Stagecoach South & South East

[lxfe_mxtterz]

Stagecoach South are introducing a new livery to the electric buses in Guildford and Surry, as below. This bus repainted shown is 74004.

https://x.com/stagecoachsouth/status/1750925687748202590?s=46&t=NwCcaynuPR-k7xjMa0OtGQ

A huge downgrade in my eyes. The old livery was very smart. This one looks rather cheap in comparison.

 

[alex397]

Stagecoach South are introducing a new livery to the electric buses in Guildford and Surry, as below. This bus repainted shown is 74004.

https://x.com/stagecoachsouth/status/1750925687748202590?s=46&t=NwCcaynuPR-k7xjMa0OtGQ

Doesn’t look like anything special. Just the ordinary bland livery with some extra words.

 

[fgwrich]

A huge downgrade in my eyes. The old livery was very smart. This one looks rather cheap in comparison.

The old one did a decent ish job of hiding the dirt too, here’s two examples I’ve seen this week of Googlebus looking well, awful.

 

[AB93]

Doesn’t look like anything special. Just the ordinary bland livery with some extra words.

And the old branding still clearly visible on the cab door!

 

[Flange Squeal]

According to the Hants and Surrey Bus Blog, Stagecoach’s outstation near Alton officially closed over the weekend with the journeys and drivers transferring to Winchester but on a separate roster with a possible outstation still being sought in the Alton area.

Today has seen two news items relating to the Hampshire market town of Alton. While two days a week sees Cresta Coaches operate shopper bus routes 206/208 to nearby villages, Stagecoach South is very much the dominant operator. The town used to have its own bus depot, but these days services are now operated by an impressive six premises (five depots and one outstation).

• Aldershot: 9, 65X, 113, 123
• Basingstoke: 13
• Farringdon: 64 (some), 64X
• Guildford*: 65
• Portsmouth: 37X, 38, 38X
• Winchester: 64

(*I believe it is the Peasmarsh depot, rather than Leas Road depot, in Guildford that work the 65.)

The single outstation among the list of depots is Farringdon Business Park, located in the village of Lower Farringdon, around four miles south of Alton. It has been reported that this operating centre officially closed today, with vehicles moved to Winchester depot. The licence shows an authorisation of five vehicles here, with a look through the handy bustimes.org website’s past tracking for local routes showing at least three regular dead runs to/from Farringdon on weekdays. The vehicles appear to have been regularly workings as follows, with I presume the longer slack time between some journeys in Winchester allowing for any required fuelling/vehicle swaps (although I guess these could also be done at other times during layover time between trips in Winchester too if required). These include journeys on routes 64, 64X, 67 and 69. I had previously twigged a link between Farringdon outstation and the not-so-local Winchester to Fareham 69 after recently being turfed off a late running Winchester-bound 69 before reaching the bus station, so the bus could head straight to Peter Symonds College for a college run which I noted on bustimes.org at the time appeared to run dead to Farringdon afterwards.

64: 0633 Alton – Winchester (0720)
64: 0730 Winchester – Eggars School (0820)
64: 0845 Alton – Winchester (0937)
64: 1045 Winchester – Alton (1135)
64: 1145 Alton – Winchester (1237)
64: 1245 Winchester – Alton (1335)
64: 1345 Alton – Winchester (1437)
64: 1445 Winchester – Alton (1535)
64: 1545 Alton – Winchester (1637)
64: 1650 Winchester – Alton (1740)

67: 0715 Petersfield – Winchester (0841)
64: 0845 Winchester – Alton (0935)
64: 0945 Alton – Winchester (1037)
69: 1325 Winchester – Fareham (1450)
69: 1455 Fareham – Winchester (1635)
64X: 1648 Peter Symonds College – Alton (1752)

64X: 0749 Four Marks – Peter Symonds College (0848)
64: 0945 Winchester – Alton (1035)
64: 1045 Alton – Winchester (1137)
64: 1145 Winchester – Alton (1235)
64: 1245 Alton – Winchester (1337)
64: 1345 Winchester – Alton (1435)
64: 1445 Alton – Winchester (1537)
64: 1545 Winchester – Alton (1635)
64: 1645 Alton – Winchester (1737)
64: 1750 Winchester – Alton (1840)

Since posting about this on our Facebook page, I am told that Stagecoach are still looking to possibly replace the outstation rather than permanently move these workings to Winchester, and that the former Farringdon-based drivers are remaining on a separate Alton rota.

