Yellow Buses are yet again, the first of the companies to improve it’s buses services at the end of the month, following funding from Bournemouth and Poole Council, and the Government. We could say that they were the first Solent Bus Update of the next round, but that would probably get a jeer. So without further ado, what are they?
Service 1a – Timetable Increases
Monday to Fridays, the New Milton to Somerford section of the route will run Every 30 Minutes, instead of Every 60 Minutes. This also means that the last journey from Bournemouth will be at the later time of 1742.
There are no further changes to the timetable.
Service 1b – Route and Timetable
Services will extend to run to and from Bournemouth Square rather than Westover Road.
Weekday services run at a slightly different timetable until mid-afternoon and then a revised timetable until the close of service at 1843 (from Bournemouth) or new later journeys until 1902 (from Tuckton Bridge.
Saturday and Sundays run to a new (and same on both days) timetable which is extended back to to Somerford and now runs hourly.
Service 2 – Timetable Increases
Service 2 will now run 2 of the 4 buses per hour through to the Castlepoint to Bearwood section of the route Monday to Saturday.
Sundays remain as they are now.
Service 4a – Route Extension
The new and faster route 4a between Bournemouth and Moordown is extended to Kinson and Bear Cross. The bus continues to run every 30 minutes via Richmond Hill.
Service 5/5a – Timetable Increases
Weekdays, each route through Ensbury Park will see a bus Every 15 Minutes, instead of Every 20 Minutes.
Weekend timetables are unchanged
Service 6 – Route Extension
The current hourly “full service” that runs out to Bearwood and Wimborne (rather than the shorter run to Wallisdown) will now see a weekday daytime extension.
Between 0920 and 1320, these buses will continue to Leigh Park and Canford Bottom to provide a shopper service in the area. Upon arriving back at Wimborne these appear to wait time (quite rightly the driver needs a break after two hours solid driving) for 10 minutes before returning to Bournemouth.
In the evenings, there are more journeys between Bournemouth and Wimborne so you can enjoy the nightlife.
Covid-Special 6h – Service Reduction
This special service for key workers is slowly becoming redundant with increases across the network and that means that Yellow Buses continue to reduce the timetable.
The Saturday service is entirely withdrawn and the weekday service will now run a timetable aimed at hospital staff shifts and a few shoppers trips.
It should be noted that most of the route between Bearwood and the Hospital is covered by the enhanced 2 and the Bearwood to Wimborne section of the 6.
Service 21 – Extra journeys
An extra journey for workers will run from Burton to Christchurch in the morning and return in the evening.
Nearly Back to Normal
In a large part of Yellow Buses, it feels like the timetables are returning back to the pre-COVID timetables just in time for the second lockdown. You can view the full announcement on the Yellow Buses website, which also includes the draft timetables.
That must make most of Bournemouth feel like there is a safe and reliable public transport network again….
…. well, except the Bournemouth University services, but it’s not quite term-time yet …