First have registered that they will stop running routes 1 (City Centre-Shirley-Maybush-Coxford-Lordshill-Adanac Park) and 10 (City Centre-Bitterne-Thornhill) in Southampton as of 29th October. There could be an as yet unannounced and unregistered replacement, but if not then the 1 is almost certainly surrendering to competition from Bluestar 17. The 10, which was launched as a head-on competitor to Bluestar 18, if it disappears will leave just the three from First serving Thornhill alongside the omnipresent Bluestar 18.
More as we get it.
In other news, we have new timetables on the following routes from next week. Click the route number to see the new timetable:
Bluestar 2 Southampton-Fair Oak From Tuesday 12th September an additional schoolday journey will run at 0745 from Southampton to Eastleigh.
Bluestar 5 Romsey-Boyatt Wood From Monday 11th September, there are a couple of minor timing changes to early evening services, plus a route change to the weekday 1709 journey from Templars Way to Eastleigh, which will now run via Derby Road instead of Chestnut Avenue.
I thought First`s no.10 couldn`t last.It must be losing them a fortune to keep running empty buses every 8 mins,from Town to Thornhill,just to have some petty fight with Bluestar,whilst leaving much of the east side of the city with an awlful service.
ReplyDeleteGeography lesson: Thornhill is on the east side of the city
Delete"Whilst leaving MUCH of the east side of the city...".There`s far more to the eastern side of the city than just Thornhill!Try thinking Harefield,Merry Oak,Peartree etc,as all these areas have a crap service.
DeleteIf there was so much demand why aren't there multiple bus operators plying these routes for trade. That can be said for anywhere in the uk where there is either a low frequency service or no service at all. Just economics. Like it or loath it this is the playing field for bus dereg.
DeleteMore to do with a real shortage of bus drivers in this area,as both major operators are constantly recruiting drivers,or trying to.
DeleteCity Red 2 and 10 are being combined to provide a cross city route (just like, or in fact probably identical to Bluestar 18 in fact) so that rather scuppers you 'losing a fortune' Mr Anonymous 5 September 2017 at 21:32.
DeleteFull details of changes for those that can be bothered to read them are on First's webpage - https://www.firstgroup.com/southampton/news-and-service-updates/planned-changes/first-southampton-announce-service-changes
Hilarious stuff it is too!They are going to change the loop that the no.7 takes around Townhill Park AGAIN!Is Stan Laurel real and working at First`s planning dept?
DeletePeople criticise for changing things and criticise for changing things back - and for that matter, criticise for not changing things - at least they seem to be admitting that they were wrong!
DeleteThe man responsible has already worked disastrously at both GSC & Stagecoach who dispensed with his services !
DeleteThat sums up this blog. You never read a similar headline with Bluestar despite them changing routes and timetables just as often. I can't see where service 1 is highly competitive. 10 definitely is though. Anyway let's wait for all the First Haters and dribble to be posted rather than a constructive balanced debate. Assuming this post is published as it is not pro Bluestar !
ReplyDeleteBluestar aren`t perfect!They could run a Sunday service on their 11,instead of leaving West Totton cut off on Sundays!I give them their due`s though for running their 7 and 16 routes,replacing links cut off by First.
DeleteFirst`s route 1 is very poorly used,so no surprises there.
ReplyDeleteSuspicious me wonders if this is all part of a secret deal with Bluestar. Let's see if Bluestar introduces a £2 flat fare shortly. Both companies are struggling to recruit and retain staff so they cant intensify the war. One day they will learn that that they need to start treating their staff with more respect.
ReplyDeleteWonder if Bluestar 7 & 16 will disappear too !
DeleteNot sure about BS7,but the 16 always seems rather busy to me lately,so why would they dispense with it ,rather than reduce the frequency?
Deletebluestar 7 is council funded and the 16 replaced the 12 from city to townhill park so they will not be getting rid of any of them two services
DeleteI believe the 7 is a commercial service. There is nothing indicating it is council funded, and I doubt the council would fund a service with 30 minute frequency.
DeleteBluestar 7 & 16 are both commercial and poor performers. If this is just First cutting back after the fare increase they must be in a bit of difficulty. But I still suspect a deal has been done with Bluestar. Only time will tell !
DeleteThis looks a lot like a Bluestar advert. Where is the evidence for what you are saying?
ReplyDeleteDetails can be found on gov.uk site ,under bus registrations in the south west on 5 Sept.
DeleteFor all we know a replacement could simply be waiting to publish.
ReplyDeleteRed 10 combined with 2 as a cross city route to completely copy Bluestar 18. That puts a very different complexion on it !
ReplyDeleteFollowing feedback for Service 10, passengers have indicated a desire to extend the route through the city to connect with Southampton Central train station and Shirley. To accommodate this request, we are combining the current Service 2 and 10 to make one service that will cover the entire 2 and 10 route. This also helps customers who use both bus and train, especially now South Western Railway is part of the FirstGroup family.
ReplyDeleteTranslates to....
We just want the route to be in direct competition with Bluestar 18. We are going to be spiteful.
Infact the changes are just what we`ve come to expect from First.Once again trying to steal passengers from Bluestar,as they seem unable to come up with original idea`s of their own.
Delete...and so Tesco doesn't want to take customers from Sainsbury's. It's called the real world of competition.
DeleteI`m still waiting for competition on the railways,which was supposed to help lower fares.
DeleteTravelled Bournemouth to Taunton today, to arrive at a decent time had to travel the long way around and this is more expensive that via Dorchester!
ReplyDeleteAt least Bluestar have added services in recent years the 7 & 17 whereas First only seem to cut services with no Northern city routes and many long standing routes across the city have disappeared over recent years in favour of running empty buses in convoy on routes like the 7 & 3 . A route that could do really well for either operator is Lordshill Aldermoor General Hospital Winchester Road Hill Lane Central Station City Centre at the moment anyone using the bus in Upper Shirley Winchester Road/ Hill lane have a long journey into the city on Uni Link. Unfortunately first will be criticised the most as they have cut the city bus network the most over recent years .
ReplyDelete