Source: https://handsbusblog.wordpress.com/...loses-as-alton-bus-rally-running-day-returns/

Also, Stagecoach will be taking over the Woking railway station to Wisley Gardens shuttle bus service from 29 March. The Wisley Gardens website states that it will use a 35 seat vehicle, so this will presumably be a bog standard Enviro from one of the two Guildford depots. I think Leas Road currently does the Woking area work (routes 34/35/91). It is currently operated by Woking Community Transport using a Fiat minibus in full RHS livery. The timetable looks to be a one driver/vehicle operation similar to the current winter timetable, but with an additional round trip at 1700 Woking to Wisley and 1730 back.

29 March 2024​

Stagecoach​

Wisley Garden Shuttle - From 29 March the shuttle bus will be operated by Stagecoach. There are also minor changes to the timetable with a later journey.

Surrey County Council website regarding timetable change: https://www.surreycc.gov.uk/roads-a...ort/bus-timetable-changes/forthcoming-changes

Daily shuttle bus from Woking​

Jump on the daily Wisley shuttle bus from Woking train station (exit the station from platform 5, not the high street) and reach the garden in as little as 20 minutes, for only £2 one way. The bus stop at Wisley is close to the garden entrance and café.

Tickets are purchased via contactless card payment on board the bus.

Please note: From 29 March 2024, we are increasing capacity up to a 35-seat bus.

Wisley Gardens website regarding seating capacity: https://www.rhs.org.uk/gardens/wisley/plan-your-visit/how-to-get-to-wisley

 

[LUYMun]

Transport Focus’ 2023 “Your Bus Journey” survey has revealed that the highest overall journey satisfaction from passengers, by operator, is Stagecoach in Portsmouth, a subsidiary of Stagecoach South, with a 91% satisfaction rating. This can be found on page 28 of their report.

Your Bus Journey - 2023 results - Transport Focus

Bus passengers across England have spoken – with 80 per cent of those travelling saying they were satisfied with their last journey in the new Your Bus Journey survey published today. First year results for 2023 from the new Your Bus Journey survey showed passenger satisfaction varying widely...

www.transportfocus.org.uk

 

[LUYMun]

Hampshire County Council is to finance local bus services in the county, with Stagecoach South benefitting greatly to its commercial bus network. It is primarily extending frequency throughout the day; including early mornings, late evenings and Sundays. Also, in partnership with Surrey County Council, route 65 (Alton-Farnham-Guildford) is to gain an hourly, all-week timetable - which I believe is long overdue for a Sunday service.

Other bus companies also benefit from this funding allowance. Link to news here:

https://www.hants.gov.uk/News/20240319BSIPMoreFrequentBuses

Hampshire County Council, as part of the Bus Service Improvement Partnership, has allocated £4.2 million Government funding to Stagecoach South, Go South Coast, and First Solent to enable them to increase service levels on 15 Hampshire bus routes - resulting in more day and evening services – as well as see three new services introduced on Sundays.

The funding comes from Hampshire’s £7.2 million share of the Department for Transport’s (DfT) Bus Service Improvement Plan Plus money and has been awarded in line with the DfT’s direction that the majority should be used to protect existing commercial services (that might otherwise see reduced timetables) and to fund more frequent services.
[...]

In Farnborough, buses will run more frequently to and from the Prospect Estate throughout the daytime, and earlier in the morning and later in the evening on Sundays. Extra evening buses will also run to Pinewood Park and Hawley Lane.

Buses between Newbury, Kingsclere and Basingstoke will run later into the evening and on Sundays for the first time, as well as more frequently at weekday peak times. These changes are in partnership with West Berkshire Council.

Service 66 between Romsey and Winchester will improve to every 30 minutes, Monday to Saturday daytime.

In Andover, more buses will run to and from East Anton throughout the week, with extra trips during the day as well as into the evening and on Sundays. Service 76 between Andover, Whitchurch and Basingstoke will improve to every 30 minutes, Monday to Saturday daytime.

In partnership with Surrey County Council, service 65 between Alton, Farnham and Guildford will move to a new hourly timetable, running seven days a week.

These changes will be delivered alongside other planned commercial improvements to Stagecoach bus services across Hampshire over the coming months.

 

[Towers]

Hampshire County Council is to finance local bus services in the county, with Stagecoach South benefitting greatly to its commercial bus network. It is primarily extending frequency throughout the day; including early mornings, late evenings and Sundays. Also, in partnership with Surrey County Council, route 65 (Alton-Farnham-Guildford) is to gain an hourly, all-week timetable - which I believe is long overdue for a Sunday service.

