We knew the 12 was being axed, but First have announced a whole raft of changes for Southampton, taking effect from 20th January 2018.
Their last major changes took place on 29th October. Something's not right. The main points:
City Red 2: Cut back to only run between Millbrook and the City Centre, the first time part of the City Red flagship network has been cut. City Red 10 was launched on 6th September 2015, competing head on with Bluestar 18. Just weeks ago, on 29th October, it was merged with City Red 2, but now First are giving up on the route altogether. They'll be drinking prosecco in Poole tonight.
The Three: Minor timing changes, but First's incomplete description suggests it'll be rerouted to run via Aldermoor Road (to compete head on with Bluestar 17) rather than Lords Hill Way. This removes the last frequent service from Lords Hill Way, isolating large parts of Lordswood and Lordshill, for whom the times that subsidised Xelabus X11 run simply aren't convenient. This smacks of desperation and cannot in any way be in the interests of the travelling public.
City Red 7: Frequency cut to every 10 mins weekday daytimes. The pdf new timetable that First have uploaded only has the weekday times, so either the 7 is withdrawn at weekends or some astonishing incompetence is on display. First is a huge, publicy traded, multi-national company - surely they can publicise their services better than this.
12: As we already know, this route is being abandoned altogether, ending over a century of SCT/Citybus/First service in Maybush and cutting Oakley Road and Cumbrian Way off from usable public transport altogether.
8, 9, 13: Minor changes and miraculously, the evening journeys on the 9 and 13 as well as the 9's reluctant Sunday service survive, for now.
This shambles reduces First to just one route in Lordshill, which they used to dominate, and just one bus every half hour running direct between Bitterne and the City Centre - this would have been unimaginable when they originally bought Citybus back in the late 90s.
First have a history of slowly winding down their services before abandoning an area. Look what they did in Northampton, Plymouth, Barnstaple, Wigan and Chester. These latest cuts so soon after the October changes make it more likely that Southampton will be next.
Do us all a favor First and admit defeat and hand over all services to Go South Coast
ReplyDeleteIf they do, I would like to think that Bluestar will revamp Southampton's citybus network and bring it back to how it was before First came along and ruined everything.
DeleteIf that's not possible, I would at least like to see the 16 and 17 combined into one cross-city route and a new regular service running along Hill Lane.
Be careful what you wish for. Do you want sky high fares a la Southern Vectis. Some of us work for a living and pay fares, rather than sponging off the State like you.
DeleteI read the same description for The Three as well, but it actually refers to the first bus stops on Lordshill Way, which share the same name as Aldermoor Shops!! So I very much doubt that it's being re-routed - just a misunderstanding on bus stop names.
ReplyDeleteThe wording on First's website appears to have changed to make it clear that the Three will still serve Lords Hill Way.
ReplyDeleteFirst have only registered a timetable change to the three, not a route change
DeleteIndeed. had the author of this blog bothered to check he/she would have realised that there was no change to the route of the 3.
DeleteBut then he/she has never let the facts get in the way of an anti-First rant, have they.....
But would Stagecoach want to buy up First Dumbhampton bits and pieces? Would they really want to take on BS? Perhaps they'd complement the BS service? Anyhow it's fun to speculate!!
ReplyDeleteMore to the point, how would Bluestar feel about having real competition in the area? First have made a nuisance of themselves, but have failed to make any headway against a very strong and well organised outfit in GSC. They are so far ahead of the game that they have already started the defence against Stagecoach, by making sure that the Winchester route is almost impregnable. Anyone coming in will have their work cut out to move the blues. I think Arriva would probably be the one they fear most, because they have a reputation of throwing the kitchen sink at any opposition.
DeleteLook at how they've turned around Plymouth, Wigan and Chester to name a few - Southampton would fit in perfectly to their operation, there is also lots of room to expand and with investment on the hotly contested routes they could easily turn it around.
DeleteI note mentions of who might run these services if First were to withdraw from Southampton. Arriva, Go South Coast and Stagecoach seem to be the favourites, but there are other firms who might express an interest. I doubt that Xelabus would be interested, but they might. What about Rotala, based in the West Midlands and running Preston after Stagecoach were forced to let go? What about National Express, who run the West Midlands buses? What about Transdev, who run Bournemouth Yellows, among others?
ReplyDeleteYellow Buses are now part of RATP, who could well be interested.
DeleteDo you really think so?
DeleteGiven the mess that they have made in Bournemouth I can't see them wanting to face another losing battle with GSC! At this minute in time, GSC stock is higher than it has ever been, complete with awards to recognise that fact. I don't see Mr Wickham and co being in any mood to let that slip anytime soon.
DeleteI'd guess Stagecoach, Go South Coast wouldn't get it as the Office of Fair Trading would be on them and Arriva don't seem to expand much?
DeleteWe need an operator like Liberty bus on jersey,where the money they make is invested back into the community in which they serve,working with the community to design the services that meets the needs of the community.
ReplyDeleteGreat idea and would encourage more bus use,if people knew the money wasn`t just going to line shareholders pockets,but to be reinvested in the community they serve.
DeleteYes, their buses run to all parts of the island frequently everyday, Sundays and late at night. They don't seem to worry too much over there.
DeleteDid Southampton Council retain a small stake in Citybus as Bournemouth did with Yellows?
ReplyDeleteNot that I remember. So far as I can recall, Council sold to staff, staff sold to First, simple as that. Perhaps someone in Council or First can enlighten us.
DeleteIn writing:
ReplyDelete"City Red 7: Frequency cut to every 10 mins weekday daytimes. The pdf new timetable that First have uploaded only has the weekday times, so either the 7 is withdrawn at weekends or some astonishing incompetence is on display."
you have overlooked the following statement on the First Southampton website:
"The new timetable are available to download below, these only relate to the days being changed:"
I have friends in Weymouth, where First are very highly regarded (so I'm told!) Perhaps it's just the Southampton operation that is so out of synch with what the customers want!
