Go South Coast

[01d-and]

6916/LX06EBZ seen on suspended tow [ Wigley's ], M5 northbound around lunchtime today.

 

[freerj]

Noticed that on X3 Salisbury to Bournemouth routes today the buses are showing ‘Ringwood then Bournemouth” on displays and then changing to Bournemouth only from Ringwood. Suspect this is for some regulation reason or something. Can anyone explain why bus operators do this (even though no need to change vehicle at Ringwood) ? It also messes up using apps like Citymapper or Google as they only show the destination as Ringwood rather than Bournemouth

 

[43055]

Noticed that on X3 Salisbury to Bournemouth routes today the buses are showing ‘Ringwood then Bournemouth” on displays and then changing to Bournemouth only from Ringwood. Suspect this is for some regulation reason or something. Can anyone explain why bus operators do this (even though no need to change vehicle at Ringwood) ? It also messes up using apps like Citymapper or Google as they only show the destination as Ringwood rather than Bournemouth

Someone will probably know better but I believe it is down to driver hours in some way. Maybe the change had to come in with the extension to Salisbury Station?

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Noticed that on X3 Salisbury to Bournemouth routes today the buses are showing ‘Ringwood then Bournemouth” on displays and then changing to Bournemouth only from Ringwood. Suspect this is for some regulation reason or something. Can anyone explain why bus operators do this (even though no need to change vehicle at Ringwood) ? It also messes up using apps like Citymapper or Google as they only show the destination as Ringwood rather than Bournemouth

This is to do with the use of UK domestic hours rules. Splitting registrations has been the norm for years otherwise the length of journey would mean it came under EU drivers hours rules that are stricter and reflect the type of operation e.g. long distance coach travel. Some routes are split into 3 registrations.

The DfT guidance is that you show the split point in bold, and the end destination below that.

 

[Lynford1976]

Noticed that on X3 Salisbury to Bournemouth routes today the buses are showing ‘Ringwood then Bournemouth” on displays and then changing to Bournemouth only from Ringwood. Suspect this is for some regulation reason or something. Can anyone explain why bus operators do this (even though no need to change vehicle at Ringwood) ? It also messes up using apps like Citymapper or Google as they only show the destination as Ringwood rather than Bournemouth

On the official More bus app, the X3 continues to be shown as one through route.

 

[nw1]

Big disruptions this past week on the "western" group of Bluestar/Salisbury Reds services (6, 8, 9, 11, 12, X7/R) due to emergency works at Redbridge roundabout.

Most services running late with the exception of a few journeys booked to come off other routes. Tuesday seemed to be particularly disrupted with Wed/Thur slightly better. A few emergency substitutions as a result, for example the 1040 journey on the 8 one day last week was formed of an Empress Road Enviro400 City in lieu of a Totton Enviro200.

 

[341o2]

The Morebus summer changes have been announced - two new routes (11 and 21) and various tweaks elsewhere, including a 7-day service to Wimborne on the 6.

https://www.morebus.co.uk/timetable-improvements-24-may-2025



Waiting with interest to see the full timetables

Some BSIP-funded developments on the way too, including a £1 evening flat fare in the BCP area and from the autumn the night buses will operate all week long

Note that route FE1 has been withdrawn without replacement. On the vehicle side, 1020 (Salisbury Reds) has been loaned to Poole, and 2009 (Swindon) likewise to Lymington. 2009 has, so far, worked the X1/2 only.
The problem with Boscombe Pier, is traffic queuing for the car parks. Also, there is no mention of the Boscombe Beach Bus.

 

[greenline712]

Someone will probably know better but I believe it is down to driver hours in some way. Maybe the change had to come in with the extension to Salisbury Station?

Route X3 doesn't run to/from Salisbury Station, at least not according to the latest timetable:

https://passenger-line-assets.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/salisburyreds/WDBC/X3-timetable-20240901-079c18f9.pdf

The reason for the split registration is indeed for drivers hours considerations: this is a brief explanation . . .
Domestic rules require that a driver does not exceed 5.5 hours driving without a break, and do not exceed 10 hours driving in a 24-hour period.
EC rules require that the break comes after 4.5 hours, and the maximum driving time in a 24-hour period is 9 hours.

