Summer: Unilink diversions, New Forest Tour, First/Citybus memories

Unilink's Highfield Interchange has closed for the summer, meaning diversions and special timetables on all of their routes. The U2 (City Centre-Bassett Green) switches to its less frequent vacation timetable on Sunday 20th June. Night bus U1N (Leisure World-Airport) has already stopped running for the summer. They'll be back to normal from Monday 20th September.

Bluestar's New Forest Tour starts again on Saturday 19th June, running every day until Sunday 12th September inclusive. Times and fares information can be found here. It links Brockenhurst train station and Lyndhurst with Lymington, Beaulieu, the National Motor Museum and Exbury Gardens. If you use Wilts & Dorset routes 56/56A (City Centre-Lymington) or 112 (Hythe-Lymington) to get to the forest, buy your Tour ticket from the driver and your connection is free.

Bluestar 9 (City Centre-Waterside) will be diverted between Applemore and Dibden Purlieu for about a week from Wednesday 23rd June.

First are moving out of their depot in Portswood soon and are looking for your memories of the buses and trams that used to be based there.

First 26, 72, 80 changes on 6th June

First are changing some of their Fareham and Gosport routes on Sunday 6th June. Here's a summary of the ones that affect us:
26 (Hedge End-Fareham): Minor timetable changes.
72 (City Centre-Gosport): Minor timetable changes. Inbound journeys now run via Queensway instead of High Street.
80 (City Centre-Fareham): Most times changed. Extended to Central Station. Fewer buses on Sundays, starting later and ending earlier.

Bluestar S1 launch / Swanmore diversions

Bluestar have launched a new route today, funded by Southampton City Council (hence the lack of prior publicity). The S1 runs from Shirley to Lordshill via the General Hospital and Lordswood every hour Mon-Sat daytime off-peak only. That's 6 buses a day each way. Details here. Use it while it lasts, because being funded by the council, it could well disappear at any time without warning.

Stagecoach 69 (Winchester-Fareham) is unable to serve Swanmore tomorrow (Tuesday 27th April) due to roadworks in Waltham Chase. Looking at the map suggests that Brijan Tours 8 (Eastleigh-Bishops Waltham) and 17 (Bishops Waltham-Petersfield) might be affected too. Check with them before travelling.

There are forthcoming timetable changes on First 72 (City Centre-Gosport) and 80 (City Centre-Fareham) on 6th June and Unilink U1N (Leisure World-Airport) on 18th June.

New Forest changes / Diversions at Stag Gates, Swaythling & Wrights Hill

There are changes to several New Forest bus services from Sunday 18th April:
W&D 35 (City Centre-Ringwood) is withdrawn. Passengers for Ringwood can use Dorset Sprinter X5 from Southampton or a new Taxishare service from Lyndhurst.
W&D 56/56A (City Centre-Lymington) has a minor timetable change. The 1520 Saturday journey from Lymington will now run at 1527.
W&D 112 (Hythe-Lymington) has a new timetable. Most journeys are retimed, although the 1615 weekday service from Lymington is cancelled. The last weekday bus from Hythe to Lymington will run later at 1803.
W&D X12 (Lymington-Bournemouth) is renumbered X1 and X2 to make it easier to understand which route will be used. New timetable here.

Diversions in Swaythling to Unilink U1 (Dock gate 4-Airport) and Bluestar 14 (City Centre-Bitterne) until Saturday.

No right turn from The Avenue into Lodge Road means diversions to First 7 (City Centre-Bassett Green) for a week from today. It will also affect Bluestar 2 (City Centre-Fair Oak) but they're not currently mentioning it on their website or Facebook page.

There are still diversions in the evening to First 72 (City Centre-Gosport) and 80 (City Centre-Fareham) between Wrights Hill and Lowford. They should be back to normal on Friday.

Bluestar's New Forest Tour gets going for the summer season on 19th June. Full details to follow.

More regular X7 / Diversions in Swaythling & North Baddesley

Following their timetable changes on 21st March, W&D X7 (City Centre-Salisbury) is now more regular and the 34 (Eastleigh/Romsey-Salisbury) has some timing changes.

Wessex Lane in Swaythling is closed northbound until Monday 19th April. Bluestar 14 (City Centre-Bitterne) and Unilink U1 (Dock Gate 4-Airport) are diverting.

