The number of changes to bus services has been remarkedly reduced during this shorter Lockdown 3. We say shorter, until such time as we know better from our Government. First Hampshire have made a few more smaller changes than some of the other companies, but in the grand scheme of things the changes seem to have been made by depot rather than as an operating area.
I do not think, despite the news this week, that these changes are directly as a result of a small COVID outbreak at Hoeford Depot. Although these changes affect mostly Hoeford exclusive services, Hilsea have been sending drivers across to assist this week.
These service changes take effect Sunday (or rather – Monday)
Changes to Gosport Services
Almost all services that go into or out of Gosport are moving to a Saturday timetable. This will run Monday to Saturday, with no changes to the Sunday service.
Service 9 & 9A Fareham – Bridgemary – Rowner – Stoke Road – Gosport
Service 11 Fareham – A32 – Brockhurst – Forton Road – Gosport – Alverstoke
Service E1 & E2 Fareham – BRT – Elson / Anns Hill – Gosport
Service X5 Gosport – Lee-on-Solent – Stubbington – Fareham – Tichfield – Warsash – Southampton
An amended service will also run on Service 20 between Fareham and Knowle. This is a timetable that you really should make sure you check if you use it – the service is irregular and looks largely like it ties into other services such as the 11.
Changes to Portsmouth Services
Services 1 & 3, which largely run as a combined service, will both run to a Saturday service from Monday. This is still a bus ever 12 minutes though, which for a pandemic timetable is actually quite good.
The Sunday service will remain at every 20 minutes.
Service 1 runs Gunwharf – Commercial Road South, Fratton – Eastney – Southsea.
Service 3 runs Southsea – Gunwharf – Commercial Road – North End – Cosham – QA – Portchester – Fareham.
Service X4 will also run a Saturday timetable, making it the same service 7 days a week.
Dekkabus are taking over Simon Gard’s Southbourne Buses from 1 April, including the twice daily S38 service from Ferndown to Ringwood.