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Post by greenboy on Nov 30, 2022 8:39:40 GMT
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Post by mark on Nov 30, 2022 10:22:40 GMT
It sounds like there will be a more orderly withdrawal this time round, with plenty of time for Go-Ahead to arrange replacement services and TUPE over drivers and staff. I wonder where this leaves Dorset and South Somerset - will First withdraw from these areas too, or will they become part of an expanded Bristol, Bath and The West? You do realise Portsmouth is still around?
First Hampshire, Dorset and Berkshire recently merged I believe with First South West operations, so Somerset, Wessex, Portsmouth, Cornwall and Berkshire are all now under one entity
Go South Coast is not taking over First’s operations so TUPE will not apply. It is registering new routes over roads that are currently covered by First that are being withdrawn.
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Post by greenboy on Nov 30, 2022 18:34:28 GMT
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Post by wirewiper on Nov 30, 2022 18:57:00 GMT
The latter link is a reminder that First is the direct descendant of the Southampton Tramways Company and the local municipal buses. Bluestar is very much the interloper in Southampton, having been set up in May 1987 as Solent Blue Line, a subsidiary of Southern Vectis, to compete directly with Southampton Citybus (which at the time was still in municipal ownership). Just a few months later, in October 1987, Solent Blue Line expanded greatly by buying the independent operator Hants & Sussex and the Eastleigh/Southampton operations of Stagecoach. The Bluestar brand was introduced in 2003, initially for premier routes but had been rolled out to most services by 2008. Solent Blue Line came into the Go-Ahead fold when the parent company Southern Vectis was sold in 2005.
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Post by wirewiper on Dec 8, 2022 12:59:48 GMT
Bluestar is holding a recruitment campaign this week, as it seeks to recruit 100 additional drivers. Drivers currently working with First can apply, and will be offered jobs at Bluestar to start on 19th February. This seems a sensible move as it will guarantee jobs and continuity of service and avoid a disordered collapse of First services in Southampton. Prospective drivers with no formal training are also welcome to apply, and the company will provide full training with pay. www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-63888010
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Post by TP1 on Dec 8, 2022 13:33:39 GMT
Such a shame to see First close the doors in Southampton. I had a fantastic period working there, very friendly drivers and managers. Plus the B7RLE's will always been one of the best busses I've driven. That said, there were certainly doubts even then (around 2019) about the future of City Red, it was clear the Bluestar were making clear strides to win the market.
But that said I wish the best to the staff of Southampton.
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Post by MetrolineGA1511 on Dec 10, 2022 19:25:49 GMT
seems bluestar part of go-ahead group are going to step in Bluestar steps in following news that First Bus is to leave Southampton We will be stepping in to run additional services across Southampton, following news that fellow bus operator First Bus has decided to withdraw from the area, from Sunday 19 February. "We understand that local people and visitors may be worried that bus travel across the region will be impacted by this decision - but they need not be concerned,” said Andrew Wickham, Bluestar managing director. “I can reassure them that Bluestar is ready to step in, to ensure bus users can still get to where they need to go. From 19 February 2023, the city and its surrounding area will be covered by a very similar level of services - albeit with different coloured buses running the routes. We will be working hard over the coming months to plan the new services.” Bluestar’s parent company, Go South Coast, is no stranger to saving the day when services have been withdrawn by fellow operators. Earlier this year, another of its companies, Morebus, worked tirelessly to ensure people in Bournemouth and Poole continued to enjoy comprehensive bus services - following the collapse of Bournemouth Transport Ltd (Yellow Buses). “With little more then 48 hours’ notice, our team at Morebus recruited more than 100 new staff, and implemented a raft of new services in-and-around Bournemouth and Poole. Despite its speedy introduction, the new operation got off to a fantastic start - and continues to run smoothly across the region. “On this occasion, we have a little more time, and are already planning the new routes and timetables. We will announce these as soon as they are complete. “We are very proud to be helping to keep our communities running. And we look forward to welcoming new colleagues and customers on board, as we aim to transform Southampton bus services for the better over the coming months and years.” In just 6 years Go South Coast will have expanded to include extra buses in Swindon, Bournemouth and Southampton for different reasons: Acquisition of Thamesdown Tranport, Yellow Buses going out of business and First dropping their Southampton City network.
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Post by smiler52 on Dec 14, 2022 12:03:41 GMT
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Post by wirewiper on Dec 14, 2022 12:11:52 GMT
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Post by joefrombow on Dec 14, 2022 15:45:33 GMT
Just need Ensign to start competing with them in Essex , Services are absolutely shocking most of the time , "Live" buses showing on the app and not running , Drivers forever leaving early , Refund credits for delays not working and randomly cutting out major journeys , it's beyond a joke surprised the commissioner hasn't got involved they basically have a free reign across Essex .
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Post by wirewiper on Dec 19, 2022 16:34:25 GMT
Meanwhile in Bristol, further development of the metrobus network occurs in January with the launch of a further new route, the m4 which will operate between Bristol City Centre and Cribbs Causeway via Bristol Parkway Station from Sunday 22nd January 2023.
This follows reconstruction of a railway bridge, new bus lanes on Gypsy Patch Lane in Patchway and bus stop infrastructure along the new route. The work was funded by the West of England Combined Authority and carried out by South Gloucestershire Council. Initially buses will operate non-stop between Patchway and Cribbs Causeway (via Hayes Lane), but it is anticipated that the route will eventually serve the new Brabazon development on the site of the former Filton Airfield.
