Wednesday 26 March 2014

Hythe Ferry & several bus routes under threat / Diversion confusion

Hampshire County Council are looking to save more money by cutting subsidies to several bus routes. The Hythe Ferry, which has run continuously for the best part of a millennium, is also under threat. The Daily Echo has compiled a list of all the routes under threat here. Once decisions are made, we'll keep you informed of which cuts will hit where.

First have advised of a diversion to several of their Woolston routes, due to the closure of Central Bridge. But hang on, don't all of Woolston's buses (with the exception of the 5 via Chapel) run via Ocean Village rather than Central Bridge? First's route map certainly seems to think so:


No word from Bluestar on this road closure, because presumably they've checked where their 3 runs.

7 comments:

  1. If you ever look at the First facebook page,you will find at times replies they give to customer enquiries seem rather strange. On the subject of Central Bridge one customer was told by customer services that the buses would run via Ocean Village,(which would be the normal route in each direction except for the 5), but the website publish a different arrangement for the diversion as can be seen. It seems at times, First have a serious communication problem between one department and the other, and leaves the customer in total confusion. They are always stating too the public how important relations with customers are,but fail sometimes miserably in promoting it. Somedays on the facebook site, there is an accident, where buses for a time have to be diverted, which they inform you of, and state up dates will follow regarding the posting, but they never do. There are many areas on this site that need vast improvement as to information given. PAC

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  2. Don't agree. Compared to Bluestar, First's Facebook is much better. at least they answer posts; Bluestar don't seem to bother to look at their Facebook for days. First's is much more professional; they don't get everything right every time but at least they try. Neither is as good as Velvet who are excellent at social media, although their buses do often seem to suffer from unreliability!!

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  3. Perhaps the Red Jets could call at Hythe Pier to and from the IOW,and then the old Hythe ferry tubs and huge subsidy could be removed. Are the Hythe residents still allowed free or reduced fares ? Southampton residents get no such concessions or do they ?

    Waterside Rail...the sensible solution.

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  4. I'm not a fan of FIRST but, to be fair to them, most of the services which currently cross Central Bridge are on diversion from the official route past Ocean Village and Dock Gate 4 because of the roadworks.

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  5. Any reason @unilinkbus is missing from your bus operator twitter feeds?

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  6. First changes announced on Facebook,from june 1st,affecting the r1,3,5,8,8A,12!

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    1. Well we all knew after the last recent change in Southampton it would not be long before the network planners at First started tinkering around with times again. However the biggest waste of taxpayers money ever spent the R1 is too be removed. PAC

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