Rownhams Road in North Baddesley is partially closed until Friday 9th April. Stagecoach 46 (City Centre-Winchester) is on diversion. W&D 34/65 (Eastleigh-Romsey/Salisbury) are affected too.

Unilink U2 (City Centre-Bassett Green) is running to its vacation timetable (ie reduced service) until Saturday 17th April.

The St Cross diversion to Bluestar 1 (City Centre-Winchester) and E (Eastleigh-Winchester, including Velvet E2 on Sundays) and Stagecoach 69 (Winchester-Fareham) ends this weekend. Normal routes resume from Thursday 1st April on Stagecoach and Tuesday 6th April on Bluestar.

Dorset Sprinter X5 (City Centre-Ringwood) gets a new timetable on Monday 19th April. Through journeys beyond Ringwood to Bournemouth are withdrawn, as are the recently introduced later journeys on Saturdays.

There's some kind of change on First 11A/11C/12A/12C (City Centre-Sholing) from Sunday 2nd May. More details to follow.

Harefield diversion / New W&D timetables not yet out

Wilts & Dorset have new timetables on routes 34 (Romsey-Salisbury) and X7/X71 (City Centre-Salisbury) from Sunday 21st March. But they haven't made them available yet.

First 9/9A/9B (City Centre-Hightown) are currently diverted in Harefield due to resurfacing.

Bluestar, Unilink and Velvet have all advised that they'll be running a Sunday service on Good Friday and Easter Monday.

Dorset Sprinter X5 (City Centre-Ringwood) gets a new timetable on Monday 19th April and Bluestar 12 (City Centre-Calmore) has a slight timetable change on Thursday 22nd April. Details to follow.

Bluestar & Velvet new timetables / Co-operation in Hedge End

New timetables start tomorrow on many Bluestar and Velvet routes. Both companies will be co-operating in Hedge End and Botley with Bluestar 3 (City Centre-Botley) and Velvet A (Eastleigh-Boorley Green) accepting each other's return tickets and offering a co-ordinated timetable between Hedge End Superstores and Botley. Bluestar are also introducing an easy access guarantee on most routes, offering a free day ticket as compensation if you have to travel on a bus that isn't fully accessible to all.

Here's a quick summary of the changes happening tomorrow:

Bluestar 2 (City Centre-Fair Oak): Minor changes to some morning journeys.
Bluestar 3 (City Centre-Botley): Cut from half-hourly to hourly Mon-Sat daytimes. Fewer rush hour buses.
Bluestar 8 (City Centre-Hythe): Timings changed to offer a better combined frequency with Bluestar 10, 11 and 12 between Totton and the City Centre.
Bluestar 9 (City Centre-Waterside): New Sunday timetable with daytime frequency doubled to 2 an hour.
Velvet A (Eastleigh-Boorley Green): Weekday daytime timings changed.
Velvet C (Eastleigh-Hiltingbury): New timetables with minor changes to some journeys.
Bluestar F (Eastleigh-Bishops Waltham): Journeys to Marwell Zoo withdrawn. Weekday afternoon 1512 from Swanmore now terminates at Durley instead of continuing to Eastleigh. 0825 Saturday morning journey from Stoke Common to Eastleigh withdrawn.

From Monday 22nd February, Portsmouth Road around Wrights Hill and Sholing will be partially closed overnight from 2000-0600 for around 5 weeks meaning diversions to First 10/10A, 16/16A, 72 and 80. Should end 29th March.

On the weekend of 13th & 14th March, Passfield Road in Eastleigh will be partially closed. Velvet A (Eastleigh-Boorley Green) will be diverting via Derby Road and Southampton Road instead of serving Fleming Park.

Velvet C temporary timetable / Brockenhurst diversion next week

Velvet A (Eastleigh-Boorley Green) is no longer on diversion in Eastleigh, but don't forget that the C (Eastleigh-Hiltingbury) is running a temporary timetable until 19th Feb due to the closure of Leigh Road.

Wilts & Dorset 56 & 56A (City Centre-Lymington) will be diverted in Brockenhurst for a week from Monday 15th February. It's due to work being carried out on the railway bridge. Details of the diversion here.

Staying with W&D, there will be timetable and route changes to the 34 (Romsey-Salisbury) and X7/X71 (City Centre-Salisbury) from 21st March. Details to follow.