Current government advice is to only make essential journeys.
This means that demand for bus travel has plummeted, and bus companies are starting to respond. They clearly cannot afford to run nearly-empty buses for long.
If you are using the bus, please avoid using cash if at all possible, in order to minimise the opportunities for the virus to be transmitted between bus workers and other passengers. All of our major operators and most of the minor ones now accept payment by contactless card. Some also have smartcards and/or mobile ticketing apps that all help to reduce the need to use cash. If I was running a bus company, I would stop accepting cash immediately, but so far no operator has chosen to take that step to protect their staff and passengers.
Let's get on with those service reductions, kicking in from Monday across our region. Brace yourselves...
Bluestar:
- Enhanced Sunday service will run Mon-Sats on most routes from Monday.
- Route 19 (Central Station-Thornhill) withdrawn with immediate effect.
- Weekday school holiday service on routes 3, 5, 35, 36, 39, H1/H2, T3/T4, X7 and Quay Connect.
- The 6 will have a weekday schoolday service on Monday, then school holiday weekday service from Tuesday.
First Southampton/City Red:
- Saturday service on weekdays on all routes from Monday.
Unilink:
- Vacation timetables until further notice.
Xelabus:
- Saturday service on weekdays on routes X4, X9, X10 and X11.
- Normal weekday service on routes X6, X7, X12, X15 and Bitterne Hoppa.
- Service suspended indefinitely on route X17 (Eastleigh-Petersfield).
Stagecoach:
- School holiday weekday service from Monday on all routes.
Yellow Buses:
- Saturday service on weekdays from Monday on all routes except 21, which will have a normal weekday service.
- Additional journeys on 8 and 737.
- No service on night routes N1 and N5.
More:
- Normal schoolday timetable on weekdays on routes M1, M2, Ringo 1/2, X1, X2, X3, X6, X8/X8A, 7A/7B/7C, 13, 24, 32, 38, 40, 50, 60, 112, 119, 125, 191 and 195.
- School holiday weekday service on routes 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16, 17 and 20.
- Further changes expected this week, so check More's website before you travel.
Unibus:
- Emergency timetable on U1.
- Saturday service on U3 on weekdays.
- Routes U2 and U4 suspended until further notice.
First Portsmouth:
- Saturday service will run on weekdays on all routes from Monday.
Stagecoach:
- School holiday weekday service from Monday on all routes.
Stagecoach:
- School holiday weekday service from Monday on all routes.
Bluestar:
- Enhanced Sunday service on the 1 Mon-Sats from Monday.
Salisbury Reds:
- School holiday weekday service from Monday on all routes.
Stagecoach:
- School holiday weekday service from Monday on all routes.
First Bath:
First Wessex:
- Saturday service on most routes on weekdays from Monday.
- Overnight services on route 1 suspended.
- Route X54 (Weymouth-Poole) suspended until further notice.
Southern Vectis:
- Minor changes, with more to come so check before travelling.
See all upcoming changes across the region at-a-glance here.
Well done to Bluestar by making the most sensible decisions and withdraw a loss making bus service (19), going further than other big operators, by running an enhanced Sunday timetable on the core routes and indirectly recognising that they have a problem with shortage of drivers.
ReplyDeleteThe 19 will not be missed for sure, by no one.
First needs to wake up and go further on their measures:
Running a saturday service is not good enough. As I believe the 6, 8, 9 and 13 interwork, they should run a Saturday timetable, fair enough, however the rest of the routes they should run an enhanced Sunday timetable, assuring that the early runs still go ahead as normal, helping the workers to get to work and keep the economy running. The same message goes to Bournemouth & Poole, as it looks like running such high frequency is beyond me, at least a Saturday timetable would be ok, but an enhanced Sunday timetable would fit the needs of the most.
The rules for the concessionary passes should be relaxed so they can go on buses earlier and allow the elderly people to shop everyday before anyone else, we need to look after them.
Finally I hope that small companies like Xelabus resist quite well to this crisis, as this will hit them hard.
Stay home whenever possible. I thank the bus drivers for being at the front line when they needed to be at home instead.
The rules on senior passes are being relaxed from Monday.First should also now scrap the Cityred 1 as the route is already served by BS12.
