Thursday 14 February 2019

Austerity bites harder from Sunday

Hampshire County Council are wielding the subsidy axe on Sunday 17th February, meaning new, generally reduced, timetables on the following routes mainly in Winchester and Eastleigh... click the route numbers to see the new timetables:


Stagecoach E1/E2 Eastleigh-Winchester - Cuts to morning and mid-afternoon journeys. Last bus from Winchester now at 1715 weekdays and 1635 Saturdays.

Stagecoach 6A Winchester-Abbotts Barton - Cut from three days a week to two: Mondays and Thursdays.

Stagecoach 46 Winchester-North Baddesley - The mid-morning journey to Winchester and the mid-afternoon journey from Winchester are cut.

Stagecoach 63 Winchester-Owslebury - Cut from three days a week to two: Mondays and Thursdays.

Stagecoach 66 Winchester-Romsey - Minor changes.

Stagecoach 67 Winchester-Petersfield - Some weekday journeys are cut to run three days a week instead of every weekday.

Xelabus X4 Eastleigh-Hedge End - The 1845 Mon-Sat journey from Eastleigh is cancelled, meaning the last bus is now at 1715 weekdays and 1720 Saturdays. Revised Sunday timetable with 4 return journeys instead of 5.

Xelabus X6/X7 Eastleigh-Hiltingbury - Cut from a combined half-hourly to a combined hourly service Mon-Sat daytimes. Evening service cut, last bus from Eastleigh now at 1815 Mon-Sats. Sunday service cut from 8 to 4 journeys only as far as Velmore.

Xelabus X8 Eastleigh-Boyatt Wood - Evening service (currently Thurs-Sats) withdrawn. Sunday daytime service restored with 4 return journeys.

Xelabus X9 Eastleigh-Bishops Waltham - Sunday service between Eastleigh and Colden Common withdrawn.

Xelabus X10 Southampton-Bishops Waltham - Two additional weekday morning journeys to Southampton. Minor changes, despite what Traveline says. See the correct timetable in this booklet issued by Hampshire County Council.


56 comments:

  1. Interesing is it not.The Government states Austerity has ended,but has failed to inform local Councils who still continue to struggle to make ends meet due to lack of cash from the source that states it's ended

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    1. No one from the government has ever said that austerity has ended. What they did say was that an end to the austerity years, was in sight.

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  2. I can't see any reason as to why there are two additional journeys Mondays to Fridays on X10 to Southampton.In what I observe what runs at present is ample looking at the loadngs

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    1. There aren't. Another fail by our biased blogger.......

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    2. I don't think you can blame the blogger,when it clearly shows on Traveline there are

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    3. I'm surprised Traveline have not yet corrected the errors on X10 to morning journeys.I don't know why you think the blogger is biased when He/She just posted what they had seen.

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    4. Any corrections will only be uploaded onto the Traveline back office Tuesday, appearing by the end of the week.

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    5. Although Traveline have corrected the Monday to Friday X10 it still is not fully correct.The journey shown towards Southampton shown at 0715 should be deleted

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  3. Where is Marc Reddy? Did he leave first? Look at this link, it is a Simon Goff, an Interim Manager... https://www.firstgroup.com/southampton/news-and-service-updates/news/bus-operator-city-reds-shows-customers-extra-love

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    1. He's still listed as a director on companies house. He might just be on holiday

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    2. Someone from First suggested that he may be busy doing his garden, whilst on leave!

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    3. More than likely much happier doing His garden

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  4. https://www.firstgroup.com/uploads/news-attach/Portsmouth_and_Fareham_Guide_Web.pdf The new combined Portsmouth/Gosport/Fareham book now online

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  5. https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/first-manchester-cheetham-hill-depot-15851278

    I'm very surprised to hear about this when I woke up

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  6. Should have not woken up and stayed asleep then you would still no nothing about this.Still as you live in Southampton it won't affect you so you can sleep in peace

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    1. Np it does not affect me but the author who runs this blog now lives in Greater Manchester so he will be pleased that I posted about the article on to Southampton Bus Update

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    2. Go south coast could buy southampton hoeford and hilsea depots next southampton would use the bluestar brand and hoeford and hilsea could use something like solent bus co or provincial just a sugestion

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    3. It would have to be someone like Stagecoach or otherwise there would only be 1 company which would not be good news at all

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    4. Dosnt matter if theres 1 operator places like basingstoke is just served by stagecoach mind you stagecoach could take over the portmouth and fareham and leave southampton to bluestar I personally pefer one local operator in a town

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    5. But that pushes the fares to rise a hell of a lot

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    6. No it dosnt the fares should remain stable in my openion first fares are way too overpriced a different operator would try and keep fares value for money you dont need competition to keep fares low I think most people would pefer 1 operator running local routes in towns and a different iperator running to another town

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    7. I am amazed that anyone should state that fares are overpriced. Back in 2004, Blue Star offered a weekly ticket which allowed travel within the city boundary, for £15. Today, that same ticket is 50 pence more, however other variations between the competitors range from six pounds! Madness.

