Updated: First Wessex have this morning published a timetable for the new service – on a three month trial. It will start on Monday 9th January.
While we await news of whether the X54 will run over Christmas, for which you it will be a struggle to provide 2 buses for, we have new on the horizon of service changes including a new service starting for the New Year.
‘Tis the season to be Jolly!
First South & South West (or whatever the new division is called) has certainly been active more generally, with City Red put out to pasture and Solent gaining refurbished double deckers (I think partly in direct reaction as well) but down in Weymouth things have been rather quiet and almost stagnant. If it ain’t broke then don’t try and break it!
New Service
A registration for a new service has appeared at the regulator of bus services for a brand new service 9 and 9a in Weymouth. The service registration shows the route as being Weymouth King’s Statue – Rodwell – Wyke Regis, Walker Crescent.
Now, I missed the raft of cancellations that South West Coaches registered back in November, which included the 206 (and the X11 Dorchester to Yeovil) which has probably prompted this move. I wonder if the local or county council has had a prod at First with a small sum of money to introduce it.
I can only imagine that the timetable will be similar to that from South West Coaches, which is still advertised as running on their website.
South West Coaches reviewed the cost of their bus service operation. The 206 in Weymouth ceased from 25th November. The X11 they re-won on tender as service 5. They also won new Dorset tenders with revised routes and times for 2 (was X2), 4 (was X4), 58 (was X4, now Wiltshire contract). 81 in Yeovil, at least is also being retendered.
Thanks for letting me know. I have now added them to my list of RSS feeds to watch!
According to Dorset Echo the commercial 206 finished on 25th November. X11 has been retendered and South West Coaches runs it as service 5. They won the retenders for the X2 and X4 as revised 2 and 4, plus 58 from Wiltshire.