tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598231524606257637.post1265538308996723867..comments2023-09-22T10:39:48.785+01:00Comments on Southampton Bus Update: First fares & timetable changes this weekendSotonBushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14300971557135804834noreply@blogger.comBlogger52125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598231524606257637.post-16771428772150219152015-01-29T08:28:09.848+00:002015-01-29T08:28:09.848+00:00Good Morning
I am pleased to read reports that Wh...Good Morning<br /><br />I am pleased to read reports that Wheelers book is attractive. You may be interested to know that PB Bus Marketing, sister to Xelabus designed and printed the guide. We did offer Wheelers bus stop publicity but they declined and wanted to do this themselves.<br /><br />PHILIP BLAIR<br />Managing Director<br />PB Bus Marketing SpecialistsPhil Blairnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598231524606257637.post-34191064617924404782015-01-26T21:14:19.331+00:002015-01-26T21:14:19.331+00:00Problem solved with the W56. It's being taken ...Problem solved with the W56. It's being taken over from 26th February 2015 by Xelabus and renumbered X56-PACAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598231524606257637.post-62225956901003068622015-01-26T14:05:17.707+00:002015-01-26T14:05:17.707+00:00Nice little timetable book issued by Wheeler's...Nice little timetable book issued by Wheeler's but with the noticable absence of the W56 Eastleigh to Hamble-le-Rice. Pity the roadside <br />publicity isn't up to scratch<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598231524606257637.post-84862127689861004142015-01-26T10:53:23.134+00:002015-01-26T10:53:23.134+00:00Take note of revised opening times for the Bluesta...Take note of revised opening times for the Bluestar Travel Shop in Bargate Street as from 2nd February 2015 now shown on their website-PACAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598231524606257637.post-49438101098771720982015-01-23T08:57:59.659+00:002015-01-23T08:57:59.659+00:00Yes-It's a pleasure to see the old A now the S...Yes-It's a pleasure to see the old A now the S1 running well with decent buses on it and with the same livery instead of the horendous state it was in laterly with Velvet-I'm also delighted to note that on the twitter site Xelabus take no nonsense with students who have a complaint,which is fair enough,but decide to post it with foul language-I'm sure they are upset when things go wrong,but there is a correct way to send a message to Xelabus or any other operator and some of the postings I have seen sent to them are a disgrace-Well done in the way these are handled-PACAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598231524606257637.post-63932817846458379822015-01-22T09:39:03.920+00:002015-01-22T09:39:03.920+00:00Good news! Both the old A and S1 feel like areas c...Good news! Both the old A and S1 feel like areas crying out for a decent stable bus route. Bring that to them and show people you actually want to serve them (£10 ticket a great start) and I'm sure numbers will continue to grow.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598231524606257637.post-51195967035905762982015-01-21T22:37:15.678+00:002015-01-21T22:37:15.678+00:00I`m not surprised,it`s a great deal!Keep up the go...I`m not surprised,it`s a great deal!Keep up the good work,Mr.Blair!CliveAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598231524606257637.post-46580023110946231632015-01-21T21:21:58.279+00:002015-01-21T21:21:58.279+00:00Anon 21 Jan@06.50-You can always pop in to the Blu...Anon 21 Jan@06.50-You can always pop in to the Bluestar shop at the bargate and i`m sure helpfull Jeff will assist you and pass your concerns to management.I`m not defending either company,both need to improve their customer service !That`s First and Bluestar!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598231524606257637.post-41783704386669978082015-01-21T20:55:27.749+00:002015-01-21T20:55:27.749+00:00To the fact that Bluestar fares are more expensive...To the fact that Bluestar fares are more expensive outside of Southampton, even before buses were privatised this was always the case, and even if you use First outside of Southampton you will note the fares are higher-Even when for a short period First and Blustar were in competition on the Waterside nothing much happened fare wise in a reduction to fares not that I noted-In Hedge End area for an example there are four operators,but I note as yet no fare war between them, apart from the S1 which has a low local fare within Hedge End which could hardly be called a fare war-Even with Xelabus introducing a £10 weekly ticket as of this week on the S1 I don't notice Bluestar for the moment introducing any reductions on their 3 which is not surprising as it just about at present holds its ownAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598231524606257637.post-78171253858171291682015-01-21T13:30:44.065+00:002015-01-21T13:30:44.065+00:00Anon at 21.12 on 20 January actually gets replies ...Anon at 21.12 on 20 January actually gets replies (even if they are crap) from First, does he? Remarkable. I have used their website comments box on several occasions in the last year or so. Apart for the "autoresponder" which mentions a considered reply in about two weeks, I have never had any reply from them. I've given up, and I, for one, would happily use an alternative service if there was one on their 6 routeAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598231524606257637.post-48700537846185946162015-01-21T13:22:31.381+00:002015-01-21T13:22:31.381+00:00I am pleased to report that its day 3 of the offer...I am pleased to report that its day 3 of the offer being available for £10 weekly tickets from anywhere on Route S1 and I am delighted to report that they are selling well. Confidence is returning to the S1 in particular and passenger numbers have remained steady for first week but now climbing day by day. We are finding new customers are waiting for our bus and already some really nice comments sent to us about the routes now operating with at least the same coloured bus! Our next phase starts on 9th February with the re-numbering. A new leaflet out early February.<br /><br />PHILIP BLAIR<br />Managing Director<br />Xelabus LimitedPhil Blairnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598231524606257637.post-9987492276171738692015-01-21T09:20:17.145+00:002015-01-21T09:20:17.145+00:00Unfortunately buses don't just magically appea...Unfortunately buses don't just magically appear to meet demand. Bus company management have to spot an opportunity, and then decide whether to take advantage of it or not. If they don't, someone else might decide to give it a go, or else no-one will and nothing will happen.