ReplyDeleteAre you sure? Have you seen the First Bus Weymouth group?
DeleteHave you seen last Friday and Saturdays comments in the Dorset Echo?
DeleteNot saying I believe what I'm told . . .
DeletePeople should just boycott First,if other options are available to them,thus sending a clear sign to them that Southampton bus users are not prepared to put up with their stupidity any longer.It is either that ,or moan and do sweet FA and let them continue screwing over Southampton.Think of the elderly now stranded,cause they can`t walk far,or afford taxi`s all the time.
ReplyDeleteI`m all for a boycott!Everyone else with me on this?
DeleteToo right I am!!
DeleteBoycotting them will only lead to them cutting more services, surely, if they are not making money..
DeleteHalf of the services they run now haven't got much alternative...
Delete2 has the 18
3 hasn't got anything useful
6 has no alternative
7 has the 16
8 has no alternative
9 has the 7 in part
11 has no alternative
13 has no alternative for the most part
Bluestar 17 is THE alternative to First`s 3.Xelabus X10 and Bluestar 3 are alternatives for First 8 and are both an alternative for a large chunk of First 13.
Deletefirst Southampton have kill off bus service in Southampton no new buses only old buses in the fleets first need to leave Southampton
ReplyDeleteSeen this comment on Fbook Bluestar page regarding driver recruitment:
ReplyDeleteBlue star will definitely grow due to there has been a notice put up in first drivers rest room head office has given 8 months for Southampton, weymouth , to turn things around with yellow school bus being chopped and the number 12 route being cut as they are running at a lost they have been told that 30 Service buses has to moved out and cut as first fill they can’t compete with blue star so if they can’t turn things around in 8 months then first will pull out of the south cost so if your looking to become a bus driver go with blue star as the future looks bright for them
I think it is extremely unlikely that any such notice has been put up in Firsts restroom. If it had, I would expect the Manager who composed it to be sacked in the morning! It is the management's job to motivate staff, even in times of bad news, not to threaten them. It is their management that have created this situation, not the guys who just drive buses. There is no doubt that Bluestar will benefit by recruiting a few of Firsts staff, but as usual, they will only take the cream of the crop, not the unionised old lags.
DeleteAlso seen on twitter @BluestarHQ someone asking if they can petition for a bus thru Oakley Rd? They replied with:
ReplyDeleteI will log your comments and feed this back to the relevant team who will take them into consideration when it comes to our next Route planning meeting. Thank you
I think that's PR-speak for "Yeah, not happening"!
DeleteThat said, I would be quite surprised if there wasn't a reasonable demand, both around Oakley Road and Cumbrian Way..it's just whether a company can make enough profit. First couldn't, whether Bluestar could is another matter...
They could always alter the 18,so it loops round Cumbrian Way and Oakley road,instead of going back along Redbridge Hill.
DeleteMore likely to perhaps send the 4 through Oakley Rd and then up to Maybush corner? A couple of extra minutes on the route, and at least as busy as the 3 stops that they would miss out from existing route, which have low patronage.
DeleteBluestar 7 will be extended to replace route 12 from Sunday 21 January, so long as it's approved by the Traffic Commissioner. http://www.bluestarbus.co.uk/article.shtml?articleid=7849. Bit of a cocky move from Bluestar, not least to announce it before it's been approved, but also on their homepage, the article is entitled "We're putting you First"...
DeleteThe comments at 3 Dec 09.29 and 09.33 do not surprise me in the least. What a disgraceful situation, given what Citybus and the City Transport Department were like!
ReplyDeleteThe comment at 3 Dec 05.35 does surprise me a bit. Either the '14' and later registration plates on buses don't mark them as new, or - as with getting rid of the bendy buses - the local operations are to be punished by way of having the oldest and tattiest machines available in the group. Well, that's bound to attract trade!
Given the clean air zone due for Southampton in early 2019, it would be a very silly decision to move newer buses from this City. Unless they have already decided that they will not be here by then. No one seems to be waiting to snap up Firsts business here, or they would have sold up and gone by now. Many would question whether Bluestar would be allowed a virtual monopoly situation, but they would of course argue that Wheelers and Xela run routes also. You have to wonder why they have not tried to crush these two young upstarts previously? Or maybe, they were keen to see them develop, for exactly this scenario?
DeleteI prefer to use Bluestar,as you haven`t got those god damn awlful screens between you and the driver.Imagine if you walked into a shop and there was a screen between you and the assistant,it would make you feel insecure,just as First`s screens do.
ReplyDeleteI have been saying much the same for years. There is so little cash carried by drivers nowadays that screens are not required. One of the many reasons that First are failing, is their reluctance to come away from national policies.
DeleteBS to the rescue again re the 12 route. They've posted online stating that they plan to extend their 7 to incl most of the old 12 route.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.bluestarbus.co.uk/article.shtml?articleid=7849
ReplyDeletehttps://twitter.com/BluestarHQ/status/937693394171826177
ReplyDeleteHow many bet on a sale? It seems more and more likely Southampton is next for the chop...
ReplyDeleteThey are just making it small enough to be of interest to the company formerly known as Southbourne Buses
ReplyDeleteAnon, 11 Dec at 07.07.
ReplyDeleteOuch! That's a bit cruel, but you may well be right!
With the slight enhancement of Bluestar 7, especially now as I can commute and change with no hassle at Central Station (from Bluestar 12 to Bluestar 7), I will boycott First from January 21st. I am so looking forward to that. Still 5 weeks to go, though.
ReplyDelete