Buses will operate every 20 minutes during Monday-Saturday daytimes and every 30 minutes during the evenings and Sundays. It will effectively replace the current short journeys on route m3 between Bristol City Centre and the University of the West of England (UWE) at Frenchay, most of which will no longer operate. Like the other metrobus routes tickets must be purchased from a machine at the stop, although "tap on tap off" contactless payment can be used on the bus.
In conjunction with the new m4 route, the other metrobus routes m1, m2, m3 and m3x will all have timetable changes from Sunday 22nd January to improve reliability. There will also be a handful of changes to other bus routes from the same date:
19 (Bath-Cribbs Causeway) - withdrawn between Bristol Parkway and Cribbs Causeway
73 (Bristol Temple Meads-Cribbs Causeway) - withdrawn between Bradley Stoke North and Cribbs Causeway
Y6 (Bristol-Southmead Hospital-Yate & Chipping Sodbury) rerouted via Highwood Road and Charlton Boulevard in Filton as a part-replacement for route 19.
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Post by wirewiper on Jan 12, 2023 16:12:06 GMT
Meanwhile in Bristol, further development of the metrobus network occurs in January with the launch of a further new route, the m4 which will operate between Bristol City Centre and Cribbs Causeway via Bristol Parkway Station from Sunday 22nd January 2023. This follows reconstruction of a railway bridge, new bus lanes on Gypsy Patch Lane in Patchway and bus stop infrastructure along the new route. The work was funded by the West of England Combined Authority and carried out by South Gloucestershire Council. Initially buses will operate non-stop between Patchway and Cribbs Causeway (via Hayes Lane), but it is anticipated that the route will eventually serve the new Brabazon development on the site of the former Filton Airfield. Buses will operate every 20 minutes during Monday-Saturday daytimes and every 30 minutes during the evenings and Sundays. It will effectively replace the current short journeys on route m3 between Bristol City Centre and the University of the West of England (UWE) at Frenchay, most of which will no longer operate. Like the other metrobus routes tickets must be purchased from a machine at the stop, although "tap on tap off" contactless payment can be used on the bus. In conjunction with the new m4 route, the other metrobus routes m1, m2, m3 and m3x will all have timetable changes from Sunday 22nd January to improve reliability. There will also be a handful of changes to other bus routes from the same date: 19 (Bath-Cribbs Causeway) - withdrawn between Bristol Parkway and Cribbs Causeway 73 (Bristol Temple Meads-Cribbs Causeway) - withdrawn between Bradley Stoke North and Cribbs Causeway Y6 (Bristol-Southmead Hospital-Yate & Chipping Sodbury) rerouted via Highwood Road and Charlton Boulevard in Filton as a part-replacement for route 19. As well as the service changes above, there will be timetable changes only on routes 1, 2, 2a, 3, 4, 8 (Sundays), 23, 24, 42, 43, 48, 48a, 49, 70, 74, 75, 76, 90, 91 and 92. Traws Cymru route T7 (Bristol-Chepstow/Magor, operated by Newport Bus) will be revised to terminate in Bristol Bus Station from this date.
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Post by wirewiper on Jan 17, 2023 10:36:43 GMT
Police have declared a "Major Incident" after a bus carrying workers to the Hinkley Point C construction site overturned on an icy road in Somerset. So far the police and the Power Station have not commented on how many workers are involved or the extent of casualties. A motorcycle was also involved in the incident, which occurred on the A39 near Cannington at around 06.00 this morning (Tuesday 17th January). The bus is operated by Somerset Passenger Solutions which is a subsidiary of FirstBus and for which Buses of Somerset took over full responsibility in 2021. www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-64301329
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Post by wirewiper on Jan 17, 2023 12:02:06 GMT
Police have declared a "Major Incident" after a bus carrying workers to the Hinkley Point C construction site overturned on an icy road in Somerset. So far the police and the Power Station have not commented on how many workers are involved or the extent of casualties. A motorcycle was also involved in the incident, which occurred on the A39 near Cannington at around 06.00 this morning (Tuesday 17th January). The bus is operated by Somerset Passenger Solutions which is a subsidiary of FirstBus and for which Buses of Somerset took over full responsibility in 2021. www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-64301329UPDATE: there were around 40 employees on the double-decker bus, three are said to have suffered "significant" injury. From photographs of the crash scene the vehicle appears to a Wright Gemini-bodied Volvo, fleetnumber unknown. EDIT: it is now confirmed that there were 70 people on the bus. 54 were triaged at the scene, with 26 treated as walking wounded. Three passengers were freed by the Fire Brigade using specialist equipment.
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Post by wirewiper on Jan 17, 2023 17:38:17 GMT
Police have declared a "Major Incident" after a bus carrying workers to the Hinkley Point C construction site overturned on an icy road in Somerset. So far the police and the Power Station have not commented on how many workers are involved or the extent of casualties. A motorcycle was also involved in the incident, which occurred on the A39 near Cannington at around 06.00 this morning (Tuesday 17th January). The bus is operated by Somerset Passenger Solutions which is a subsidiary of FirstBus and for which Buses of Somerset took over full responsibility in 2021. www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-64301329It is now confirmed that there were 70 people on the bus. 54 were triaged at the scene, of whom 26 were treated as walking wounded. Three passengers were freed from the vehicle by then Fire Brigade using mechanical equipment. Casualties were taken to Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton and to Bristol's Southmead Hospital, 40 miles away. The Major Incident has now been stood down.
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