If you're travelling to Stonehenge for the summer solstice tonight, then Salisbury Reds have a special service 333 running from Salisbury and Amesbury.
Go Ahead's New Forest Tour starts its summer season on Saturday 25th June. There are three circular routes to choose from and don't forget there are through fares from across the Bluestar, More and Salisbury Reds networks plus on the Hythe Ferry!
First Solent are increasing the frequency of their Eclipse E1/E2 services between Fareham and Gosport from 10th July.
The Southampton Minilink 14 has an improved Timetable from the 1st Augustsoon to be running all day
ReplyDeleteWhich could that mean the end of First's 9 route? There is only the small stretch of Bursledon Road solely served by it.
DeleteIt's been cut so much to the point it's barely usable.
What I find strange is that First have not made a change to the 9 in response to Southampton Minilink 14 timetable change from August 1st 2022
DeleteKnowing First, they will sneak in a short notice change, at the last moment, or they are giving up on it completely to focus limited resources elsewhere?
DeleteIt makes me wonder how long the 1 will last now it seems they are not that intrested in Totton and Calmore now
DeleteI am sure that the big management shake up, that will see the area from Slough to Cornwall lumped together, will completely miss how unprofitable it is. They are returning to a failed model from the 90s!
DeleteWe are improving our service 14 following customer feedback.
DeleteInitially when service 14 was started it used spare capacity between school runs using a bus and driver that was not otherwise required. We have now built passenger levels up to a level where we feel it is commercially viable to operate a full daytime service using our already tried and tested one bus one driver method currently implemented on the 13a. This reduces operational costs to us by not needing a second driver for the service and giving the driver a break in the traditionally quieter lunchtime period for local bus service operation. We work with a number of community groups in Southampton to ensure our services meet customers needs and are currently working on some further exciting developments which will be revealed later in the year. All of our buses will be Enviro 200 within the next couple of months as customers seem to prefer these over streetlights which are the only viable alternative for the type of operation we have.
Simon Gard
Southampton Mini Link
Hello are there any plans for a 3rd Route at somepoint if the popularity continues to grow with the 13A and 14?
DeleteBut Simon, you are advertising daily for new drivers; do you have enough for the enhanced 14?
DeleteWe have sufficient resources to operate service 14 to an enhanced timetable as resources from a school service which is ending will be diverted to this along with some duties being covered by a manager until all vacancies are filled. We are currently recruiting due to additional contracts being gained from later in the year. This will also enable us to become less reliant on external labour providers who have all substantially increased costs this year.
DeleteSimon Gard
Southampton Mini Link
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DeleteKeep taking your meds
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DeleteMay I ask what your problem is with Southampton Minilink Operations? I think you will find that the regular passengers are very happy with the 13A and 14 service.
DeleteThe regular drivers who do the 2 routes are very well liked by all users of the 2 routes.
Can you just be happy thats less money going to First and Go Ahead
i will certainly look forward to more minilink expansions to come and more custom to minilink and less for first and go ahead
DeleteAnd I will look forward to the demise of Mini Link which as we all know is not far away
DeleteSouthampton Minilink is actually doing very well and The 13A Harefield service is well used. SML is here to stay.
DeleteNo it isn't reece stop kidding yourself
DeleteIf that was the case the 14 would not have had an improved timetable from next month
DeleteThe removal of COVID funding this Autumn, will see around one in three services cut completely, if press predictions are true. Driver shortage solved, which is why our local operators seem happy for longer serving drivers to leave them, equals less redundancy payouts....
ReplyDeleteDo you know what will happen with the City Red 6 service?
DeleteHi Reece. Unfortunately, no one has a crystal ball, so we can only guess. Industry thoughts seem to predict that funding for out of the way places, like Hamble, will be cut back. What that means, who knows?
DeleteInteresting that Bluestar were claiming that their poor service yesterday, was due to driver sickness... Wonder who was driving all the extra buses that were needed for the extra uni services that they ran? They have started to tell some whoppers, and expect us to believe it.
What I find interesting is that the 18 has not yet gone back to every 7-8 minutes
DeleteHi Reece. If you can find half a dozen new drivers, it can go back to normal. Until then, it is more likely to go the other way! They recruit five, and six leave. Every operator is having the same trouble.
Deleteare drivers no longer working 13 days then and stopped doing overtime
DeleteThat's exactly the problem! Many who used to do that, have gone. Also, with reduced frequencies, the buses are busier, and drivers are burnt out, so need days off to recover. My friend says that they don't even ring staff to ask them anymore, as they know the answer that they will get.
DeleteReece, there is only so long people can cope with 13 days on, 1 day off, 13 days on, 1 day off.
DeleteMaybe if you could hurry up and get your provisional licence, you would be able to see that for yourself.
I have met a couple of drivers that like doing 13 days some of them also like Christmas Day work to
DeleteLooking at the 3X timetable starting at the end of July some Monday to Friday and Saturday journies will start and terminate at Poole Hospital also there will be a late night 3X service.
ReplyDeleteWonder what everyone is thinking, regarding the proposal to introduce a 24/7 two pound single fare to go anywhere?
ReplyDeleteWho would exactly pay for this? Seems like bankruptcy waiting to happen
DeleteThe taxpayer as usual Reece. Same as the £1 evening fare currently. You surely don't think that the bus company would lose out? If it gets more people on the bus, and takes cars off the road, bring it on.
DeleteSurely we want people to learn to drive as that gets into the bus industry
DeleteSo does the congestion Reece! Sure we will still have plenty of people driving, but we need to change the proportions.
DeletePlenty of people capable (and licenced) to drive buses right now.
DeleteThe problem is that the industry is being hammered by rubbish Concession Pass rebate rates, passenger demands for free wi-fi, and now the threat of a £2 maximum fare.
So they can not afford to pay enough to tempt those that CAN drive buses, to drive buses.
Personally, I think nationalisation of the industry would go a long way. Cut out the shareholders, re-invest the profits into the service instead. Develop in-house standardised vehicle and trim, build in-house, cut out some of the "free" luxuries.
I will look forward to driving my own car and out an end to those days of sitting next to random people all the time
ReplyDeleteTimetable change to the First 8 Southampton to Hedge End Route from 5th September 2022 Amendments to Stopping Places and Change to Timetable
ReplyDeleteEffective from 8th September 2022
DeleteAt the End of August
ReplyDeleteXelabus Chanes being made as a result of HCC Financial Cuts
X4 to be Extended to Velmore to replace the withdrawn X6/X7 - Saturday Service increased to hourly, Sunday service will be Withdraw
X6-7 Withdrawn
X8 Withdrawn
X9-X10 Monday to Friday Service reduced to every 2 Hours
X15 Withdrawn
X17 Withdrawn
Drivers are telling customers I was also told this when I have got the X10 into Southampton.
Stagecoach could divert the 46 to Eastleigh instead of North Baddesley to retain the Hiltingbury link, also resulting in Valley Park getting a direct service to Eastleigh again. It would mean North Baddesley loses direct buses to Winchester but you could extend certain 66 journeys beyond Romsey to compensate for this.
ReplyDeleteFirst 9 has no stretch of road solely served by it, since the Bitterne Hoppa 3 runs along the stretch past Antelope Park (albeit in one direction only).
ReplyDeleteAlong with the 1 to Calmore, I can definitely see the 9 as the next route in Southampton destined for the chop.