First changes: Focus on Sholing (Butts and Botley Roads) / U6 rerouted from Sunday

Don't forget Unilink U6 has a new route and timetable from this Sunday.

In the run up to major changes to First's network on 30th June, we're looking at each area in turn to see how it will be affected. Today, the 5 between town and Sholing.

There's no change to the route on this side of the city. Here's how the times are changing:

No big changes here either. The part of Sholing that the 5 serves is also served by the 9 via Bitterne, which provides the evening and Sunday service.

Here's how the 9 is changing:

No change to the route, but evening services are cut completely, leaving a large area of Sholing with no buses from town after 7pm. Anyone who does need to get home in the evening will have three bus & walk options:
First 3 to Kathleen Road and then walk.
Bluestar 18 to Hightown and then walk.
First 4, X4 or 6 to Wrights Hill or Portsmouth Road and then walk.

First say that the evening service that currently runs is subsidised by the city council and that is being cut. First have decided that not enough people would use the service in the evenings to keep it running commercially.

Full details of changes to all of First's services can be found here. These are the links for the new timetables on the 5 and the 9.

Next up: Netley & Hamble.