Coronavirus: Service reductions from Monday 23rd March

The Coronavirus is affecting all areas of our lives, despite the selfish and deluded hopes of those who foolishly crowded into pubs on Friday night, well aware of the reason they were being closed.

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...

Southampton & Eastleigh:

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• Route 19 (Central Station-Thornhill) withdrawn with immediate effect.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.

Bournemouth & Poole:

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.

Portsmouth, Fareham and Havant:

First Portsmouth:

• Saturday service will run on weekdays on all routes from Monday.

Stagecoach:

• School holiday weekday service from Monday on all routes.

Winchester:

Stagecoach:

• School holiday weekday service from Monday on all routes.

Bluestar:

• Enhanced Sunday service on the 1 Mon-Sats from Monday.

Salisbury:

Salisbury Reds:

• School holiday weekday service from Monday on all routes.

Stagecoach:

• School holiday weekday service from Monday on all routes.

First Bath:

• Normal service on route D1.

Weymouth:

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.

Isle of Wight:

Southern Vectis:

• Minor changes, with more to come so check before travelling.

See all upcoming changes across the region at-a-glance here.

We've now joined Facebook, so make sure to like us!

Yellow changes on Sunday / Seasonal routes in Weymouth

This Sunday sees changes to most Yellow Buses routes in and around Bournemouth. See the new timetables here.

One of the biggest changes is a shunning of Poole Bus Station in favour of this new route in the town on the 1:

The first of the summer's seasonal routes start again in March:
First 502/503 Weymouth-Littlesea/Waterside from 13th March

South West Coaches 200 Weymouth-Haven Seaview from 14th March:

Timetables and maps are not yet available for these routes starting on 5th April:
Yellow F1 Christchurch-Ringwood
Yellow 11 Bournemouth-Christchurch


See all upcoming changes across the region at-a-glance here.

We've now joined Facebook, so make sure to like us!

X11 saved, City Red tweaks & Yellows dump Poole Bus Station

The X11 is saved for now. Xelabus have confirmed they will run it until the end of their current contract with Southampton City Council in December 2020. What happens after that is up to the council.

First are amending the daytime frequencies of City Red routes 7 and 11 slightly from tomorrow. They'll still be more or less turn-up-and-go, with the 7 every 10 minutes weekday daytimes and the 11 every 7/8 mins off peak and every 6 mins in the weekday rush hours and every 8 mins Saturday daytimes.

In Bournemouth, Yellow Buses have announced changes to most routes from 23rd February. The full new timetables have not yet been released, but the main change is on the 1, which will no longer serve Poole Bus Station, running instead to the railway station.


See all upcoming changes across the region at-a-glance here.

We've now joined Facebook, so make sure to like us!

What's happening with the X11?

Xelabus have announced that they'll stop running the X11 after 22nd February:

It's currently operated by Xelabus under contract to the City Council. The X12 and Bitterne Hoppa are in the same position, but no mention has been made of their fate. Either way Southampton City Council call the shots, so the X11 will either move to another operator or be withdrawn completely. With just over a month to go, passengers need to know where they stand, especially those in these three areas for which the X11 is their only public transport service:

Lordshill North

Lordswood

Bellemoor and Hill Lane

We'll let you know as soon as there's any news on the fate of public transport in those areas.


See all upcoming changes across the region at-a-glance here.

We've now joined Facebook, so make sure to like us!

Micheldever & New Year changes

See details of our region's New Year buses at the end of this post.

We start in Micheldever village, quite some way from Micheldever railway station. Until now it's public transport has consisted of Mervyn's 95/95A/96/96A running the following timetable to and from Winchester on weekdays only:

Mervyn's final services ran today. Over the years, Hampshire County Council have gradually cut the subsidy to the point that most journeys are currently run commercially, which isn't sustainable for Mervyn's. From Friday, Stagecoach will be running a replacement 95/96 service, which will offer just 2 return journeys on Tuesdays and Fridays only:

As well as the drop from 5 to 2 days a week, the Monday link to Sainsbury's in Kempshott is gone, as are direct buses to Tesco in Winnall. Public transport no longer exists in Popham.

Wheelers 16 to the west of Winchester transfers to Stagecoach also, but there's no change to the timetable for now at least.

Stagecoach 64 had some minor timetable changes on 18th December, to account for the completion of a new bridge in Alton and also to offer better connections with trains.

