Most single fares capped at £2 until end of March

Most single fares are being capped at £2 between 1st January and 31st March 2023, as part of a government-funded scheme. So far in our region, Go South Coast (trading as Bluestar, More, Salisbury Reds, Southern Vectis, Unilink and Unibus) and Stagecoach have confirmed their participation in the scheme. First have now also confirmed their participation. Xelabus are not taking part. There are exceptions, such as school and college routes, but the scheme means that some pretty long journeys can be made for just £2 each way.

Stagecoach has new timetables on routes 21 and 23 in Portsmouth from 3rd January, with earlier buses on weekdays and later buses on Friday and Saturday nights.

Christmas & New Year service levels:

• Bluestar
• First City Red
• First Solent
• First Wessex
• More
• Salisbury Reds
• Southern Vectis
• Stagecoach Portsmouth
• Stagecoach Winchester
• Unibus
• Unilink
• Xelabus

Bluestar unveil City Red replacement routes

Bluestar have unveiled the six new routes they will be introducing to replace First City Red, which closes down in February. Timetables are not yet available, but they have given an indication of expected service levels on the new routes, which will launch on 19th February 2023:

Unsurprisingly, there is no replacement for City Red 1 or 2. Bluestar 12 already goes to Calmore, Bluestar 17 to Weston and Bluestar 18 to Millbrook, so everyone on those routes is already covered.

City Red 3 is replaced by Bluestar 19, which will run every 20 minutes weekday daytimes, down from every 10 minutes currently on the 3. There is also a slight route change: Warren Avenue is already served by Bluestar 17, so the 19 will go via Maybush Corner:

City Red 6 to Hamble is replaced more or less like for like by Bluestar 15.

City Red 7 to Townhill Park via Portswood is replaced by Bluestar 20 at about the same frequency.

City Red 8 to Hedge End becomes Bluestar 14 and the recent extension to the General Hospital is cut. Passengers for the General will need to change in the city centre to routes 17 or 19.

City Red 9 to Sholing via Peartree becomes Bluestar 10. 

City Red 13 to Harefield via Merry Oak becomes Bluestar 13 and the weekday daytime frequency will double from once to twice an hour.

In other news...

• Stagecoach will have Santa driving on many of their routes in and around Winchester in the run up to Christmas. Find out when to catch him on your local route here. He'll even be making it out as far as Eastleigh on the E1/E2, Romsey on the 66 and Fareham on the 69.
• Salisbury Reds are running special service 333 to Stonehenge for the Winter Solstice.
• Xelabus have a couple of changes from 3rd January. The X4 is being split in two at Eastleigh, with separate service X4A taking over the Velmore section. The X21 Chilworth service is cut from three return journeys each weekday to two.
• First Wessex launches new routes 9/9A between Weymouth and Wyke Regis from Monday 9th January 2023.

Christmas & New Year service levels:

• Bluestar
• First City Red
• First Solent
• First Wessex
• More
• Salisbury Reds
• Southern Vectis
• Stagecoach Portsmouth
• Stagecoach Winchester
• Unibus
• Unilink
• Xelabus