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  7. Mr Todd, You state First fares are overpriced. Some facts:. Child singles £1.50, same as Bluestar. Their £6 City Red 2 weekly ticket is now cheaper than Bluestar for the same area. I know (before I am totally slagged off by the only colour is Blue lobby) that for other tickets Bluestar are cheaper. That is competition. Evidence suggests one company= higher fares, unless you have London style regulation.

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    1. Southern Vectis anyone?

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    2. Yes Southern Vectis indeed unless you are lucky enough to have a consessionary pass

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  8. Increased prices for Freedom and Multibuy tickets has been announced for Southern Vectis from March 3.

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  9. I see Michael has gone quiet since he saw the facts posted by anon 19 Feb 2310

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  10. Bluestar are saying something exciting is coming at 7pm on Tuesday...

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    1. Probably buying first southampton depot and routes haha I think its about the 3 extending to eastleigh

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    2. Yeah Michael I actually agree with you on that one for once and I'm sure everyone else will about the fact the 3 is Extending to Eastleigh.

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    3. It`s something exclusive to Bluestar as Morebus and Salisbury Reds haven`t made a similar announcement.

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    4. If it is the extension of the 3; then it seems like a strange time to do it.

      Also, when has there been such fanfare for some as simple as a route extension?

      I would be more suggestive of some new after 7pm ticket.

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    5. I think it is an Nightrider ticket for £2 with unlimited travelling in Southampton after 7pm

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    6. Everything is complete guesswork. The only thing that the staff know, is about the 3.

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    7. Perhaps Michael is right and Bluestar are doing a deal with First to take over their Southampton operation with the deal being signed on Tuesday then they can scrap Cityred 2 and 11 and save pollution in the city.

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    8. The competition commission would never allow it. They have a clear policy of taking it all over without having to pay a penny for it, bit by bit, which the watchdog can then do nothing about.

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    9. Would make sense just to have one main operator as it`d save on congestion and pollution in the city by cancelling routes that double-up.

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    10. Seen Xelabus have displayed colourful and easy to read timetable displays on all stops they serve especially on the corridor from City Centre to Bitterne for the X10.

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    11. Yes-Whoever at Xelabus was responsible for this should be congratulated.They have adjusted Bluestar and First publicity to achieve this.First and Bluestar have a habbit of not leaving space for any other operator as they think only they should be shown.Full marks to Xelabus in the way they have done it without compremising any other operator

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    12. I understand the chap doing the stops was seen cleaning flags too. Timetable glazing replaced and all stops with now corporate style. With their new timetable booklet too - they really have upped their marketing and well done to them as an independant doing so much.

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  11. Got told by a driver on the 18 this morning that when he done the 18 on Monday Morning at 5am from Eastpoint to Bitterne he picked up 36 passengers

    First seem to have made a big mistake in withdrawing the 2 from City Centre to Thornhill

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    1. The 18 double deckers are always packed lately!

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    2. Not from Ive seen. They run very close together with very minimal numbers. The frequency allows them to practically bunch.

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  12. First is just one big mistake full stop,well anyway in Southampton at least

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    1. Clueless is a word that springs to mind hence the rise and rise of Bluestar.

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  13. Why on earth would anyone want just 1 Operator in Southampton it would push the fare rises very rapidly

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    1. It would help the environment though and Southampton has very high pollution.

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    2. What about drivers jobs?

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  14. More details emerged regarding the changes on Sunday 7th April:
    - Bluestar joins the Super Sunday with changes on services 2, 3, 17, QC, 35 and 39.

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    1. Learn something new everyday...

      I did not realise the 35/36/39 had transferred from Red to Blue.

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  15. What changes are being made to the 35 and 39

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  16. I would think a reduction in operating days

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    Replies
    1. Mike Rogers will be dissapointed

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    2. So will the customers that use it

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    3. Yes I'm sure Mike has got to know the passengers very well on the routes

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