Stagecoach 67 has a minor change from 6th January. The 0707 weekday service from Alresford to Petersfield is retimed and will no longer serve Warnford.

Minor changes from 5th January also on Stagecoach 37 (Havant-Petersfield), Stagecoach 39 (Havant-Wecock Farm) and Yellow 1a (Bournemouth-New Milton). There are also some fares changes on Stagecoach.



Here's now the region's buses are running over the next few days...


New Year's Eve 31st December 2019:

• Bluestar: Full Saturday service on all routes, except for 6, 35, 36, T3/T4, which will have a weekday service. Extra morning journeys on routes 5, 9 and 12.
• Damory: Normal weekday service.
• First Bath D1: Saturday service.
• First Portsmouth, First Southampton: Saturday service with early finish.
• First Weymouth: Saturday service, except for route 6, which will have a weekday service. Extra late journeys on routes 1, 2, 3, 8 and 10.
• More: Full Saturday service, except for routes X1, X2, X3, X6, X8, 24, 38, 112, 119, 125, 191, 193 and Ringo, which will have a weekday service. Extra morning journeys on routes 5, 8, 9, 13, 14, 16 and 17. Night buses will run.
• Salisbury Reds: Normal weekday service on all routes, except for Activ8, which will have a Saturday service, but no 2105 departure from Andover.
• Southern Vectis: Friday service, complete with night buses.
• Stagecoach Portsmouth: Saturday service with early finish, except for route 38, which will have a weekday service with early finish.
• Stagecoach Winchester: Saturday service with early finish, except for routes 46 and 461, which will have a weekday service.
• Unibus: Saturday service on route U3 only. No service on other routes.
• Unilink: Saturday service with early finish. No night buses.
• Xelabus: Saturday service on routes X4, X9, X10 and X11. Weekday service on routes X6, X7 and X15.
• Yellow Buses: Saturday service with early finish, except for routes 18, 33, 36 and 737, which will have a weekday service with early finish.

New Year's Day 1st January 2020:

• Bluestar: Special timetable on routes 1, 2, 4, 7, 9, 12, 16, 17, 18 and 19 only. No service on other routes.
• More: Sunday service on routes 5, 6, 16, 17 and X3. Special timetable on routes M1, M2, 8, 9 and 13. No service on other routes.
• Salisbury Reds: Sunday service on routes X3 and Activ8. Special timetable on routes R1, R2 and X4. No service on other routes.
• Southern Vectis, Stagecoach: Full Sunday service.
• Unilink: Special timetable on route U1 only. No service on other routes.
• Yellow Buses: Special timetable on routes 1, 1a, 2, 3, 4, 5, 5a and 6 only. No service on other routes.
• Damory, First, Unibus, Xelabus: No service.

Thursday 2nd & Friday 3rd January 2020:

• Bluestar, Damory, More, Salisbury Reds, Southern Vectis, Stagecoach, Unibus, Unilink: Normal weekday service.
• First Bath D1, First Portsmouth, First Southampton: Saturday service.
• First Weymouth: Saturday service, except for routes 4A, 6 and X54, which will have a weekday service.
• Xelabus: Saturday service on routes X4, X9, X10 and X11. Weekday service on all other routes.
• Yellow Buses: Saturday service, except for routes 18, 33, 36 and 737, which will have a weekday service.

Saturday 4th January 2020:
All operators: Normal service resumes.

Christmas & New Year bus services

All of the service amendments are in for the Christmas and New Year period. Here's how our region's buses will be running, day by day..


Monday 23rd December 2019:

• Bluestar: Saturday service on all routes, except for 6, 35, 39, H1/H2, which will have a weekday service. Extra morning journeys on routes 5, 9 and 12.
• Damory, Southern Vectis, Unilink: Normal weekday service.
• First Bath D1, First Portsmouth, First Southampton: Saturday service.
• First Weymouth: Saturday service, except for routes 4A, 6 and X54, which will have a weekday service.
• More: Saturday service, except for routes X1, X2, X3, X6, X8, 24, 38, 119, 125, 191, 193 and Ringo, which will have a weekday service. Extra morning journeys on routes 5, 8, 9, 13, 14, 16 and 17.
• Salisbury Reds: Normal weekday service on all routes, except for Activ8, which will have a Saturday service.
• Stagecoach Portsmouth: Saturday service, except for route 38, which will have a weekday service.
• Stagecoach Winchester: Saturday service, except for routes 6A, 46, 63 and 461, which will have a weekday service.
• Unibus: Vacation weekday service on routes U1 and U3 only. No service on U2 or U4.
• Xelabus: Saturday service on routes X4, X9, X10 and X11. Weekday service on routes X6, X7, X15 and Bitterne Hoppa. Wednesday service on route X17.
• Yellow Buses: Saturday service, except for routes 18, 33, 36 and 737, which will have a weekday service.