DeleteI agree with you that a Saturday service isn`t sustainable on First at present with so many retailers shutting and entertainment venue`s closed.
At this time I would strongly urge EVERYONE using buses with double doors to USE THE MIDDLE DOOR TO EXIT to keep drivers safe as possible at this time.
Let's all do our bit and only go out and use the buses if it's seriously nesscary.
ReplyDeleteOnce this is all over we can all look forward to our bus journies again heres to defeating the Coronavirus.
When we finally fight off this virus and life returns everyone will carry on working home as much as possible and far fewer peak time buses will be required over the next few years and beyond.
DeleteBS actually mention using CityRed 3 as an alternative to their 19 on their website so credit to them
ReplyDeleteFirst NEED to do the same with Cityred 1 as it`s pointless two companies running empty buses to Calmore at this time.
DeleteWith such a slash in frequency by Bluestar in Totton it's just as well First are keeping their 1
DeleteThink if you saw Any bus in the last few days then you`d know a Sunday service is all that is feasible right now with passenger numbers taking a huge hit for obvious reasons.
DeleteCould not agree with you more.In what I have seen so far this morning living on a main bus route,even the Sunday service is too much.I'm sure First and Stagecoach will soon follow suit
DeleteCould this signal the end of First operations in Southampton for good?
DeleteFrom the actions taken by bluestar it suggests they are in more financial difficulties than what people think
DeleteNo,Bluestar are being more realistic as the demand is no longer there as people are scared to use buses in case they catch pick up the virus.
DeleteStrange how they think a bus is more risky than being in a packed supermarket
DeleteBluestar announced revised timetables from 6 April and then changed their mind on Friday to introduce on Sunday (today). Feels like there isn’t really a plan.
DeleteThere is certainly a plan, but there is also an unprecedented and extremely fast moving situation. At the start of the week, passenger numbers were down a bit and there was talk of schools closing and the elderly having to stay home but apart from that most things were functioning normally. Now, large sections of the economy are closed down indefinitely and people are being strongly discouraged from leaving their homes, and obviously passenger numbers are just a fraction of what they normally are. No doubt there will be further reductions from all operators in the coming days and weeks.
DeleteAnon at 0854, you are out of step with what everyone else is thinking. The 12 has additional trips at peak hours and will manage the other small loads throughout the day easily. First just have no idea and will go bankrupt if they don't adjust very quickly.
ReplyDeleteSaturday afternoon on bus home, I see a CR 8 in Bitterne empty. Then a B'star DD 18 bus towards city also empty.
ReplyDeletePeople heeding the advice to only use buses when it`s absolutely necessary-for work-if people can then cycle or walk to help stop the spread.
DeleteIt's a very fast changing situation. Start of last week switching to a Saturday timetable seemed sensible, by the end of the week enhanced Sunday made far more sense. Bearing in mind the news that we're likely to have waves of this level of closure and isolation over the next year bus companies are going to have to be very flexible. I did like the note from bluestar about key workers should inform them if they're impacted, I would imagine what we're seeing is the first of many iterations of change.
ReplyDeleteGSC and First operations will be fine and continue after all this has finished, albeit perhaps smaller depending on the true impact to our economy. They are financially viable operations within larger transport groups. It's Yellows (and to a lesser extent Xelabus) that I worry about.
Well, if the worst comes to the worst, the council would step in to rescue YB, or the managers sell the business to a big company (if there is anyone interested of course).
DeleteYes our big concern is the smaller companies and in the region I just can think of Xelabus.
Who would buy Yellow Buses in the current environment? Bus operators are very cash intensive businesses and the current lack of cash coming in is a major crisis for operators large and small. The strongest will manage to get through, and the recently announced government help will help some others to get through as well, but sadly I think some will fail.
DeleteSadly I don't believe that Yellow Buses will survive, nor Xelabus...
DeleteIf you check bluestar's website, you will notice that the 18 will run every 10 minutes. I think there is not such demand and they will have to reduce it even more, even the Sunday timetable would be eventually too much.
ReplyDeleteFirst live in a world of their own. A withdrawal of their number 1 should not be out of their cards, as I believe is not making profit at all, but if they insist in running it, okay, fair enough, run every 30 minutes. I insist, a Sunday service on the bigger companies is more than enough for most. Xelabus is doing good by operating a Saturday timetable on most of their routes, as they are not such big company, however, if the numbers keep going down they may have to suspend some loss making routes. We will see...