There are other considerations, but this will suffice for now. One big consideration is that a driver that drives on an "in-scope" route (subject to EC rules), even if only for one duty, is deemed "in-scope" for seven days before and seven days after . . . I learnt this in the 1980s, when my route had some duties over 5 hours driving, and if I'd worked a private hire or excursion on one day, I couldn't work those duties for a week before or a week after!!

Looking at the X3 timetable, the vast majority of the journeys are run by Ringwood Garage; the route takes three hours for one round trip. Under EC rules, a driver could only cover one rounder and a Bournemouth end in a 4.5 hour spell (eg 10:37-15:01 [4:26 spell]); a rounder and a Salisbury end would be (eg 10:31-15:07 [4:36 spell]).
That might not seem very much different, but two 4:36 spells totals 9:12 driving time . . . this becomes seriously restrictive when compiling duties, and illegal under EC rules. Two 4:26 spells totals 8:54 driving time . . . this is much better. Under domestic rules, there is no problem with two longer spells comprising a duty . . . there may not be many such duties required on the schedule, but even a couple of such spells might save a duty overall.
I'm not including occasional stand times in spell time . . . the calculations become cumbersome, and EC rules require stand times within spells to total at least 45 minutes within a spell over 4:30. Such stand times MUST be taken, even if the bus is running late.

That's part of the fun (and the challenge) in compiling duty schedules . . . and why I did so for 20+ years!!

 

[Lynford1976]

Route X3 doesn't run to/from Salisbury Station, at least not according to the latest timetable:

https://passenger-line-assets.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/salisburyreds/WDBC/X3-timetable-20240901-079c18f9.pdf

The X3 started to serve Salisbury station from this weekend, @greenline712. It appears that the PDF timetable on the Salisbury Reds website isn't yet updated, although the website timetable has been.

 

[greenline712]

The X3 started to serve Salisbury station from this weekend, @greenline712. It appears that the PDF timetable on the Salisbury Reds website isn't yet updated, although the website timetable has been.

Ah .... I wasn't aware of that .... thanks.
If the extension adds 1PVR to the route, then that makes my spell calculations even greater.
If the extension comes out of stand time, that will make timekeeping even more important, as recovery time will be reduced.
Either way, the split registration becomes even more essential !!!

 

[DavidK]

I see Roger French's blog carries an article about GSC MD Andrew Wickham who sadly passed away this morning

Saluting Andrew’s amazing career….RIP

Sunday 25th May 2025 I’m so sorry to update today’s blog (written yesterday) with the devastating news Andrew sadly passed away in the early hours of this morning. Rest In Peace Andrew. This very s…

busandtrainuser.com

 

[WibbleWobble]

The X3's extension to Salisbury Station tips the end-to-end distance over 50km, hence the need for a registration split. The destination displays account for that as Ringwood is in effect the terminus on each registration.

 

[ANDREW_D_WEBB]

IIRC it was the 50km rule which saw the route curtailed from Bournemouth Triangle to Bournemouth Square as it made the route just under 50km. Hope the link to Salisbury station is successful for multimodal connections.

 

[PTR 444]

IIRC it was the 50km rule which saw the route curtailed from Bournemouth Triangle to Bournemouth Square as it made the route just under 50km. Hope the link to Salisbury station is successful for multimodal connections.

It would be even better if it could serve Bournemouth Station too, to provide a true rail connecting bus service.

Like I’ve said before, there must be a strong case to cut out Boscombe from the route and have it run straight down Holdenhurst Road, as that might also bring it back within the 50km rule. If Boscombe - RB Hospital still warrants a half-hourly bus service, it would make sense to increase the frequency of the 33.

 

[nw1]

It would be even better if it could serve Bournemouth Station too, to provide a true rail connecting bus service.

Like I’ve said before, there must be a strong case to cut out Boscombe from the route and have it run straight down Holdenhurst Road, as that might also bring it back within the 50km rule. If Boscombe - RB Hospital still warrants a half-hourly bus service, it would make sense to increase the frequency of the 33.