Other bus companies also benefit from this funding allowance. Link to news here:

https://www.hants.gov.uk/News/20240319BSIPMoreFrequentBuses

Is that related to the current publicity suggesting that HCC are to cut all bus funding that isn’t legally required?

 

[RELL6L]

Is that related to the current publicity suggesting that HCC are to cut all bus funding that isn’t legally required?

The lunatics have taken over the asylum! Welcome positives but at the same time other services are going to be cut.

 

[duncombec]

Is that related to the current publicity suggesting that HCC are to cut all bus funding that isn’t legally required?

The lunatics have taken over the asylum! Welcome positives but at the same time other services are going to be cut.

Worth remembering that the new funding is BSIP-related, so can only be used to improve specific services, and likely agreed with the government. Whilst the strings have been loosened, it still seems to be intended more as a "kick up the jacksie" rather than "life support".

In relation to the "lunatic" point specifically, what would be greater lunacy would be continuing to fund services where the subsidy per passenger journey is more expensive than a meal out in a mid-range restaurant and where the number of users in the last year was estimated to be precisely zero.

What would be a 'better' use of your money? Funding a bus once a week so Elsie and Mavis can have a social coffee in town once every 6 weeks if it's not cold and raining, or a Sunday service that could potentially generate thousands of passenger journeys per year?

 

[Towers]

In relation to the "lunatic" point specifically, what would be greater lunacy would be continuing to fund services where the subsidy per passenger journey is more expensive than a meal out in a mid-range restaurant and where the number of users in the last year was estimated to be precisely zero.

What would be a 'better' use of your money? Funding a bus once a week so Elsie and Mavis can have a social coffee in town once every 6 weeks if it's not cold and raining, or a Sunday service that could potentially generate thousands of passenger journeys per year?

Indeed, it’s difficult to argue in favour of retaining some of the affected services, sadly.

 

[LUYMun]

So far the Blackwater Valley area has notified the upcoming Hampshire BSIP changes from 5 May. The changes will include:

2 (Farnborough-Camberley): Improved evening service between Farnborough and Hawley Lane, with last departures from Farnborough at 22:35 in lieu of current 20:20. Also noted is an extra weekday 08:20 trip from Farnborough to Camberley, as well as an extension of the weekend Hawley-Camberley starters to begin from Farnborough.

YoYo (Farnborough-Prospect Estate): Renumbered as the 6, with an increased frequency to every 12 minutes, rerouted via West Heath Roundabout instead of Prospect Road bridge to allow larger vehicles to run, and no longer runs certain trips via Farnborough Main station.

20 (Aldershot-Guildford): Extended 20 minute frequencies into weekend evenings and an earlier Sunday journey added.

Still yet to hear from other Hampshire areas of their round of changes. Link:

ServiceUpdatesArticle

www.stagecoachbus.com

Also it appears that Stagecoach South/South East is to launch a new route, numbered 701, between Brighton, Newhaven, Seaford and Eastbourne from 13 May, connecting with the 700 at Brighton, appearing to be competing against Brighton & Hove's 12X.

Stagecoach announces brand new bus service linking Eastbourne and Brighton

www.stagecoachbus.com

Stagecoach announces brand new bus service, linking Eastbourne and Brighton​

05 Apr 2024
From Monday 13 May Stagecoach will launch a new bus route, the 701, running between Eastbourne and Brighton via Seaford and Newhaven.

The hourly service, which will operate on Mondays to Saturdays, will link passengers to locations including the Amex Stadium, home of Premier League club Brighton F.C.

The 701 route will travel close to the Falmer campuses of both University of Sussex and University of Brighton, as well as the latter’s Lewes Road campus.

The new service will operate from the bus company’s Eastbourne depot and tickets will start from just £2 for a single journey, in-line with the national bus fare cap.

The 701 will also connect passengers with Stagecoach route 700 in Brighton which travels west of the city.

Stagecoach says more information including the full timetable will be published later this month.

 

[TrainBoy98]

I'm divided on the 701 - on one hand, I feel it won't make too much of a dent in the 12/12A/12X due to their frequency; on the other hand, it finally fills in the gap for me to only need one ticket (MegaRider) to get anywhere along the coast

 

[londonteacher]

I'm divided on the 701 - on one hand, I feel it won't make too much of a dent in the 12/12A/12X due to their frequency; on the other hand, it finally fills in the gap for me to only need one ticket (MegaRider) to get anywhere along the coast

You only needed one ticket anyway - the Discovery Ticket.