Christmas Eve 24th December 2019:

• Bluestar: Full Saturday service on all routes, except for 6, 35, 36, T3/T4, which will have a weekday service. Extra morning journeys on routes 5, 9 and 12.
  
• Damory, Southern Vectis: Normal weekday service.
• First Bath D1: Saturday service.
• First Portsmouth, First Southampton: Saturday service with early finish.
• First Weymouth: Saturday service with early finish, except for routes 4A, 6 and X54, which will have a weekday service with early finish.
• More: Full Saturday service, except for routes X1, X2, X3, X6, X8, 24, 38, 112, 119, 125, 191, 193 and Ringo, which will have a weekday service. Extra morning journeys on routes 5, 8, 9, 13, 14, 16 and 17. No night buses.
• Salisbury Reds: Normal weekday service on all routes, except for Activ8, which will have a Saturday service, but no 2105 departure from Andover.
• Stagecoach Portsmouth: Saturday service with early finish, except for route 38, which will have a weekday service with early finish.
• Stagecoach Winchester: Saturday service with early finish, except for routes 46 and 461, which will have a weekday service.
• Unibus: Vacation weekday service on routes U1 and U3 only. No service on U2 or U4. No night buses.
• Unilink: Weekday service with early finish.
• Xelabus: Saturday service on routes X4, X9, X10 and X11. Weekday service on routes X6, X7, X12 and X15.
• Yellow Buses: Saturday service with early finish, except for routes 18, 33, 36 and 737, which will have a weekday service with early finish.

Christmas Day 25th December 2019:

• Bluestar: Special timetable on routes 1X (Southampton-Eastleigh-WInchester) and 18 (extended to General Hospital and Lordshill) only. No service on other routes.
• More: Special timetable on routes M1 (extended to Royal Bournemouth Hospital) and M2 (extended to Christchurch) only. No service on other routes.
• Southern Vectis: Special timetable on routes 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9 only. No service on other routes.
• Damory, First, Salisbury Reds, Stagecoach, Unibus, Unilink, Xelabus, Yellow Buses: No service.

Boxing Day 26th December 2019:

• Bluestar: Full Sunday service on all routes except for the 6, which won't run.
• First Portsmouth: Special timetable on routes 1, 2, 3, Star 7 and Eclipse E1/E2 only. No service on other routes.
• First Southampton: Special timetable on routes 1, 2, three, 7 and 11 only. No service on other routes.
• First Weymouth: Special timetable on routes 1, 2 and 10 only. No service on other routes.
• More: Sunday service on routes M1, M2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 13, 14, 16, 17, 40, 50, X3 and X8 only. No service on other routes.
• Salisbury Reds: Sunday service on routes X3 and Activ8. Special timetable on routes R1, R2 and X4. No service on other routes.
• Unilink: Special timetable on route U1 only. No service on other routes.
• Yellow Buses: Special timetable on routes 1, 1a, 2, 3, 4, 5, 5a and 6 only. No service on other routes.
• Southern Vectis, Stagecoach: Full Sunday service.
• Damory, First Bath D1, Unibus, Xelabus: No service.

Friday 27th December 2019:

• Bluestar: Saturday service on all routes, except for 6, 35, 39, H1/H2, which will have a weekday service. Extra morning journeys on routes 5, 9 and 12.
• Damory, Southern Vectis: Normal weekday service.
• First Bath D1, First Portsmouth, First Southampton, Unilink: Saturday service.
• First Weymouth: Saturday service, except for routes 4A, 6 and X54, which will have a weekday service.
• More: Saturday service, except for routes X1, X2, X3, X6, X8, 24, 38, 119, 125, 191, 193 and Ringo, which will have a weekday service. Extra morning journeys on routes 5, 8, 9, 13, 14, 16 and 17.
• Salisbury Reds: Normal weekday service on all routes, except for Activ8, which will have a Saturday service.
• Stagecoach Portsmouth: Saturday service, except for route 38, which will have a weekday service.
• Stagecoach Winchester: Saturday service, except for routes 46 and 461, which will have a weekday service.
• Unibus: Saturday service on route U3 only. No service on other routes.
• Xelabus: Saturday service on routes X4, X9, X10 and X11. Weekday service on routes X6, X7 and X15.
• Yellow Buses: Saturday service, except for routes 18, 33, 36 and 737, which will have a weekday service.

