Christmas and New Year Bus Services 2022

[Busaholic]

I doubt there will be any interworking. All of those routes are cross city routes that start and finish in completely different places. Looking



Their sister company Metrobus has been running the 10 (Bewbush to Crawley to Gatwick Airport) at least every half hour 24 hours a day on Christmas Day (and this bus even runs all throughout the nights of the 24th/25th and 25th/26th too) for over fifteen years. So they have some experience of running Christmas Day bus services with this route.

I'd be amazed if Gatwick Airport didn't make a significant contribution, probably 100% on the all-night.

 

[johncrossley]

Boxing Day is slightly better with a few more bus services running but in most places it is the same as Christmas Day with no bus services at all.

This is where London is exceptional and runs a full Sunday service, which makes the complete shutdown on 25 December even more strange.

Ireland is even worse. They have no buses or coaches or trams or trains or airplanes for all of Christmas Day and Boxing Day over there. The entire public transport shuts down 100% for two days. Taking a taxi is the only way to get anywhere on these two days.

They were running buses and coaches on St Stephen's Day (as they call it) last year

Christmas Services 2022 - Transport for Ireland

Public transport is the affordable and sustainable way to get around during the festive season! To help you make the most of it many operators are putting on late-night services, so whether you’re shopping, socialising or working, grab your TFI Leap Card and use the transport information below...

www.transportforireland.ie

St. Stephen’s Day, Sunday 26 December 2021​

​

City, Town, Commuter and Rural services will operate a Bank Holiday/Sunday service with first departures at 09:00.​

Expressway services will operate as Bank Holiday/Sunday with first departures on each service as below.​

Dublin Bus Christmas and New Year's service for all routes confirmed

Certain routes will have early morning departures

www.dublinlive.ie

St Stephens Day will see a Sunday service with first departures on routes 15, 39a and 41 at 5am. City tours and nitelinks will not run on St Stephens Day.

 

[Simon75]

Maybe this tread could be renamed Christmas/New year arrangements 2022/23, or start and new one discussing Boxing day/News years day ?

 

[Deerfold]

New Years Day is normally just a full Sunday service on most bus operators (at least in the South East on the operators i mainly use it is always a full Sunday service but i think other parts of the country often have no service at all).

In the north many places have no New Year's Day service. Until 2019 it was the only day of the year with no buses past my house. In West Yorkshire only the Leeds - Airport service ran on New Year's Day for many years until 2019 which was the last year for that.

 

[317 forever]

The decision to run Christmas Day services in Brighton could be one of the first decisions made by a Go-Ahead company since its takeover led by Kinetic was completed on Monday.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

New Years Day is normally just a full Sunday service on most bus operators (at least in the South East on the operators i mainly use it is always a full Sunday service but i think other parts of the country often have no service at all).

I think that is more of a Southern thing.

Being from the North East originally, Christmas Day and New Years Day are often bus free zones. As for Boxing Day, you will get services on Tyneside and some routes in northern Co Durham but there's a chasm from Ripon to Durham where there's nothing

 

[Cesarcollie]

The decision to run Christmas Day services in Brighton could be one of the first decisions made by a Go-Ahead company since its takeover led by Kinetic was completed on Monday.

i suspect the internal debate and the decision took place long before last Monday.

 

[dpsilverba]

i suspect the internal debate and the decision took place long before last Monday.

I've been informed by one of my friendly 'Eclipse' drivers that Portsmouth City Council want buses that serve Queen Alexandra Hospital to run on Christmas Day and are paying handsomely for it. He anticipates £36 an hour for his eight hour day.

 

[AY1975]

I wonder if Black prince will run their preserved buses in Leeds on Christmas day like they have before, seeing First, Transdev and Arriva won't be.

And I wonder if the special Christmas Day vintage bus service on part of London route 430, between Putney Bridge station and Roehampton Danebury Avenue, will run again this year. It has run every Christmas since 2017 (except probably not 2020 because of the Covid lockdown) using an RT. The 1950s Vintage Bus Hire website still mentions this service as having run in 2021 but hasn't been updated for 2022 yet.