 

[RELL6L]

701 is intriguing. Is it going to go via Rottingdean? Or Lewes? Or some route in between? Whichever way it goes it will compete with Go Ahead. Is this ‘retaliation’ for the 28 running through to Eastbourne in pure Stagecoach territory from Hailsham to Eastbourne? It sounds commercial rather than BSIP funded. Partly aimed at students? Interesting

 

[Sussexwatch]

The 701 runs from Brighton Old Steine via Lewes Road to Falmer then A27 then A26 to Newhaven Station then follows B&H 12 to Eastbourne via Seaford and Seven Sisters. It appears to omit Lewes, using the A27 by-pass. Brighton University is closing its Eastbourne campus so it could be connected to that, but many of the new links provided, eg Moulsecoomb and Falmer to Newhaven, Seaford or Eastbourne also can already be made by train.

 

[TrainBoy98]

You only needed one ticket anyway - the Discovery Ticket.

True, but it's slightly more expensive, needs a paper ticket and a lot of drivers still don't seem to know how to issue one/if they accept it

And MegaRider can have longer duration Vs Discovery

 

[OptareOlympus]

They missed a trick. They could have reintroduced the 711 number, although the 701 appears to be following the 714 route from 1995/6 albeit omitting Lewes.

With the acquisition of Eastbourne Sightseeing and Regency increases by Brighton and Hove, it does have the feeling of warning shots being fired by Stagecoach.

If successful, I would imagine the plan is for the 701 to increase to half hourly from September once the campuses are back in.

 

[TrainBoy98]

They missed a trick. They could have reintroduced the 711 number, although the 701 appears to be following the 714 route from 1995/6 albeit omitting Lewes.

With the acquisition of Eastbourne Sightseeing and Regency increases by Brighton and Hove, it does have the feeling of warning shots being fired by Stagecoach.

If successful, I would imagine the plan is for the 701 to increase to half hourly from September once the campuses are back in.

Yes, especially with Regency services now serving Hailsham/Eastbourne, Stagecoach are likely feeling a bit threatened in what they see as their turf

 

[stadler]

I really hope they are not skipping out Lewes as that would seem a big mistake to use the bypass and skip out such a major town. If they are passing Lewes anyway then they might as well serve it. This would also provide a fast link from Lewes to Eastbourne and Newhaven and Seaford to compete with the trains. It would seem very odd to skip Lewes out of the route.

Also it appears that we will now have the bonkers situation of having two Stagecoach operators in Brighton who will not accept each others tickets. As both are seperate companies they do not accept each others tickets.

Currently both Stagecoach South and Stagecoach South East have two seperate Dayrider Gold and Megarider Gold tickets. If you purchase a Dayrider Gold or Megarider Gold ticket for Stagecoach South buses then you can not use it on Stagecoach South East buses. If you purchase a Dayrider Gold or Megarider Gold ticket for Stagecoach South East buses then you can not use it on Stagecoach South buses. They have never accepted each others tickets.

The only ticket valid on both is the Discovery ticket but that is just a one day ticket. There is no weekly or monthly or annual ticket valid on both.

 

[OptareOlympus]

Prior to the sale of Stagecoach South's Eastbourne and Lewes operations in 2005, Stagecoach Goldriders were valid throughout from Kent to Hampshire. The article says the 701 will connect with 700 in Brighton (it may even involve shared interworking between Eastbourne and Worthing depots) so it's safe to assume the Stagecoach only day tickets from both ends will be valid across Brighton once more.

 

[stadler]

Prior to the sale of Stagecoach South's Eastbourne and Lewes operations in 2005, Stagecoach Goldriders were valid throughout from Kent to Hampshire. The article says the 701 will connect with 700 in Brighton (it may even involve shared interworking between Eastbourne and Worthing depots) so it's safe to assume the Stagecoach only day tickets from both ends will be valid across Brighton once more.

I certainly hope so. It would make sense for both companies to sell and accept the same Dayrider Gold and Megarider Gold tickets across both of their networks like they used to in the past. But it is worth noting that there is currently a similar situation in Ludgershall and Tidworth in the Wiltshire area where Stagecoach South and Stagecoach West both operate and neither of them accept each others tickets. This has been going on for at least two dacades now. So i do not have very high hopes for Stagecoach South and Stagecoach South East sorting this out. But fingers crossed that they do.