Saturday 28th & Sunday 29th December 2019:
All operators: Normal weekend service.


Monday 30th December 2019:

• Bluestar: Saturday service on all routes, except for 6, 35, 39, H1/H2, which will have a weekday service. Extra morning journeys on routes 5, 9 and 12.
• Damory, Southern Vectis: Normal weekday service.
• First Bath D1, First Portsmouth, First Southampton: Saturday service.
• First Weymouth: Saturday service, except for routes 4A, 6 and X54, which will have a weekday service.
• More: Saturday service, except for routes X1, X2, X3, X6, X8, 24, 38, 119, 125, 191, 193 and Ringo, which will have a weekday service. Extra morning journeys on routes 5, 8, 9, 13, 14, 16 and 17.
• Salisbury Reds: Normal weekday service on all routes, except for Activ8, which will have a Saturday service.
• Stagecoach Portsmouth: Saturday service, except for route 38, which will have a weekday service.
• Stagecoach Winchester: Saturday service, except for routes 6A, 46, 63 and 461, which will have a weekday service.
• Unibus: Saturday service on route U3 only. No service on other routes.
• Unilink: Saturday service, but no night buses and no 0030 U1C from the Airport.
• Xelabus: Saturday service on routes X4, X9, X10 and X11. Weekday service on routes X6, X7 and X15. Wednesday service on route X17.
• Yellow Buses: Saturday service, except for routes 18, 33, 36 and 737, which will have a weekday service.

New Year's Eve 31st December 2019:

• Bluestar: Full Saturday service on all routes, except for 6, 35, 36, T3/T4, which will have a weekday service. Extra morning journeys on routes 5, 9 and 12.
• Damory: Normal weekday service.
• First Bath D1: Saturday service.
• First Portsmouth, First Southampton: Saturday service with early finish.
• First Weymouth: Saturday service, except for route 6, which will have a weekday service. Extra late journeys on routes 1, 2, 3, 8 and 10.
• More: Full Saturday service, except for routes X1, X2, X3, X6, X8, 24, 38, 112, 119, 125, 191, 193 and Ringo, which will have a weekday service. Extra morning journeys on routes 5, 8, 9, 13, 14, 16 and 17. Night buses will run.
• Salisbury Reds: Normal weekday service on all routes, except for Activ8, which will have a Saturday service, but no 2105 departure from Andover.
• Southern Vectis: Friday service, complete with night buses.
• Stagecoach Portsmouth: Saturday service with early finish, except for route 38, which will have a weekday service with early finish.
• Stagecoach Winchester: Saturday service with early finish, except for routes 46 and 461, which will have a weekday service.
• Unibus: Saturday service on route U3 only. No service on other routes.
• Unilink: Saturday service with early finish. No night buses.
• Xelabus: Saturday service on routes X4, X9, X10 and X11. Weekday service on routes X6, X7 and X15.
• Yellow Buses: Saturday service with early finish, except for routes 18, 33, 36 and 737, which will have a weekday service with early finish.

New Year's Day 1st January 2020:

• Bluestar: Special timetable on routes 1, 2, 4, 7, 9, 12, 16, 17, 18 and 19 only. No service on other routes.
• More: Sunday service on routes 5, 6, 16, 17 and X3. Special timetable on routes M1, M2, 8, 9 and 13. No service on other routes.
• Salisbury Reds: Sunday service on routes X3 and Activ8. Special timetable on routes R1, R2 and X4. No service on other routes.
• Southern Vectis, Stagecoach: Full Sunday service.
• Unilink: Special timetable on route U1 only. No service on other routes.
• Yellow Buses: Special timetable on routes 1, 1a, 2, 3, 4, 5, 5a and 6 only. No service on other routes.
• Damory, First, Unibus, Xelabus: No service.

