Environment & Transport Scrutiny Panel
Thursday 21st September 2006
Local Bus Services – Background Paper
1.0 Overview
1.1 Members will no doubt be aware that the majority of bus services in the Borough of Eastleigh are operated by Solent Blue Line and approximately 85% of all services are operated commercially without subsidy from either Hampshire County Council or Eastleigh Borough Council.
1.2 Solent Blue Line was acquired by the Go-Ahead Group in August 2005 and is part of the Go- Ahead South Group of companies including Southern Vectis, Wilts and Dorset and the Oxford Bus Company.
1.3 Bluestar is the brand name for Solent Blue Line's key inter-urban and commuter routes into Southampton from Winchester, Eastleigh, Romsey and Hedge End. Bluestar services feature specially branded vehicles bearing a contemporary star logo and supported by an interactive website, including stop-by-stop timetables. SBL launched the Red Rocket Concept brand of midibus services based on Eastleigh, Chandler’s Ford and Hedge End in September 2006. These services are detailed at section 3.0.
1.4 In addition to SBL’s network First Hampshire & Dorset operates service 16 linking Hamble-le-Rice and Netley with Southampton, and service 8A which provides a 20 minute frequency between West End and Southampton. First also operate service 72 between Gosport and Southampton which passes through Lowford, service 78 & 79 between Fareham and Southampton which passes through Windhover and Lowford and service 80 between Southampton & Fareham via Lowford. Services 72,78,79 & 80 are financially supported by Hampshire County Council. Finally First operate service 26 between Fareham and Hedge End via Botley.
1.5 Service 65 links Eastleigh with Romsey and Salisbury and is operated by Wilts and Dorset.
1.6 Whilst EBC has no statutory obligation to provide subsidies for local bus services the Council has taken the decision to support certain local services which are deemed socially necessary and do not meet the criterion set for a County Council Subsidy. In addition to these direct subsidies the Council also provides top-up funding for certain HCC contracts in the area. The subsidies paid by EBC are set out below:
Table 1 Services Currently Subsidised by EBC
Local Bus Services
Servic Operat Route Journeys Cost e or Subsidised 2006/ 2007 Red SBL Eastleigh – West Certain evening £57,10 Rocke End – Hedge End - journeys, early 0 t A Hamble morning and winter Sundays 49/49 SBL Eastleigh – Boyatt Sundays – 5 £22,68 A Wood – Winchester journeys each way 0 44/44 SBL Southampton- Sundays – 5 £7,500 A Chandler’s Ford – journeys each way Hiltingbury – plus an early Southampton morning journey 7A SBL Soton- West End – Friday & Saturday £11,30 Hedge End – Evening Journeys 0 Bishops Waltham 501 SBL Thorndean School School Service £4,740 service 16 FH&D Soton- Butlocks Butlocks Heath £14,00 Heath- Hamble Diversion to Route 0 & Some Journeys N6/N7 FH&D Nitebus Services Fri/Sat Nights £51,00 0 56 FH&D Thursday Eastleigh Thursdays (3 £14,74 Market Bus journeys each way) 0 (Burlsedon Hedge End – Botley – Fair Oak – Eastleigh)
2.0 Recent Changes to Services Subsidised by Eastleigh Borough Council
2.1 EBC subsidises the costs of operating Nitebus Services N6 & N7. Up until September 2004 EBC also operated N5, which was taken over commercially as services Nightstar 1 & Nightsar 2 which replicated the equivalent Bluestar services. In line with new licensing laws introduced in late 2005 additional 0315 departures were introduced on Saturdays in April 2006 and Fridays in September 2006 following a re-tender of the service won by First Hants and Dorset. EBC successfully secured Community Safety Partnership funding towards the service.
2.2 Thursday Market Services were re-tendered in early 2006. The nature of commercial bus service provision made service 58 unviable and in potential conflict with the Transport Act (1985) and was catered for along most of the route by Red Rocket A (formally 9a). Those sections that were not covered by existing commercial services were mopped up by an extension to the route of the 56, which links Eastleigh to Windhover, Fair Oak and Botley. This service will be kept under review to assess the impact of concessionary fares passes on ridership.
2.3 Hampshire County Council is likely to re-tender the Eastleigh Subsidised service network in early 2007 which may change the provision of bus services in the area. No firm timetable has yet been agreed for this process however.
