The GoAhead Group of bus companies are (I think) last to declare in the race to the new academic year timetables. Now there is an important distinction between what we can see on the summaries, but the devil will be in the detail. This is because neither morebus or Bluestar are suggesting that services will be cut to provide school journeys.
In contrast, a certain swoopy-coloured bus company are quite happy to cancel an hourly bus service, that arrives into the local town at around 8am, and make it school children only…. but that’s a complaint for another day.
morebus
Most of the core morebus routes are to return to their normal ‘pre-COVID’ timetables from 6th September. The few exceptions would be easier to list, so lets make this an easier read for you and an easier type for me:
- Current timetables remain on 16 / 17, 20 , X1, X8.
- N1/N2 the Bournemouth and Poole nightbus services will remain suspended
- 38 – Ferndown to Ringwood will have a revised timetable. All journeys will now serve Heatherlands Estate
- X2 – [I spoke too soon] The 0755 New Milton to Lymington and 1515 Lymington to New Milton buses will become schools only services.
- X6 – Pre-COVID timetable but with changes to some evening journeys.
- RINGO the last round trip will leave Ringwood at 1415
- Breezer 30 will be withdrawn (albeit this is a seasonal service anyway)
- Breezer 50 – Bournemouth to Swanage via the Sandbanks Ferry will have a revised timetable (presumably seasonal)
- Breezer 60 – Rockley Park to Sandbanks via Poole will have a revised timetable
- Breezer 70 – Service will run only on weekends and then withdrawn on 19th September
There are also some stand changes in Poole Bus station:
- 3 – to Corfe Mullen & Wimborne
- 10 – to Lytchett Matravers
- 15 – to University, Castlepoint and Bournemouth Hospital
- Breezer 60 – to Rockley Park and Sandbanks
Bluestar
Buses in Southampton and Winchester are changing a week earlier than they are in Dorset. Unlike morebus though, these are not being marketed as being Pre-COVID timetables, but as service changes.
This is because most Bluestar services went back to a pre-pandemic timetable on Sunday 26 July.
- Bluestar 1 and Bluestar 5 have minor evening changes to facilitate creating schools specials for the new academic year
- Bluestar 2, Bluestar 5, Bluestar 8 have minor changes to morning timetables
- Bluestar 9 has minor changes to evening timetables
- Bluestar 4 has all day changes to timetables
Also of note, as Bluestar don’t actually run it, but morebus do from their Lymington area depot – Bluestar 6 changes on 6th September in line with the morebus services changes.
Remember….
Just because the buses are getting back to normal; reduced capacities, a need for masks (unless exempt) and in some areas Exact Fare Only rules still apply.
If you are find these blog posts helpful then please let me know in the comments below. I have been posting for a month following the lack of posts from SotonBus at his BlogSpot blog. I know I am not going to get the interaction of 250 comments and controversial views like there was there, but we can try.