It's not in my immediate area I have to admit, but given the X3 is an inter-town service with no railway alternative and also provides the most significant public transport to Ringwood, it should be as fast as possible while still serving intermediate places on the direct route. It would make sense for me to run it straight down the A338 from Ringwood with stops at the roundabout (Cooper Dean, isn't it?) for interchange to other services and then fast to Bournemouth Station before calling all stops to the centre.

 

[fgwrich]

I see Roger French's blog carries an article about GSC MD Andrew Wickham who sadly passed away this morning

Saluting Andrew’s amazing career….RIP

Sunday 25th May 2025 I’m so sorry to update today’s blog (written yesterday) with the devastating news Andrew sadly passed away in the early hours of this morning. Rest In Peace Andrew. This very s…

busandtrainuser.com

Indeed, very sad news. I’ve never been that much of a fan of GoAhead but the GSC operations have been fantastically run over the years and a very smart set of companies. The envy of many.

My condolences to his family, friends and colleagues of GSC.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

It would be even better if it could serve Bournemouth Station too, to provide a true rail connecting bus service.

Like I’ve said before, there must be a strong case to cut out Boscombe from the route and have it run straight down Holdenhurst Road, as that might also bring it back within the 50km rule. If Boscombe - RB Hospital still warrants a half-hourly bus service, it would make sense to increase the frequency of the 33.

It's not in my immediate area I have to admit, but given the X3 is an inter-town service with no railway alternative and also provides the most significant public transport to Ringwood, it should be as fast as possible while still serving intermediate places on the direct route. It would make sense for me to run it straight down the A338 from Ringwood with stops at the roundabout (Cooper Dean, isn't it?) for interchange to other services and then fast to Bournemouth Station before calling all stops to the centre.

Perhaps it might just be that Boscombe is a far bigger traffic objective than Bournemouth Station?

 

[341o2]

Sad news. It is with great sadness that Morebus has announced the death of the company's managing director and transport industry champion, Andrew Wickham MBE.
https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=1292150046243781&set=a.568337298625063

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Sad news. It is with great sadness that Morebus has announced the death of the company's managing director and transport industry champion, Andrew Wickham MBE.
https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=1292150046243781&set=a.568337298625063

See posts #701 and #706

A great busman and a sad loss

 

[DaveHarries]

Indeed, very sad news. I’ve never been that much of a fan of GoAhead but the GSC operations have been fantastically run over the years and a very smart set of companies. The envy of many.

My condolences to his family, friends and colleagues of GSC.

I know what you mean but I remember being very impressed when Yellow Buses ceased trading in Bournemouth back in August 2022 and GSC (Morebus) got a recruitment day set up at almost nil notice (48hrs?) and, I believe, ended up signing on over 100 new drivers in a single day thereby giving those ex. YB drivers certainty of employment when they needed it most. I believe A.W was there keeping an eye on everything and no doubt talking with some of the YB drivers who turned up. This was the message on the Morebus website:

Bus Driver Recruitment Centre

Temporary recruitment centre for former Yellow Bus drivers, offering ENHANCED £3k bonus...

www.morebus.co.uk

I wonder if any other operators have ever pulled off something like that? The prompt organising, with not much notice, and subsequent success of that recruitment exercise reflected well on GSC and probably also on Andrew's leadership. May Andrew rest in peace: my sympathies to his family, friends and colleagues.

Dave

 

[Simon75]

This is to do with the use of UK domestic hours rules. Splitting registrations has been the norm for years otherwise the length of journey would mean it came under EU drivers hours rules that are stricter and reflect the type of operation e.g. long distance coach travel. Some routes are split into 3 registrations.

The DfT guidance is that you show the split point in bold, and the end destination below that.

Since Brexit any plans to get rid of EU driving hours and just have UK driving hours?

 

[nw1]

Since Brexit any plans to get rid of EU driving hours and just have UK driving hours?

Hopefully not as I suspect the EU driving hours rules were there for a reason. It may mean quirks like the above but that's arguably better than over-working drivers.

