Rockin’ around, South Parade
In a yellow E400
Mistletoe hung on the drivers mirror
Every passenger refuses to stop
Yes, it was one more time to butcher a Christmas track as Stagecoach have joined the party and offered a Christmas service update. Thanks as always to Andrew Gilmour who tipped me off, I did look on the various service update pages for the inevitable appearance, but it’s right at the bottom of Promo’s and Offers instead.
You can find the official news release here. I know, the day I stop complaining about the navigation of the Stagecoach Bus website will be about two days before a new design appears.
So in typical fashion, as I look through the weeks arrangements, let’s get all our masks out and give them a really good wash ready for those Christmas parties, and order those lateral flow tests.
As a side note to myself as well…. I need more pictures of Stagecoach Bus that are up-to-date.
Christmas Week
Stagecoach are running their normal weekday (non-schoolday, or course) services up until Friday 24th December.
Christmas Eve
Stagecoach are largely running a Saturday service on Christmas Eve. Where there are services that only run on Fridays, not Saturdays, they will be running to their Friday timetable. This is usually infrequent or contracted services.
Across all areas, services will be running down in the mid evening, so where a late night service is provided then check below for your last buses:
Andover
Friday service runs on routes 5 (for Thruxton) , 7 & 7a (to Newbury), 66 (to Romsey) and 67 (to Petersfield)
The 2105 Andover to Amesbury Activ8 will not run (all Salisbury Red journeys will run)
Last service 1 to King Arthur Way leaves at 20:35
Last service P20 to Picket Piece leaves at 21:10
Last service 76 from Andover is 19:50 (& return from Basingstoke at 20:50)
Basingstoke
Friday service runs on route 16 for Dummer and Steventon
SPECIAL service runs between Whitehill and Haslemere on route 13
Last services – unless stated – do the whole round trip returning to the town centre.
Service 1 to Brighton Hill – 20:30
Service 2 from Basingstoke 20:30 – from Baughurst 20:58
Service 3 to South Ham – 20:55
Service 5 to West Popley – 20:45
Service 6 will depart to both Winklebury and East Popley at 20:40 – both buses will return to the bus station and terminate
Service 7 to Chineham – 20:05
Service 8 to Kempshott and Hatch Warren – 20:40
Service 11 to Oakley – 20:20
Service 20 to Vyne Park (only – does not return) 21:15
Service 76 from Andover 19:50 – from Basingstoke 20:50
Winchester
Friday service runs on route 46 & 461 to North Baddesley and 63 to Oswlebury
Last service 1 to Stanmore – 20:40
Last service 3 to Harestock – 20:10
Last service 5 to Badger Farm – 20:35
Last Spring to Springvale – 20:35
Last service 64 from Winchester 19:20 from Alton 20:15
Last service 66 from Winchester 20:10 from Romsey 20:53
Last service 69 from Winchester 18:25 (to Bishops Waltham only) from Fareham 18:45
Portsmouth
Friday service will run on the Hoverbus
A revised non-schoolday service will run on service 38 (let’s just call is special service….)
Last service 21 from Portsmouth is 20:37 – from Havant 20:00
Last service 23 from Southsea is 20:30 – from Leigh Park 19:55
Last round trip for Hayling Island is the 20:00 service 31
Last service 39 from Havant is 20:05 – from Wecock Farm 20:50
Last Hoverbus from Clarance Pier 19:26 (to Portsmouth City Centre only)
Christmas Day (Saturday)
There is no Christmas Day service on Stagecoach as per usual.
Boxing Day (Sunday)
It is a bit of a mixed bag on Stagecoach South this year and there is a substantial reduced service compared to 2020 where a Sunday service ran across most, if not all of the area. This year though, either there is a concern that no-one is going to be out and about, the number of drivers will not match any service proposal, or someone deep within Stagecoach has more information about a future lockdown than they are letting on.
There is no service running in Andover, Basingstoke or Winchester.
There is a Sunday service running across most of Portsmouth, Havant and Waterlooville; except no service on the Hoverbus or the 700(?).
Now – you might think that this sounds a little strange to not run the 700. The thing here I think, is that the 700 is a shared service largely run out of Chichester Depot, where there are no services running on Boxing Day.
Monday 27th & Tuesday 28th December
Sunday services will run on all routes across our Stagecoach South depots.
Wednesday 29th, Thursday 30th and New Years Eve
The same Saturday and Weekday split of services can be found as on Christmas Eve above.
This means that there are a few extra services to talk about:
Andover
Weekday services: 5, 7 & 7a, 66, 67
On Thursday 30th – Andover Cango services C3 to C8 will run a Thursday Timetable
Basingstoke
Special service: Whitehill to Haslemere on service 13
Service 16 to Dummer and Steventon runs on Wednesday and New Years Eve
Service 22 to Baughurst runs on Thursday
Winchester
Weekday services: 46 & 461
Service 95 to East Stratton runs on Wednesday
Service 240 between Ropley and Alresford runs on Thursday
Service 63 runs on Friday
Portsmouth
Weekday services: Hoverbus
“Special” service – revised non-schoolday service 38
This also means that on New Years Eve the same early finish affects the service with the same last buses running as they did on Christmas Eve above.
New Years Day
There is no service any across the Stagecoach South depots in our area with one exception.
The Hoverbus will be running a Sunday service, except it will start running an hour later than usual.
Sunday 2nd January & Monday 3rd January
A full Sunday service runs on across Stagecoach South.
Tuesday 4th January
Normal service resumes.