Velvet have registered a new route, the 300, to restore the missing link between Southampton and Ringwood from 22nd July. We'll let you know as soon as the timetable's out. Route M to Marwell Zoo is amended from the same date.
First have another new route from 30th June: the R1 will serve Jurds Lake Way and looks like a shuttle between Woolston and Weston only. Jurds Lake Way isn't far from town, so I'm not sure how many people are going to be tempted out of their cars at the prospect of having to change at Woolston in order to get to town.
Wow go velvet friendlyest bus company in the south
ReplyDeleteBut did nt they try that before?
ReplyDeleteSurely the secret to building patronage on any commercial bus route is stability,and demand.
ReplyDeleteApart from pensioners on a free pass,any previously users of this section of route will by now own a car or motorbike no doubt...or get a lift.Trust has been damaged by previous operators brief forays.
Either Ringwood-Southampton pays or it don't!
I doubt Southampton-Ringwood can pay at it is not a major destination in itself. It is worth noting that the only regular east-west services via Ringwood are the National Express coaches from Bournemouth to either direct Heathrow or London, or via Southampton to Gatwick. Any Southampton-Ringwood bus service only has a chance of being genuinely viable if extended beyond to a major destination such as Bournemouth or Poole. As Bournemouth is already well served, but Poole isn't, an extension to Poole via Ferndown would have the most potential, especially as that corridor has been left to stagnate for a very long time as far as public transport is concerned.
ReplyDeleteHas the Ringwood/Southampton route ever paid? Since H&D days when the 27 (later X2) was introduced this section carried pax mainly on to Bournemouth. First then tried the route along the South Coast which failed. Simply Ringwood has never had a reasonable service to Southampton and thus no market exists. There are long stretches where there are virtually no houses - to Cadnam or Lyndhurst (except Burley) where BS provide services
ReplyDeleteI assume Velvet will run a subsidised route and I wish them well
Indeed, they deserve all the best for this, especially as it does not appear to be a subsidised route. The timetable is on page 29 of the current New Forest Travel Guide: http://www3.hants.gov.uk/new_forest_travel_guide_may_13.pdf
ReplyDeleteFirst never tried a route east of Bournemouth. Only west of Bournemouth to Weymouth.
ReplyDeleteIt's worth noting that the M is not getting a new timetable. It's going to 7 days a week over the summer holidays, as stated in all Velvet's publicity. This is nothing out of the ordinary and has been on the web timetable on the Velvet site the whole time...
ReplyDeletehas this bus started running yet?
ReplyDeleteSomething we - at Poulner - have been waiting for since the old bus stopped. Oldies don't like driving into Southampton and the coach is too inconvenient for those living at Poulner, with another bus to catch - so - a big Thank You, and we shall be on it.
ReplyDeletecan we use our bus pass.
ReplyDelete