 

[Cesarcollie]

And I wonder if the special Christmas Day vintage bus service on part of London route 430, between Putney Bridge station and Roehampton Danebury Avenue, will run again this year. It has run every Christmas since 2017 (except probably not 2020 because of the Covid lockdown) using an RT. The 1950s Vintage Bus Hire website still mentions this service as having run in 2021 but hasn't been updated for 2022 yet.

i think this was run free of charge? But if not, like many heritage bus services, BODS will have killed it. Gibson/Setright/Ultimate machines cannot unfortunately provide the now legally required live tracking facility!

 

[AY1975]

i think this was run free of charge? But if not, like many heritage bus services, BODS will have killed it. Gibson/Setright/Ultimate machines cannot unfortunately provide the now legally required live tracking facility!

Yes it was, but the conductor still gave every passenger a ticket (I think they used a Gibson machine) and they had a bucket for donations.

BTW what does BODS stand for? Did that requirement only come in this year? It was still able to run last year.

 

[Ken H]

i think this was run free of charge? But if not, like many heritage bus services, BODS will have killed it. Gibson/Setright/Ultimate machines cannot unfortunately provide the now legally required live tracking facility!

You can run vintage buses free of charge. I think you can run them on services that run a few days each year but i think prebooked.

 

[M803UYA]

i think this was run free of charge? But if not, like many heritage bus services, BODS will have killed it. Gibson/Setright/Ultimate machines cannot unfortunately provide the now legally required live tracking facility!

I wonder why live tracking is required for one off heritage bus services? Come to think of it I can think of an operator who doesn't have live tracking on their 'services' nor do they issue tickets. To do so, the operator would need to procure handheld ticket machines. The routes concerned work under contract to the local authority.... I guess it must be fine if they're paying for the service.

 

[markymark2000]

i think this was run free of charge? But if not, like many heritage bus services, BODS will have killed it. Gibson/Setright/Ultimate machines cannot unfortunately provide the now legally required live tracking facility!

You can still have external trackers. The Epping Ongar Railway do their 339 and is fully BODS compliant.

BTW what does BODS stand for? Did that requirement only come in this year? It was still able to run last year.

Bus Open Data (Service). It's a legal requirement that all registered bus services (with some exceptions) send their timetable, bus tracking and fares data to the govt bus open data service.

I wonder why live tracking is required for one off heritage bus services? Come to think of it I can think of an operator who doesn't have live tracking on their 'services' nor do they issue tickets. To do so, the operator would need to procure handheld ticket machines. The routes concerned work under contract to the local authority.... I guess it must be fine if they're paying for the service.

Because it's a blanket rule/law. As long as the route isn't registered, there is no issue.

 

[LiviCrazy]

West Lothian Council have announced their supported services this year.

https://news.westlothian.gov.uk/article/75916/Festive-buses-given-green-light

The Executive approved the council’s £46,700 investment that will provide the following services on Christmas Day and 1 January.

• X22 Shotts – Edinburgh via Whitburn, Blackburn, Seafield, Livingston Village, Livingston Centre, Dedridge East, Mid Calder, East Calder & Wilkieston.
• X25 Blackridge – Livingston via Armadale, Bathville, Bathgate, Deans North, Ladywell East & Alderstone Road
• 26 Fauldhouse – Livingston via Whitburn, Bathgate, Bents, Stoneyburn, Loganlea, West Calder & Polbeth.
• X27 Whitburn– Edinburgh via Blackburn, Seafield, Eliburn – Livingston Centre, Dedridge East, Mid Calder, East Calder & Wilkieston
• X28 Bathgate – Edinburgh via Deans North, Knightsridge, Craigshill, Dedridge East, East Calder & Kirknewton
• X38 Linlithgow – Edinburgh via Winchburgh

 

[TheSel]

Further to earlier messages in this thread about Merseytravel provided Christmas Day services, full details are now downloadable from the website: https://www.merseytravel.gov.uk/customer-information/christmas-public-transport-information/

 

[busestrains]

Stagecoach South have announced that they will run a full Sunday service on Boxing Day but absolutely nothing on New Years Day at all! This is the strangest timetable i have seen! It is the complete opposite of every other bus operator! Almost every other bus operator (at least in the South East England area) is running nothing on Boxing Day at all but is running a full Sunday service on New Years Day so i have no idea why Stagecoach South are doing the opposite this year!