Here is to a bright future everyone when the Pandemic ends.
ReplyDeleteYes looking forward to summer 2021.
DeleteMe to
DeleteSurely the M1 Marwell Service can no longer run
ReplyDeleteMarwell Zoo service M1 which was due to commence from 4 April 2020, has been postponed until further notice.
DeleteAnd in Bournemouth, the full 12 from Yellows, the Forest Explorer and the 11 will be postponed for sure or even withdrawn before launch.
DeleteMorebus is changing their minds and running an enhanced Sunday timetable on their core routes (M1, M2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 13, 16 and 17).
ReplyDeleteServices 3 and nightroutes suspended until further notice.
Won't be long before First and Stagecoach go to enhanced Sunday services.Where I live on a busy main road,the loadings I have seen so far this morning are dire and I suspect more cuts to come sooner than later
ReplyDeleteNice to see Bluestar react quickly with todays timetable changes to customer reaction.Tomorrow they will make a few changes due to keyworker feedback.
ReplyDeleteService X54 will continue to run as per it's normal Monday to Friday timetable, according to First Weymouth
ReplyDeleteWith the PM's announcement tonight I'm sure buses will get even further cuts.No point in running Saturday timetables with no one to use them or even Monday to Friday ones in some instances
ReplyDeleteAnd soon everything will be a Special Timetable
DeleteBe more like a Xmas Day bus service as things all grind to a halt for 3 weeks.
DeleteMaybe, First & BS could (if allowed under special circumstances) accept each others tickets just for 3 weeks?
Or maybe nothing at all
ReplyDeleteOn BS website -Following contact from key workers at Southampton General Hospital we are pleased to be adding back in two journeys from Tuesday 24 March:
ReplyDeleteBluestar 9 - 0710 from Fawley will now start from Calshot Beach at 0705
Bluestar 17 - an additional trip at 0620 from Weston to Adanac Park
STAGECOACH PORTSMOUTH AREA - Our Portsmouth services & timetables are temporarily changing from Monday 30th March 2020 due to COVID-19
ReplyDeleteSummary of changes
Route 20 will see no changes to the timetable running Monday to Saturday
Route 21 revised to operate every 30 minutes Monday to Saturday throughout
Route 23 revised to operate every 20 minutes Monday to Saturday
Routes 30&31 revised to operate every 30 minutes Monday to Saturday
Route 37 will operate a normal non- schooldays service Monday to Friday and a normal Saturday service.
Route 38 will operate a normal non- schooldays service Monday to Friday
Route 39 revised to operate every 20 minutes Monday to Saturday
Hoverbus service will continue to operate as normal
Route 700 will be split into two routes with one operating between Portsmouth & Chichester every 30 minutes and the other operating between Chichester & Littlehampton every 20 minutes.
We have worked hard to maintain as many morning and evening journeys as possible for our customers. Currently Sunday services will remain unchanged until further notice.
route timetable updates Portsmouth and Havant Updated 23 Mar 2020, 16:03
It would have not yet seem First and Stagecoach have got the message of the Prime Ministers statement this evening
ReplyDeleteBoris is right by lockdown the country.
ReplyDeleteBus companies will have to readjust their plans and even merge routes or make arrangements with other bus companies to run special timetables and combine frequencies.
For example:
Morebus makes an agreement to run the M1 hourly but combined with service 3 from Yellow buses (also hourly) would run every 30 minutes between Westbourne and Castlepoint (or even to the Hospital if More decides to extend there).
And the same arrangements between:
service M2 (More) & 1 (YB)
service 17 (Bluestar) and 11 (First)
service 18 (Bluestar) and 2 (First)
service 16 (Bluestar) and 7 (First)
service 17 (Bluestar) and 3 (First)
service 12 (Bluestar) and 1 (First)
service 7 (Bluestar) and 9 (First)
It is time to unite to fight this devastating virus.
Bless, merging bus routes isn't quite the vaccine we're waiting for. The only reason the companies would do it would be as a joint agreement minimise their losses, which, at the moment, must be horrendous.
ReplyDeleteAn hourly service is all that is needed on ALL routes to get key workers to /from work at the moment.
ReplyDelete