Marwell Zoo will be easier to get to by bus than it has been for several years, thanks to a new route from First.
The M2 launches on Sunday 3rd May and will run every Sunday and Wednesday during the summer between Lordshill and Marwell Zoo, via Southampton City Centre. More details on the exact route as we get it.
This is in addition to First taking over the Marwell to Eastleigh bus and rail stations route for 2015. It has run in previous years as Velvet M but will relaunch as First M1 on Good Friday 3rd April.
Passengers arriving at Marwell by bus will get 10% off admission to the zoo, so keep your bus ticket safe!
The M2 means it will be possible to get to the zoo using a FirstDay Hampshire ticket, which is considerably cheaper than Solent Go.
Good on Marwell. It's a shame Paulton's Park don't do a similar thing - the increasingly irregular X7 is not a great option for many people.
ReplyDeleteSadly,they are not very keen on supporting any such proposals as they are mainly only interested in attracting car users.Several approaches have been made to them concerning plans to introduce a similar service to the Marwell one,but they are very luke warm to say the least.
ReplyDeleteNumerous rail passengers apparently arrive at Romsey each season having been told its only a short distance to the attraction,and they then have to pay for a taxi,or go back home!
They can now travel from Romsey by the X7R although limited I agree-Sad times as today it's presumed everyone has internet or everyone has a car-Very surprised that Paulton's would not have not a long time ago asked for a limited service weekends or school holidays between the Park and at least Romsey Rail Station-Even at present if you use the X7/X7R it's quite a walk up into the Park (except for the odd journeys that actually run via the Park), and awful if you have small children with you.
DeleteChanges in Southampton to First 7 and 11 from 5th April 2015-Yet more tinkering around in particular the 7 which won't serve West Quay-Will they ever get it right-Timetable on their website under forthcoming timetables.
ReplyDeleteI believe It's because of the mess the city is in with northam bridge works. If they didn't change the timetables it would be criticised as well - so they can't really win can they ?
ReplyDeleteApart from peak times traffic over Northam Bridge flows quite normal with little or no delay during the day,so I see no reason for the blame for all the present ills to be layed on the bridge-Even when the works are complete there will still be delays at peak times over this route into or out of Southampton-As another commentator has observed it's just First tinkering around with routes and times yet again, which it would seem their planners just can't stop doing,and in the end achieves nothing in the long run,as no improvement to the service is seen, or if it is it's rare,and is more usual to have the impact of frustrating customers even further
DeleteYou must live in a different Southampton to the one in Hampshire then ! If you have a look at Cobden bridge and Itchen bridge you will see the increased congestion where car drivers are using this as an alternative to Northam Bridge - you should watch the road traffic cameras on the city councils/romanse website as this will enable to see what happens in Southampton (even when you are not in the city !)
ReplyDeleteI'm well aware of additional traffic across Cobden Bridge and Itchen Bridge,however this will not alter much in the future as can be seen there are now more and more cars etc on the roads within Southampton, and here again it's the peaks that cause most problems-Off peak things run pretty well-I have no problem of getting round at off peak-Things were not helped when the cycle lane was put over Cobden Bridge which made the peaks even worse than what they were-There is no point in keep altering bus times when there is no hope of the situation improving,it's just a case as in other Towns and Cities of having to live with it-One of the worse aspects of Southampton is the M27 motorway that half circles it,as everytime there is an incident between Rownhams and Hedge End or even beyond which is now a regular occurance,everything has to find an alternative route,which usually means to divert through Southampton at some point or the other to avoid the incident-There were four seperate accidents a few days ago which caused chaos within Southampton during the peak-For a motorway that was supposed to ease problems,it recently has caused more,and not only to Southampton,but to Fareham and Portsmouth also because of the amount of incidents along it-More traffic along it,more incidents to be expected-However many traffic cameras there are which I'm sure are novel to watch,won't solve the problems we face.
DeleteThere is a timetable change to First X4 and X5 as from 8th March 2015-The revised times can be found on Traveline as First have so far not advertised the fact-PAC
ReplyDeleteI see First are cutting back service 7 to Every 8min - I bet the Blue people in Eastleigh are pleased!
ReplyDeleteIt won't make any difference to it's poor performance during the day-The people as you state at Eastleigh will only be pleased as it will no longer serve West Quay-However where the departure stop is being moved to Sussex Road this will cause buses laying over there and frustrate the operation of other routes in trying to negociate this short section of road on there way to Above Bar-At present where the Xelabus/Wheeler's services depart from Vincent's Walk, their bus stop is blocked most of the day with First vehicles parked on it, and with the new arrangement for the 7 in Sussex Road, this will frustrate things even further by even more First buses blocking the road-First do more to scotch their operation and that of others, than anything sensible in the operation for all in this area-Needs new management at First that have common sense in the way they operate
DeleteGood Afternoon
DeleteFrom 20th April we are diverting the X11 service in the city centre following customer requests. From Bitterne the route will be Six Dials, New Rd, Civic Centre Rd, Portland Terrace, Bargate St, Hanover Buildings, Palmerston Road, Pound Tree Rd (new stop), Above Bar, Commercial Road and route to Lords Hill. From Lords Hill via Commercial Rd, Above Bar St, Pound Tree Rd, Vincents Walk, Hanover Buildings, Bargate St, Portland Terrace, Civic Centre Rd, Six Dials and to Hedge End. Customers from Hedge End will then be able to get to West Quay.
The X12 will be unchanged on its city centre terminus.
Customer Services
Xelabus Limited
When you change the X11 could you put your stickers over the bus stop flag in New Road by East Park towards Bitterne which still sports a Velvet flag-Also at the rear of Asda in Western Esplanade you still have one of your flags that no service stops at anymore(More or less opposite the Coach Station)-I know it's early days but I have noticed a significant increase in passengers on some journeys since you have operated the route,due to the fact it's now being operated correctly-The publicity at stops is excelent and of a print size all can read-Nice smartly painted buses also-Keep up the good work-PAC
DeleteHi
DeleteThank you for your observations. Yes we are aware of the rogue Velvet flag at New Rd but the guys never had a ladder high enough to remove it! The bus stop opp the coach station is primarily for the 801 service for the cadets going to Warsash Maritime College.
Yes we are very happy with growth so far on the X11 and we are looking to now deploy the Enviros and low step Darts on this plus the X12 routes. There are plans to purchase four further newer single deck buses for May/June.
Customer Services
Xelabus Limited
Hi will the 4 new single deckers you buy be brand new with 15 reg plates?
DeleteThhe statement from Xelabus informs all they will be newer and is doubtful they will be 15 registered
DeleteI can hardly see champagne corks going of at go ahead when the frequency of buses changes from every 7 mins to every 8 mins when go ahead are every 15 mins. Frequency will also win the day and it is clear that go ahead are losing money hand over fist on service 16. Very disappointing for shareholders who have been promised £100m profit from the bus division !!
ReplyDeleteWell you can always sell your shares if your not happy with the Go-Ahead way it's being managed-Didn't think bus companies were allowed to run routes at a loss?
Delete