 

[PTR 444]

It's not in my immediate area I have to admit, but given the X3 is an inter-town service with no railway alternative and also provides the most significant public transport to Ringwood, it should be as fast as possible while still serving intermediate places on the direct route. It would make sense for me to run it straight down the A338 from Ringwood with stops at the roundabout (Cooper Dean, isn't it?) for interchange to other services and then fast to Bournemouth Station before calling all stops to the centre.

Cooper Dean is a massive bottleneck. IMO it would be more worthwhile to make the new Wessex Fields junction full access and join it up with the hospital access road, allowing the X3 and X6 to access it from the north. An additional bus only road linking Chaseside with Littledown Avenue would additionally allow the X routes to bypass Cooper Dean completely.

Serving Bournemouth Hospital is worthwhile even for the X routes since it acts as a major transportation hub for the outer fringes of the conurbation.

 

[DaveHarries]

Sad news. It is with great sadness that Morebus has announced the death of the company's managing director and transport industry champion, Andrew Wickham MBE. https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=1292150046243781&set=a.568337298625063

This from GoAhead themselves.

It is with great sadness that Go-Ahead confirms that Andrew Wickham MBE, Managing Director, Go South Coast has passed away. [...] He made a big impression on our business and we will honour his legacy at the appropriate time.

(Source: https://www.go-ahead.com/news/announcement-on-andrew-wickham-mbe/)

Naming of vehicles perhaps but I wonder what else. He was obviously well liked.

Dave

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Hopefully not as I suspect the EU driving hours rules were there for a reason. It may mean quirks like the above but that's arguably better than over-working drivers.

Exactly. Without going over old ground, EU drivers rules are there are a reason. Just in the U.K., other routes (that weren’t the target) were swept up and hence the derogation.

 

[WibbleWobble]

Cooper Dean is a massive bottleneck. IMO it would be more worthwhile to make the new Wessex Fields junction full access and join it up with the hospital access road, allowing the X3 and X6 to access it from the north. An additional bus only road linking Chaseside with Littledown Avenue would additionally allow the X routes to bypass Cooper Dean completely.

Serving Bournemouth Hospital is worthwhile even for the X routes since it acts as a major transportation hub for the outer fringes of the conurbation.

Wessex Fields link road access is being restricted to hospital staff and emergency vehicles only.

Even if buses could use it, it wouldn't be possible to access the bus stands from the north side because of the road layout.

 

[Joe Paxton]

I see Roger French's blog carries an article about GSC MD Andrew Wickham who sadly passed away this morning

Saluting Andrew’s amazing career….RIP

Sunday 25th May 2025 I’m so sorry to update today’s blog (written yesterday) with the devastating news Andrew sadly passed away in the early hours of this morning. Rest In Peace Andrew. This very s…

busandtrainuser.com

I've just seen this sad news - I didn't know he'd been ill, but I did know that he was held in very high esteem in the bus world, and it's clear that Go South Coast had someone who was very well admired at the helm.

This line from Roger French's tribute (linked above) is great:

"I know you were pleased to get back into the operating companies and the operations director role at Go South Coast was just the job for you in 2003, and how lovely it was to see someone who loves buses running buses and doing it so well."

 

[Towers]

I see that some of the ex Bluestar 1 fleet appears to have taken up residence on the Swanage runs, two or three of them on the 40s today amongst other routes. Are these intended as permanent allocations for this route do we know? No more open toppers? Plenty of open toppers in evidence elsewhere on the 50s today, for comparison.

1644 & 1115 were both observed still running in full Bluestar livery, albeit 1644 has had its Bluestar 1 Winchester - Southampton wording removed. 1114 also seems to have transferred across, any more to come?

Attached image shows ex-Bluestar ADL E400 1644 on layover in central Bournemouth, with its Bluestar 1 route branding removed but otherwise still in full Bluestar livery.

 

[James H]

The 40 is usually closed top - nothing out of the ordinary from that point of view

 

[OptareOlympus]

Bluestar 1645/46/47 are allocated to Swanage until September covering for the convertible Evosetis that work the half hourly 50 in the summer.