Two updates have been made on 01 August 2022 to reflect Hampshire County Council responding to this article.
I posted yesterday. I told you that Hampshire County Council were reviewing tendered bus services and that Xelabus had lodged to cancel the X15 between Eastleigh, Hedge End and Hamble. Overnight though, I was contacted from with the Xelabus team who tells me that it is going to be much more widespread than even I could have imagined.
If you head back to yesterday, you will know that Hampshire County Council have a little publicised and completely biased consultation survey asking people to tell them to basically do away with tendering altogether. Certainly that is my take on the survey, having completed the thing myself. Now… obviously my views will be considerably more holistic than those who are very much “this is my area and I want a double decker bus every 2.5 minutes” but the damn thing is basically telling you to give the answer they want or answer “Don’t Know.”
Anyway, I digress from the desperation that HCC Transport is useless and less look at the decimation of greenery that it causes.
It should be noted, that the information contained below is from a screenshot of what appears to be an official notice. It is unlikely that the person who sent it to me would have made it up….
The Green, Green Grass of home…. without buses
An internal team brief has been passed to me, whether with the blessing of Dan and/or Phil or not; outlining to staff the changes that are being made on the weekend of Sunday 5th September.
The argument for the service changes is that Hampshire County Council are looking at major savings from it’s transport budget and contracted work gets a higher price. You would imagine that this means things like schools, rail replacements and events such as Victorious. Indeed, Xelabus are running the Victorious shuttle from Gunwharf this coming August.
UPDATED: 01 August 2022 – for the purposes of clarity, in light of the comments included below from Hampshire County Council; the internal team brief (published without editing for spelling) for Xelabus drivers states:
As a result of Hampshire County Council looking at re-tendering their Eastleigh are services we had been approached to operate them for further period whilst the council look at major savings.
Following a major review of the network and major increase in contracted work, we as a company have decided to look towards this type of work as it offers higher return.
Dead Heading the loss makers
Xelabus have announced to staff that the following services will be completely withdrawn, just in time for the new school year:
- Services X6 and X7 to Hiltingbury and Chandlers Ford / Valley Park
- Service X8 to Boyatt Wood on Sundays
- Service X15 to Hedge End and Hamble
- Service X17 to Bishops Waltham and Petersfield
As a partial replacement for the withdrawal of the X6 and X7, there is a plan being developed to extend the X4 from Eastleigh to Velmore, increase the Saturday service to Hourly and introduce ‘brand new buses.’
The X9 and X10 between Eastleigh and Bishops Waltham, and Bishops Waltham and Southampton has not escaped the axe either. The weekday service for both services will be reduced to run every 2 hours and the Saturday service completely withdrawn.
Sundays
Interestingly, immediately under the information about the X9 and X10 though, it says “All Sunday services will also be WITHDRAWN” (their emphasis with bold and capital letters, not mine).
As the X9 and X10 are not a Sunday service, that would suggest it is across the board, including the X4 no longer getting a Sunday service.
On the plus side….
It does appear though, presumably as they are supported by Southampton City Council (or under contract) rather than Hampshire County Council; that the X11, X12, Bitterne Hoppa and X21 are all safe this time around.
Drivers for Xelabus (or will that be Xelacoach?) also have new work providing schools services for Romsey School from September, in addition to all the ones that continue from this academic year.
Hampshire County Council Responds:
UPDATED: 01 August 2022
I have also had contact from Hampshire County Council, who have asked to be able to respond to this article. They comment:
Regardless of the County Council’s support, Xelabus has made an independent business decision to stop operating some of its commercial bus services, despite the County Council’s offer of financial assistance to at least the end of the financial year. The company’s decision was influenced by the decline in passenger numbers, which have not yet returned to pre-Covid-19 pandemic levels.
Earlier this year, the County Council submitted a strong case for funding for its Bus Service Improvement Plan to the Government (Department for Transport). Unfortunately, the Department for Transport decided not to award any funding to over half the county transport authorities in England, including Hampshire, from the £1.3 billion funding available nationally, which means the County Council will not be able to deliver the proposed improvements it agrees are important to support and develop public transport in Hampshire.
Without additional Government funding to help us support local bus services the County Council will almost certainly need to reduce the support it provides currently for other local bus services.
Hampshire County Council is continuing to work, however, with Eastleigh Borough Council towards alternative provision for services in the borough.
I can’t see much hope for replacements….
When you think about it, Eastleigh has occasionally been an on and off battleground. Brijan Tours, Black Velvet travel (sold to Xelabus), Red Rocket (then to become Baby Bluestar), Beep Bus; there are probably a few more.
Many of the operators that I can think of, especially those in areas where Eastleigh (or Hampshire) subsidise the routes, have been run on tighter budgets with older buses and independent operators that tend to have lower overheads. Only commercial services that were identified for enhancement investment rather than social investment were anything other.
The consultation certainly makes some smoke signals that there is not really a focused direction for Hampshire County Council. I am not sure whether I can encourage a solution either, whether it is that illusive demand-responsive transport that other councils are experimenting with, or something else.
For now though, the green green grass of home, will not be a bus as often as it was.