None of the timetable changes at First Solent are particularly major at the moment. Unless you include the new early morning and late night services in the Portsmouth City area, you get the odd change here, the occasional timing point finessing there.
So coming out with a large number of small posts is not always beneficial to anyone, hence why I am going to do a summarised one now. I know, people are going to scream “but nothing is confirmed yet – you blithering idiot” so in some of these cases it is a registration changed lodged with the Traffic Commissioner which should normally be an indication of a change, but sometimes is somebody realising there is an errant registration.
Already Changed: The 28 and 28A
You will already know that the 28 and 28A have changed timetables recently. It started on Monday and is now an hourly service that runs beyond Whitely Shopping Centre. I talked about it previously on the blog and runs pas the Horse & Jockey pub (which I am assured is worth a visit) to Curbridge. Some even go as far as Botley Station for peak time connections to and from London. The timetable, if you are interested, is here.
I would love to see this extended to either Hedge End or even Eastleigh, if you have been following a little niggling query in the back of my mind; with the right funding taken from the right place and moved across.
I have not had chance to grab a train to Fareham and sample the £2 fare each way to find out how the service is running though.
Changing in February
On 12th February, First Solent are changing a number of their HCC supported services in Fareham and Havant.
Service 20 to Wickham has a minor change, unless you finish work at 5pm, and I imagine that no-one commutes from Fareham to Knowle after 5pm.
Weekdays – The 1625 from Fareham / 1658 from Wickham will now leave at 1635 and 1710. The 1735 departure from Fareham to Knowle is fully withdrawn.
Saturdays – The 1510 Fareham to Knowle is retimed to leave at 1445, returning from Knowle at 1507.
Service 21 to Stubbington to Hill Head has a more drastic axe taken to it.
Weekdays there is no commuter service at all. The first bus from Stubbington around the Hill Head loop (and then to Fareham) is 1000. The last of the three buses from Fareham to Stubbington and Hill Head is 1400.
The Saturday service is entirely withdrawn.
Service 27 to Rowlands Castle loses some of it’s journeys and will have 4 round trips between the village, Havant and Emsworth.
This results though in both the lunchtime gap disappearing and the last trip being a 1545 from Rowlands Castle to Havant (only) rather than a 1745 from Emsworth to Havant (only).
BUT I am now in a bit of confusion. Originally, the bus service registration stated that the Saturday service was being withdrawn. This is something that TravelineSW also confirms (per the screenshot left).
The thing is, the First Bus Bus Open Data Service shows a timetable. Typo? or service change?
Changes in March
There are now some changes registered to services in March. There is no further information and it might be something so minor that you will not see it, or care about it.
The Star 7 to Waterlooville and Wecock Farm is showing a timetable change from Sunday 5th March.
Service 9 & 9A between Fareham, Rowner and Gosport is showing a route and timetable variation from Sunday 5th March. I am not reading too much into that if I am honest. Could simply be something for Bridgemary School or Bay House.
An Open-top Summer
The one thing that will be interesting to see is the return of the Open-Top (someone, damn, go back to the SunRider brand) Southsea Coaster 50.
From 28th May the route between Gunwharf – Old Portsmouth – Clarance Pier and South Parade Pier returns.
The timetable is going to be hourly and daily and is within the Plymouth City Council authority. Yes, I know, it is a typo.
“ with the right funding taken from the right place and moved across.”
I guess you were suggesting to remove the funding from Xelabus X9, which I totally agree.
I would extend the 28 to Bishop’s Waltham and the 28A to Hedge End Centre.