 

[londonteacher]

Maybe a season ticket for the 700/701 could be in place. Although, are there many people who would use it on a regular basis?

 

[TrainBoy98]

I realise that they're two different companies, but I've never had an issue with using a MegaRider issued in Worthing not being accepted in say Hastings, and whilst it maybe been pre-pandemic, it certainly wasn't pre-2005

In fact, I didn't even think until now that it wouldn't be valid

 

[stadler]

I realise that they're two different companies, but I've never had an issue with using a MegaRider issued in Worthing not being accepted in say Hastings, and whilst it maybe been pre-pandemic, it certainly wasn't pre-2005

In fact, I didn't even think until now that it wouldn't be valid

That is because 99% of drivers never notice. If you have a paper ticket or an M ticket which you show to the driver and they see the word "Dayrider Gold" or "Megarider Gold" then they will almost always accept it. You could probably even easily use one in Sussex from as far away as Scotland with no issue. They all look very similar and you have to be looking very carefully to see what area it is from. The price will obviously be different in each area too but most drivers do not notice that either. So the Gold tickets are not officially accepted in other areas outside of the Stagecoach company where it was purchased but if it is a paper ticket or M ticket which you show to the driver then 99% of drivers will not notice. The real issue is if you use a smartcard ticket (which most weekly and monthly and annual tickets are issued on) as it will not work on the reader outside of the Stagecoach company it was purchased for. So with a smartcard ticket it will definitely not work.

 

[Class450/4DES]

I know how this could work. It sounds a bit crazy but if 701 becomes a success and to make things easier.
Eastbourne depot becomes apart of Stagecoach South (like how Lewes was a Stagecoach South depot).

Routes into Hastings will remain as Stagecoach South East under the Hastings depot.
With Eastbourne now being apart of Stagecoach South, stagecoach could start operating more routes in Brighton and even connect Eastbourne to Horsham connecting with the Worthing and Guildford depots.
But I am just over exaggerating things...

But it is a good idea ticketwise.

 

[londonteacher]

I know how this could work. It sounds a bit crazy but if 701 becomes a success and to make things easier.
Eastbourne depot becomes apart of Stagecoach South (like how Lewes was a Stagecoach South depot).

Routes into Hastings will remain as Stagecoach South East under the Hastings depot.
With Eastbourne now being apart of Stagecoach South, stagecoach could start operating more routes in Brighton and even connect Eastbourne to Horsham connecting with the Worthing and Guildford depots.
But I am just over exaggerating things...

But it is a good idea ticketwise.

It will only be an issue if enough people cross the city now anyway regularly - for example currently using the 700 and one of the many 12 or 13 B&H services.

It will only be an issue if enough people cross the city now anyway regularly - for example currently using the 700 and one of the many 12 or 13 B&H services.

I suspect if the numbers of people that do that currently were high B&H would have ran a direct service.

 

[Murray J]

I know how this could work. It sounds a bit crazy but if 701 becomes a success and to make things easier.
Eastbourne depot becomes apart of Stagecoach South (like how Lewes was a Stagecoach South depot).

Routes into Hastings will remain as Stagecoach South East under the Hastings depot.
With Eastbourne now being apart of Stagecoach South, stagecoach could start operating more routes in Brighton and even connect Eastbourne to Horsham connecting with the Worthing and Guildford depots.
But I am just over exaggerating things...

I doubt it, this is just an hourly route and there's still a pretty wide area between Stagecoach South and South East.

 

[RDP]

Two new routes are being operated by Stagecoach South East from today these being Ashford town route 113 and the 125 Ashford-Aldington previously operated by Kent Coach Tours..

 

[OptareOlympus]

I know how this could work. It sounds a bit crazy but if 701 becomes a success and to make things easier.
Eastbourne depot becomes apart of Stagecoach South (like how Lewes was a Stagecoach South depot).

Routes into Hastings will remain as Stagecoach South East under the Hastings depot.
With Eastbourne now being apart of Stagecoach South, stagecoach could start operating more routes in Brighton and even connect Eastbourne to Horsham connecting with the Worthing and Guildford depots.
But I am just over exaggerating things...

But it is a good idea ticketwise.

With the way things are going, it's more likely that Stagecoach South East will be absorbed (again) into Stagecoach South and the Canterbury management made redundant.