Blue Line.
Whoever decided on these changes obviously does not live anywhere near Southampton or use buses.