3.0 Solent Blue Line Service Changes – September 2006
3.1 Solent Blue Line announced comprehensive changes to their commercial network from September 2006. The main changes are detailed below.
Eastleigh - Hedge End - Hamble New service from Eastleigh to Hedge End via current 9/9A route. Buses run every 20 minutes with one bus an hour extended to Hamble. Evenings and Sunday daytimes hourly (every 2 hrs to Hamble)
Eastleigh - Boyatt Wood New service from Eastleigh to Boyatt Wood operating a loop via Shakespeare Road, Bosville, Broadlands Avenue, Ruskin Road and Twyford Road. Every 20 minutes Mon Sat Daytimes.
Eastleigh - Velmore Estate - Chandler's Ford - Fryern Hill New service from Eastleigh to Fryern Hill via current 44 route; evening and Sunday buses continue to Hiltingbury. Every 20 minutes Mon-Sat Daytimes, hourly evening buses Friday and Saturday evenings and every 2 hours Sunday daytimes
Bluestar 1 Southampton - Chandler's Ford - Winchester New timetable with 20 minute daytime frequency and hourly buses in the evening.
Bluestar 2 Southampton – Eastleigh – Fair Oak Minor timetable changes. Hourly buses in the evening after 2100. Improved frequency from Eastleigh to Southampton in the morning rush with buses now up to every 10 mins.
Bluestar 3 Southampton – Hedge End Changes to evening times.
Bluestar 4 Southampton – North Baddesley – Romsey Changes to evening times.
Route 6 Southampton – Hedge End – Boorley Green – Botley Change to route and times around Botley & Boorley Green. Buses will now go from Maypole direct to Boorley Green and then onto Botley.
Route 7/7a Southampton – Horton Heath – Bishops Waltham Sunday service will no longer run. No changes to Monday to Saturday times.
Route 8 Eastleigh – Colden Common – Marwell Reduced Sunday service. No changes to Monday to Saturday times although all journeys in Colden Common will now run via Spring Lane rather than New Road.
Route 9 / 9A Eastleigh – Hedge End – Southampton/Hamble These routes will no longer run and have been replaced by Red Rocket A and Route 29
Route 29 Southampton – Hedge End – Botley – Boorley Green New service between Southampton and Hedge End replacing route 9 between Southampton and Tesco then running via Botley Road St Johns Road to Hedge End. Monday to Saturday daytime journeys also extend to Botley & Boorley Green. In Southampton service 29 will pick up in Castle Way and will run via Bargate, Queensway and Canute Road to the Itchen Bridge.
Route 43 Eastleigh – Stoke Common – Bishops Waltham Minor timetable changes and some journeys will now operate to/from Marwell Zoo
Route 44/44a Eastleigh – Hiltingbury – Valley Park – Southampton Between Eastleigh & Fryern Hill this route is replaced by Red Rocket C, which also operates to Hiltingbury during peak times and on Sundays. Service 44 will now run hourly from Eastleigh to Hiltingbury, Valley Park & Southampton via Leigh Road & Oakmount Road to Fryern Hill. Service 44A will no longer run. Merdon Avenue and South Millers Dale will now be served by new service 45.
Route 45 Eastleigh – Hiltingbury – South Millers Dale New service operating twice daily between Eastleigh, Fryern Hill, Hiltingbury & South Millers Dale via Leigh Road, Oakmount Road & Merdon Avenue.
Hampshire County Council have recently agreed to fund an additional departure each way Monday-Friday to improve public transport access to these areas as certain sections of the former 44 route now not covered by Red Rocket C have seen a significant decrease in bus services following the introduction of service 45 along these sections of route.
Route 49/49a Eastleigh – Boyatt Wood – Winchester All journeys via Colden Common will now serve Spring Lane rather than New Road. The 2325 bus from Winchester to Eastleigh will no longer run. In addition to service 49/49A new Red Rocket B will run every 20 mins during the day between Eastleigh and Boyatt Wood.
Route 200 Eastleigh – Marwell Zoo This route will no longer run but Marwell Zoo will now be served 7 days a week by certain journeys on service 43.
Paul Walker Transport & Development Control Manager Eastleigh Borough Council 02380 688278