UPDATED Saturday 5th February:
Simon Gard, Operations Manager of Southampton Mini Link advises on Facebook that the Marwell (Not Zoo) service has been withdrawn because a competing operator has now registered to run the service on a commercial rather than subsidised service.
He also advises that there is a new location close to Southampton being planned for a depot, and that the Ringwood service is unlikely to resume until at least September due to the vehicle use on schools journeys.
Now, call me a sceptic, but I think someone is wandering around Eastleigh at the moment thinking “How can I really top April Fools Day in February?” I know, I know, I post stories on here in great faith; but I think we can suddenly see the quickest cancellation in bus service history. The service did not even run and I doubt was even registered with the Traffic Commissioner.
It all started when a young chap, who bless him has fallen for some crazy ideas about what bus operators are doing. He started hinting in a number of places that Southampton’s newest bus operator Southampton Mini Link (or as all the minibuses are sold…. Southampton Midi Link?) were about to launch their new Marwell Bus Service from Southampton and Eastleigh to the Marwell Zoo Wildlife Park just outside of Winchester.
Eh? What Marwell Service?
Well this is it! We told you not a week ago that Southampton Mini Link were going to be running a service to Marwell. Even our friend over at the long standing (and serving you since 2009) Southampton Bus Update later followed our lead and published a bit about how the service was being advertised.
You can clearly see – neither of us were telling any fibs. The Timetable is still published on the Southampton Mini Link server if you click the image above.
When we first ‘went to press‘ about the M1, Simon Gard, owner / Sole Trader of Southampton Mini Link offered comment on our Facebook Page:
Now, I did also say that the Marwell M1 service was being advertised on the page that previously was being used to advertised the currently temporarily suspended service 5 between Southampton and Ringwood. So why do we now have this?
I have not heard of any First City Red cancellations?
The new service 14, which appears to be replacing the M1, which appears to be replacing the 5; is now scheduled to start a weekday service from the Monday after April Fools Day. The route seems to be similar, but not utterly 13a-esque. The timetable is now available on the website and Southampton Mini Link confirms that the Traffic Commissioner has received an application for the service.
Now I do try and wonder, whether this was the mysterious route to be confirmed, that the 16 seater Mercedes EVM was being considered for this service, albeit Enviro 200 not Mini buses are heading this way. The only question is that with the only listed operating centre being at Ringwood, that is a lot of dead mileage for a service wholly in Southampton.
The new 14 is going to Chartwell Green (the area currently served by CityRed 8 to Hedge End). Not sure what use the service will be, because there are only 5 round trips, starting at 8:55am and finishing at 12:55pm. Hardly worth getting out of bed for!! But do watch this space, as this one hasn’t appeared on the Traffic Commissioner website yet either!!
I did hear that the timetable link on the website had become live, but I have not looked at it yet.
It will be interesting to see what response we will get from City Red; especially following on from Marwell (not Zoo)
Hands Up!! Has anyone found this mystery bus operator that’s going to be doing the Marwell run yet? Still nothing showing on the traffic commissioner website. Mind you, neither has the details for the City Link 14 appeared yet!!
It is First, they registered it this week