Christmas and New Years Bus Timetables | South | Stagecoach

Stagecoach South Christmas and New Year bus times 2021. Merry Christmas from Stagecoach South! Click for bus travel information.

www.stagecoachbus.com

 

[ChrisC]

There are so many bus routes these days, mainly outside of large cities, which have no buses in the evenings or on a Sunday. This isn’t just in very remote country areas but in many far more populated areas. Many bus companies this Christmas, are running no buses on Christmas Day, no buses on Boxing Day and being a bank holiday a Sunday service on Tuesday 27th December. Therefore on the route where I live, and many others of this type, there are no buses from around 6pm on Saturday Christmas Eve until the following Wednesday morning. It’s almost as bad at New Year as Monday 2nd January is also a Sunday Service. It’s been like this for years.

 

[WibbleWobble]

Stagecoach South have announced that they will run a full Sunday service on Boxing Day but absolutely nothing on New Years Day at all! This is the strangest timetable i have seen! It is the complete opposite of every other bus operator! Almost every other bus operator (at least in the South East England area) is running nothing on Boxing Day at all but is running a full Sunday service on New Years Day so i have no idea why Stagecoach South are doing the opposite this year![/URL]

Really? I've always seen it as a higher level of service on Boxing Day than New Year's Day.

Buses are often usually busier on Boxing Day than they are on New Year's Day, as people head for the sales. From experience, New Year's Day is quieter as people have a lie in following the night before, and a lot of stores close for the day.

Also depends on football fixtures, and whether or not a team is playing at home.

 

[43055]

Stagecoach South have announced that they will run a full Sunday service on Boxing Day but absolutely nothing on New Years Day at all! This is the strangest timetable i have seen! It is the complete opposite of every other bus operator! Almost every other bus operator (at least in the South East England area) is running nothing on Boxing Day at all but is running a full Sunday service on New Years Day so i have no idea why Stagecoach South are doing the opposite this year!

Christmas and New Years Bus Timetables | South | Stagecoach

Stagecoach South Christmas and New Year bus times 2021. Merry Christmas from Stagecoach South! Click for bus travel information.

www.stagecoachbus.com

That is the first time I have heard an operator running more buses on New Years Day. Up in the east midlands it has typically been Boxing day which has buses and nothing on New Years. Although this year it seems that the only routes which will run is the Skylink to East Midlands Airport on boxing day.

There are so many bus routes these days, mainly outside of large cities, which have no buses in the evenings or on a Sunday. This isn’t just in very remote country areas but in many far more populated areas. Many bus companies this Christmas, are running no buses on Christmas Day, no buses on Boxing Day and being a bank holiday a Sunday service on Tuesday 27th December. Therefore on the route where I live, and many others of this type, there are no buses from around 6pm on Saturday Christmas Eve until the following Wednesday morning. It’s almost as bad at New Year as Monday 2nd January is also a Sunday Service. It’s been like this for years.

Still better than route 4 in Burton on Trent which has no service between the 23rd December and 3rd January due to running a Saturday service where there are no buses. Fortunately much of the route is covered by other services.

 

[DaveHarries]

Brighton has never had any Christmas Day bus services before so interesting to see them running this year and i wonder what other cities will have them this year.

Bluestar (GoAhead, Southampton) has 1X (every 2hrs), 17X and 18X (both hourly) but no news on Plymouth Citybus' plans for Xmas and New Year period.

Dave

 

[miklcct]

morebus has announced its Christmas day m1/m2 timetable with the usual extension to Royal Bournemouth Hospital (m1) and Christchurch (m2).

 

[Man of Kent]

Stagecoach South have announced that they will run a full Sunday service on Boxing Day but absolutely nothing on New Years Day at all! This is the strangest timetable i have seen! It is the complete opposite of every other bus operator! Almost every other bus operator (at least in the South East England area) is running nothing on Boxing Day at all but is running a full Sunday service on New Years Day so i have no idea why Stagecoach South are doing the opposite this year!

Stagecoach South East has not run on New Year's Day for around a decade or so, having managed to ditch the requirement on tendered services too. It has tentatively stuck its toe into the Boxing Day market in years past, but not this year.