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598231524606257637.post-66053717064563621962015-01-21T08:46:13.944+00:002015-01-21T08:46:13.944+00:00First do indeed communicate on the social media w...First do indeed communicate on the social media with their customers which I thank them for-However some replies given by them to their customers are just plainly dreadful and do nothing to improve their image-You get the impression in reading some replies, it's a question of like it or lump it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598231524606257637.post-61269687425031659092015-01-21T08:24:37.323+00:002015-01-21T08:24:37.323+00:00And blue star customers need an explanation on why...And blue star customers need an explanation on why fares are so expensive when you leave the city. Wouldn't be anything to do with no competition would it. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598231524606257637.post-75605469879983201822015-01-21T06:50:01.477+00:002015-01-21T06:50:01.477+00:00At least you get a reply. You don't even get t...At least you get a reply. You don't even get the opportunity with blue line. Very poor. Especially considering the DfT has paid for the entire fleet to be fitted with wifi for the customer. Poor judgement Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598231524606257637.post-55124263185157952812015-01-20T22:36:14.998+00:002015-01-20T22:36:14.998+00:00Anyone who complains on First`s Facebook page is u...Anyone who complains on First`s Facebook page is usually asked to report the details through a link,so is that much different from Bluestar asking people to e-mail the managersmailbox?I think not!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598231524606257637.post-74412354673623383492015-01-20T22:31:08.467+00:002015-01-20T22:31:08.467+00:00How do they know unless they try?How do they know unless they try?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598231524606257637.post-86537460115683709622015-01-20T21:12:50.930+00:002015-01-20T21:12:50.930+00:00Giving crap replies as well!Someone complained abo...Giving crap replies as well!Someone complained about to First about having to pay extra on Route 6,the reply was just that they had changed the boundaries.Why?is it to fleece the poor First customer even more?There was no explanation as to why it was changed,dont First customers deserve an explanation then?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598231524606257637.post-84823497614367563652015-01-20T19:56:18.490+00:002015-01-20T19:56:18.490+00:00If there is sufficient demand then I'm sure bu...If there is sufficient demand then I'm sure buses would be running direct between districts. Haven't seen any ?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598231524606257637.post-70369154092558952332015-01-20T18:30:47.184+00:002015-01-20T18:30:47.184+00:00At First allows their customers to communicate wi...At First allows their customers to communicate with them on socia media in an open way. Can't really say that for other operators in the City !Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598231524606257637.post-86003472910062810442015-01-20T18:19:54.801+00:002015-01-20T18:19:54.801+00:00Hedge End is also similarly disadvantaged by the S...Hedge End is also similarly disadvantaged by the Solent Go ticket, being outside the City boundary with a higher flat fare. It seems that no-one really liked the place.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598231524606257637.post-32631036998458465882015-01-20T17:07:40.010+00:002015-01-20T17:07:40.010+00:00I have to smile sometimes-First have just revised ...I have to smile sometimes-First have just revised their fares as I'm sure most are aware-Although it's not much of a change in the Southampton area,the 6 and 8 route go outside of Southampton to Hamble-Le-Rice or Hedge End(Part of for most of the day) and this is where it's hit most in the change to the day ticket validity,where you now have to buy a First Hampshire day tiket instead of being able before to buy a First Southampton day rider-This has upset looking at their website today many customers because the First Hampshire ticket is considerably higher in cost-So on the 17th January 2015 they get this thrown at them, then the next day a timetable change on the 18th January 2015 for the 6 and 8 reducing the services even further in frequency on Sundays in the main, although with the 6 this is due to HCC cuts-There is nothing like promoting bus travel is there in difficult times.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598231524606257637.post-57915796382629444962015-01-19T23:39:06.260+00:002015-01-19T23:39:06.260+00:00And of course there are new developments of housin...And of course there are new developments of housing/shopping etc which change the need for direct services. These are not always taken into account!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598231524606257637.post-16456605030055199252015-01-19T14:46:01.985+00:002015-01-19T14:46:01.985+00:00Indeed, the lack of a direct service merely proves...Indeed, the lack of a direct service merely proves that no-one has identified an opportunity to provide one, not that no demand exists at all. Given that the three suburbs mentioned earlier are linked to together by A-roads through the centre of a large city suggest that the demand is there. The challenge is to profit from servicing it in a way that potential customers would find convenient.Anonybusnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598231524606257637.post-23497033922164861962015-01-19T09:26:32.668+00:002015-01-19T09:26:32.668+00:00I would not imagine in Southampton you would get m...I would not imagine in Southampton you would get much return as a shareholder what with First and Bluestar battleing it out on Millbrook and Townhill Park and forever giving discounts on fares to out do each other, to the detroment of people in other areas of the City-The statement that as there is no direct service anymore between certain points because of little demand is nonsense, because between certain points when it was there it was well used,although I accept between certain other points it was not well used-There is nothing the public hate more than forever changing bus to get from a to b, although here again you can't connect every point up with a direct service-Although you and I realise that since 1985 things have changed and it has to be run commercially,you will never get the large majority of the public to accept this as they see transport as a public service, and not a business, just a way of getting aboutAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com