All operators will be running a Sunday service this coming Bank Holiday Monday 19th September, for the Queen's funeral. Go South Coast will also be pausing services across all their brands (Bluestar, More, Salisbury Reds, Southern Vectis, Unilink and Unibus) between 10am and 1pm so that their drivers have a chance to watch the funeral.
Other changes on the way:
First City Red 7 got a new timetable last Sunday to try and address reliability issues, partly caused by roadworks in St Denys.
First City Red 8 extends to the General Hospital from 30th October. We'll find out how often as soon as the timetable is released. On the same day, the 9 is withdrawn, surrendering most of Sholing to Bluestar 7, and there are new timetables on routes 3 and 13, which is rumoured to be dumping Peartree for Merry Oak.
Unilink has new timetables on all routes and a slight route change on the U2B in Glen Eyre from Sunday 25th September.
More introduce changes to many routes from Monday 19th September. Route 11 is withdrawn and replaced by a diverted X6.
First Wessex has new timetables from 18th September on routes 1, 2, 10 and X54. The X52 is withdrawn for the winter. Changes also on the 8, X51 and X53 from 9th October.
First Solent have changes to routes F1, F2, X4, X5, 7 and 8 from 16th October. The F3 is withdrawn.
Southern Vectis have registered changes to most services from 2nd October. Details on those as we get them.
The southern Vectis changes can be viewed on the onthe wight.com site and are fairly minor/seasonal changes,except that the 1 will once again serve the Red Jet Terminal at West Cowes.
ReplyDeleteThe 1 won't serve the Red Jet terminal as it is run using double deckers - they won't fit under the entrance arch!
ReplyDeleteMaybe, just maybe, they are stopping using double deckers!
DeleteThis shock horror comment was brought to you by Join The Dots.
I’ve noticed quite a few single decker Scanias being used on route 9 between Newport and Ryde. Think those were the ones that were originally with Uni-Link in Southampton.
DeleteI think the double deckers were brought in during the pandemic,to assist with social distancing-something that would have been difficult on the single deckers,given that the route has busy spells when the Red Jet has arrived.
DeleteAnon at 20:43 is exactly right.
DeleteThe 1 is definitely not serving the pontoon again - SV have no vehicles that will fit on there anymore.
DeleteSouthern Vectis have announced the changes on their site today and they are minor timetable changes.
DeleteWondering if Hampshire County Council are actually going to remove all the signs attached to bus stops (Such as in Totton),about the early Covid bus rules-which obviously haven`t applied for ages now.
ReplyDeleteSimon Gard has posted that he needs to employ a new driver as soon as possible due to his detirating health which is effectly his ability to walk propelly and soon effecting his ability to drive buses, he states that I he doesn't get new staff into work he will have to close down Southampton Minilink
ReplyDeleteSo, unexpected reason for the latest in a long line of failures.
DeleteNo failure our business continues to trade well in the Southampton area. However I have had some health issues return that made me take a step back a couple of years ago. We are trying to recruit additional staff but as at all operators we are currently affected by the national shortage of labour. With me needing to attend frequent hospital appointments its not practical for me to be there daily so we are trying to recruit a Supervisor to cover when I am absent. We have had a good response and interviews will be held shortly.
DeleteUnfortunately service C has not met our performance targets and despite significant interest prior to the service starting customer numbers to make the service financially viable to operate have failed to materialise. Therefore we have had to make the difficult decision to withdraw this service from 25th November 2022. Hampshire County Council have been notified and hopefully some form of demand responsive transport better suited to the loadings will be available for affected passengers.
Simon Gard
Operations Manager
Southampton Mini Link
Will the 13A be here to stay
DeleteIf it`s not the lack of drivers,it`s a problem with the bus-time Bluestar ran a reliable bus service for a change.
ReplyDeleteHad BS17 and a BS18 fail to show up earlier this evening and had to play "Guess the bus number" today,as a Bluestar bus showed up with nothing on the route and destination screen and no sign on the windscreen either to state the number -turned out to be a BS3.
DeleteYet again several Bluestar 18s from Thornhill to Millbrook not running again tonight and a 69 plate double decker only just been put on the 18
DeleteLots of journies on the 17 and 18 missed again today surely the traffic commisoners will do something about this?
DeleteReece-I doubt it as they seem to be a waste of space.
DeleteIn Ireland bus companies receive heavy fines if they constantly have cancelled bus journies
DeleteBluestar always seem to miss out the 18 @18.42(Was 18.31)from Bitterne to City on a Sunday night.I have lost count of the number of times it has been cancelled and nothing changes.
DeleteI`ve also used the 11 to Totton a few times lately and that is very unreliable-even the bus stops have said the bus was due and then it fails to show up.
DeleteWhen they miss out consecutive journies and someone like me complaines I constantly get ignored same with anyone else who does this.
DeleteHence they don`t give a stuff about some outside body.What i don`t understand is why they increased the frequency of the 18 in the early evenings-when it`s clear they can`t seem to provide the timetabled service.
DeleteEven their staff cannot understand why they increased the frequency of the 11,12 and 18, when it was patently clear that they could not recruit the drivers. The manager should go, as he does not live in the real world.
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