 

[AwkwardHail]

morebus has announced its Christmas day m1/m2 timetable with the usual extension to Royal Bournemouth Hospital (m1) and Christchurch (m2).

m1 is no longer an extension, and now permanently runs to Royal Bournemouth Hospital.

 

[341o2]

morebus has announced its Christmas day m1/m2 timetable with the usual extension to Royal Bournemouth Hospital (m1) and Christchurch (m2).

Full details can be found at https://www.morebus.co.uk/christmas
Boxing Day and New Year's Day

a Sunday service on Bournemouth routes 1a, 1/1b, 2, 4, 5/5a & 6 plus Poole routes 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 13, 14, 16, 17, 40, 50, X3 & X8, with a special service on routes m1 & m2. No other routes will run

 

[Andy Pacer]

Various information for the different regions on the Arriva web site

Arriva Bus

www.arrivabus.co.uk

 

[Hophead]

Stagecoach South have announced that they will run a full Sunday service on Boxing Day but absolutely nothing on New Years Day at all! This is the strangest timetable i have seen! It is the complete opposite of every other bus operator! Almost every other bus operator (at least in the South East England area) is running nothing on Boxing Day at all but is running a full Sunday service on New Years Day so i have no idea why Stagecoach South are doing the opposite this year!

Christmas and New Years Bus Timetables | South | Stagecoach

Stagecoach South Christmas and New Year bus times 2021. Merry Christmas from Stagecoach South! Click for bus travel information.

www.stagecoachbus.com

If you follow the link, you will find that they have not quite announced this. Blackwater Valley (Aldershot, Camberley etc) & Guildford areas do see a Sunday timetable but there's nothing else across the operating area except for a couple of routes in both Chichester & Portsmouth. In recent years, there has been a Sunday service in more areas, but not this time. It means that route 53 (Guildford / Ewhurst), for example, is on the road from 07:55 to 23:41 - I won't be checking the loadings.

New Year's Day gets the same as Christmas Day (those limited services in Portsmouth & Chichester).

 

[Deerfold]

That is the first time I have heard an operator running more buses on New Years Day. Up in the east midlands it has typically been Boxing day which has buses and nothing on New Years. Although this year it seems that the only routes which will run is the Skylink to East Midlands Airport on boxing day.

Still better than route 4 in Burton on Trent which has no service between the 23rd December and 3rd January due to running a Saturday service where there are no buses. Fortunately much of the route is covered by other services.

Oddly in the South, often areas without great bus services, there does seem to be a regular bus service on New Year's day.

Where I am, in the North, the only days I have no bus service are Christmas Day (and I did have until 2019) and New Year's Day. Annoyingly a full train service runs on New Year's Day, but it's a half hour walk to the station (and same again the other end of visiting relatives).

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Really? I've always seen it as a higher level of service on Boxing Day than New Year's Day.

Buses are often usually busier on Boxing Day than they are on New Year's Day, as people head for the sales. From experience, New Year's Day is quieter as people have a lie in following the night before, and a lot of stores close for the day.

Also depends on football fixtures, and whether or not a team is playing at home.

That is the first time I have heard an operator running more buses on New Years Day. Up in the east midlands it has typically been Boxing day which has buses and nothing on New Years. Although this year it seems that the only routes which will run is the Skylink to East Midlands Airport on boxing day.

That's my experience. Boxing Day is invariably the busier day as shops begin their sales whilst NYD is much quieter as folks recover from the previous nights' exertions.

Looks like Bluestar is running a Sunday service on Boxing Day and whilst some services operate a Sunday service on NYD too, there's a number on a special NYD reduced timetable. Same with Salisbury Reds with few routes (X3, X4) but Activ8 only appearing on Boxing Day

 

[Andy Pacer]

That's my experience. Boxing Day is invariably the busier day as shops begin their sales whilst NYD is much quieter as folks recover from the previous nights' exertions.

Depending whether shops are open on Boxing Day, there seems to be a growing trend for more shops to remain closed, as reported here:

Full list of stores that are closed on Boxing Day - from Poundland to Aldi

Stores from across the UK are beginning to announce their festive opening hours ahead of the holiday season, with Home Bargains vowing to give staff time off over Christmas

www.mirror.co.uk