By the time you read this, because frankly I am doing it after the event, Gosport Bus Station is officially open and buses are now crossing the High Street and doing the new circular loop of Gosport Town Centre.
I have not been to the new bus station yet, although while I have been to Gosport more than usual in recent weeks, the building was certainly coming along back then.
When I visited recently, the old bus station was certainly showing it’s imminent closure, with the tourist information centre closed and empty, the windows around the coach stands boarded up and the inside (regretfully too many people to justify pictures) looking as unwelcoming as an abandoned Wetherspoons.
Local transport enthusiast JoeS has been to the new bus station since the 6 foot fencing was removed, and so in the meantime enjoy some of his shots here on TwiX
I am not sure when I will next be in a position to head back to that part of town.
Southampton Contract Updates
There was a little chatter when the tender changes for services in west Southampton were announced. Although the Traffic Commissioner was quick to lodge Xelabus cancellations for the X11 and X12 through Shirley, Lords Hill and Southampton General Hospital, the replacements were (as Tony Smale commented) tardy to appear.
Rumour was that the replacement services might have been delayed, however this is not the case and Bluestar have now announced the replacement timetables for the new Bluestar 21 and 22 services. Thankfully those route numbers were conveniently still available!
The replacement for the X11, now the Bluestar 21, starts from Southampton five minutes earlier than the Xelabus service it replaces and appears to have a few minutes extra padding in the trips. The last trip from Southampton though will terminate at the General Hospital instead of running through to Lordshill North.
The replacement for the X12, now the Bluestar 22 has an extra trip out of Southampton City Centre (as far as Millbrook Tesco) on it’s Tuesday and Thursday only timetable and the timings and frequency have changed for all trips.
…. and so completes the numeric list of routes from 1 to 24!
Finally….
It is good to see that so many views are being logged for this little blog that I started during lockdown. I know that some of you use it for information, others as a source of entertainment and at times others have not liked my point of view.
I was tickled to hear from someone at the BBC this week though (and Emily, sorry I am going to reply to you later today) who was asking some questions about the proposed withdrawal of bus subsidies in Hampshire. This is something that is being discussed next week at the Hampshire County Council cabinet and although I previously have been corrected by HCC on things, I merely get as much information ahead of time as the rest of you!
As a reminder; Hampshire County Council were consulting at the very start of the year to make financial cut backs to bus services in the county. The results and announcements are due to be finalised in the cabinet meeting on Monday and the recommendations can be found on the meeting appendix on the agenda.
It is proposed, from my lay understanding of the report to be presented, that:
- Call-and-go and Dial-A-Ride services will be revised to only operate outside of the school run, to largely merge the contracts for the two. These services are generally run by community organisations
- These services will increasingly be moved to Demand Responsive Transport (DRT) solutions similar to the trial being undertaken in Andover.
- Wheels-To-Work (a moped loan scheme) will be withdrawn.
- Taxi-share services to be withdrawn and in most cases incorporated into the DRT schemes
- Removal of funding for the following bus services:
- Service 74 in Overton
- Services 44 and 61 in Eastleigh
- Services 46 (and 61) in Winchester
- Service 20 in Fareham
- Services X7R, 7/7a, 49 and the former Andover Cango C3 through C8 in the west of Hampshire
- The Wednesday Soberton to Petersfield service (the Meon Valley Community minibus??)
- Some of these will be covered by the new DRT services
- Removal of pre-0930 and post-2300 free travel for disabled National Concessionary Pass holders
- The all day concession continues at weekends as it is part of the national scheme
- The whole National Concessionary Scheme was previously subject to a Government consultation
- Removal of the Companion Pass for eligible disabled National Concessionary Pass holders – those eligible are generally not able to use transport by themselves.
As soon as I know the outcome – I will post on TwiX and Facebook
Soon to be no bus service from Eastleigh to Winchester then.
The area to the north of Fareham and northwards as far as Winchester will be left with just 1 bus! The 69. How depressing.
and no direct bus from Eastleigh to Winchester.
I’m sure HCC won’t wait unil April 2025 to stop the funding either.
Might be able to squeeze a bit of cash from the developers at Welbourne village being built north of Fareham to run something
That won’t last long
Hope nobody falls for the latest FB scam involving Bluestar and Solent Go.Post saying you can snap up one of 500 Solent Go smartcards for £2 and that it`ll give you free bus travel for three months in Southampton and that Bluestar were taking part.
Someone else has sent me this overnight as well.
One of the downsides of not watermarking my photos is that people can lift them!
True.Have made Bluestar and Solent Go aware.
Bluestar have now posted on their FB page telling everyone that it`s a scam.
According to the Sunday Times,the chancellor is expected to scrap the £2 fare cap,as it apparently isn`t viable for tax payers and bus firms to continue with.
The bus fare cap won`t be so useful,when it`s increased to £3,as mostly it`ll work out a lot cheaper to buy a day pass.Should have stayed at £2,if they want to encourage more folk onto the buses.
Surprised to see Bluestar using a double decker on the new 22 route today(Former Xelabus X12),as so lightly used.
Next week will be interesting when the Autumn School Term resumes.
It was also a double decker on the Tuesday too
The West of England Traffic Commissioner’s “Notices and Proceedings” dated 31 Oct include variations (note: not “short notice” variations) to First’s Jurassic Coaster services X51 / X53 / X54 with effect from 20 Oct … ie they happened over a week ago. So where have these variation notices been sitting for the past 9 weeks? This level of delay has become typical. It makes a mockery of “due notice” whereby registrations can be challenged or acted on.