Thursday 2nd & Friday 3rd January 2020:

• Bluestar, Damory, More, Salisbury Reds, Southern Vectis, Stagecoach, Unibus, Unilink: Normal weekday service.
• First Bath D1, First Portsmouth, First Southampton: Saturday service.
• First Weymouth: Saturday service, except for routes 4A, 6 and X54, which will have a weekday service.
• Xelabus: Saturday service on routes X4, X9, X10 and X11. Weekday service on all other routes.
• Yellow Buses: Saturday service, except for routes 18, 33, 36 and 737, which will have a weekday service.

Saturday 4th January 2020:
All operators: Normal service resumes.


See all upcoming changes across the region at-a-glance here.

We've now joined Facebook, so make sure to like us!

Election Special: Make it tactical

The general election is next Thursday and this one really will be pivotal for the course our country takes. The result will reverberate for decades. You, your children and your grandchildren will be affected by it.

This blog recommends a tactical vote designed to deny the Conservatives a majority. This will prevent the still existent threat of the economic disaster of a no-deal Brexit, which could still happen at the end of 2020 under the PM's current "deal", which only covers the immediate process of leaving, not of negotiating the necessary trade deals, which will take years, if not decades. On Brexit, Labour's approach is the best one - of negotiating a new deal with close alignment and then letting the people decide whether to leave with that deal or remain in the EU after all.

The Conservatives have become more and more extreme, alienating traditional one nation Tories like Sir Nicholas Soames (Winston Churchill's grandson), Ken Clarke and Michael Heseltine. They've been in power since 2010, in which time we have seen homelessness skyrocket. Disabled people (including people who I know personally) have been subject to humiliating new tests specifically designed to leave them destitute. For those without cars, support for public transport has been cut, leaving more people isolated. We've seen the cuts for ourselves locally and they will continue if we do not get real change.

Then there's the most untrustworthy prime minister we've ever had. Boris Johnson lied during the referendum about £350m a week for the NHS if we voted for Brexit. He lied to the Queen about pro-roguing parliament in the autumn in an attempt to force through a Brexit to which parliament did not consent. He says that the report into Russian interference in our elections has no surprises, but won't let us read it, even though he is linked to several wealthy Russian donors. There's his affair with Jennifer Arcuri, while simultaneously helping her company to get you and me, the taxpayers of the UK, to subsidise it. He is a proven homophobe, racist and islamophobe. Then there is the rule of law: page 48 of the Conservative manifesto makes provision for the rule of law to be abolished if the PM of the day, whether that be Johnson or a successor, sees fit. Having lived in Germany, I've seen first hand evidence of what happens when there is no rule of law and it isn't pretty, especially for minorities. Then there's the dossier on the sale of the NHS to US companies after Brexit.

As much as you may dislike Jeremy Corbyn, you need the NHS and the rule of law more.

We therefore recommend a tactical vote as follows:

Vote Labour in:
Southampton Itchen (Simon Letts)
Southampton Test (Alan Whitehead)
Bournemouth East (Corrie Drew)
Bournemouth West (David Stokes)
Dorset South (Carralyn Parkes)
Fareham (Matthew Randall)
Gosport (Tom Chatwin)
Havant (Rosamund Knight)
New Forest West (Jo Graham)
Poole (Sue Aitkenhead)
Portsmouth North (Amanda Martin)
Portsmouth South (Stephen Morgan)
Salisbury (Tom Corbin)

Vote Green in:
Isle of Wight (Vix Lowthion)

Vote Liberal Democrat in:
Christchurch (Mike Cox)
Dorset Mid & Poole North (Vikki Slade)
Dorset North (David Chadwick)
Dorset West (Edward Morello)
Eastleigh (Lynda Murphy)
Hampshire East (David Buxton)
Meon Valley (Lewis North)
New Forest East (Bob Johnston)
Romsey & Southampton North (Craig Fletcher)
Winchester (Paula Ferguson)

News round-up

Yellow 21 launched last weekend between Christchurch and Bransgore via Somerford and Burton.

From today, First Discover D1 has a new timetable between Salisbury and Bath.

Xelabus have revealed their Christmas service levels. As usual, we'll compile Christmad and New Year service changes across all operators as and when they release details.

And from 17th November, Go South Coast (trading as Bluestar, More, Salisbury Reds, Southern Vectis and Damory) have a round of fare rises.



See all upcoming changes across the region at-a-glance here.