First changes: Focus on Bassett Green & Swaythling

Many First routes are changing from 30th June. Each day we look at one in detail to see exactly what is changing. Today, the 5 between town and Bassett Green.

The 5 faces a lot of competition all along the route. Most people have a very good alternative provided by either Bluestar 2 or Unilink U2 or U6. On top of that, the 5 has been deteriorating in recent years to the point where it no longer has any service in the evenings. This has had an inevitable effect on the daytime patronage as anyone who needs to get back after 7pm knows that they will need to use Bluestar or Unilink to do so and that they're better off using them to get into town in the daytime.

Nevertheless, the 5 still soldiers on, currently round a big one-way loop around Bassett Green. That's changing from 30th June, back to how it was before:

On Sundays, buses will turn around at the junction of Daisy Road and Bluebell Road, not running around the Burgess Road loop.

Another change is to the current route between Stag Gates and town, where the 5 currently serves Banister Road and Bedford Place:

That's changing back to how it was before too, along The Avenue/Inner Avenue and London Road:

Bedford Place is also losing the 10, but gaining the new S1. The 5 will still run beyond town to Woolston and Sholing.

Here's how times are changing on the 5:

Not good on weekdays: a later first and earlier last bus. If you miss the 1831 from town and only have a First ticket, you'll need to pay to use Bluestar 2, Unilink U2 or U6 back home. Good-ish news on Sundays with a later last bus from town, but on Sundays too, you have a full hourly evening service until late on Bluestar and Unilink.

Let's see how Bedford Place fares with the changes:

All the new timetables from 30th June can be seen here or use these direct links for the 5 or the S1.

Next up: Deepest, darkest Sholing