The other day, I managed to hop on a Stagecoach route 46 bus from Winchester to North Baddesley in Hampshire. In the old days, the route continued to Southampton via the city’s General Hospital but that leg was axed some years ago. Now it is an odd rump of a route that really only exists to serve the large housing estate of Valley Park, a series of 1980s and 1990s dwellings spread out over a mile apart.
Since the 46 now only operates three round trips every weekday, the estate has become largely car dependent and anyone at the far end without a car either has to wait 3-4 hours for their nearest bus, or walk a mile to the next next nearest service - the Bluestar 5 which runs between Romsey and Eastleigh.
Valley Park is an odd estate in that it is a natural extension of the Eastleigh urban area, yet is located in the Test Valley local authority which looks towards Romsey. It is also not far from Southampton, yet the only sizeable place the estate has a direct service to is Winchester, some distance further away. For a low density sprawl estate of more than 1000 dwellings, I believe that Valley Park deserves much better bus provision than it currently has. Perhaps reinstate the 46 extension to Southampton while at the same time, divert some Bluestar 5 journeys through the estate.
That is just one estate with under-provision of bus services, but are there any others like it?
Since the 46 now only operates three round trips every weekday, the estate has become largely car dependent and anyone at the far end without a car either has to wait 3-4 hours for their nearest bus, or walk a mile to the next next nearest service - the Bluestar 5 which runs between Romsey and Eastleigh.
Valley Park is an odd estate in that it is a natural extension of the Eastleigh urban area, yet is located in the Test Valley local authority which looks towards Romsey. It is also not far from Southampton, yet the only sizeable place the estate has a direct service to is Winchester, some distance further away. For a low density sprawl estate of more than 1000 dwellings, I believe that Valley Park deserves much better bus provision than it currently has. Perhaps reinstate the 46 extension to Southampton while at the same time, divert some Bluestar 5 journeys through the estate.
That is just one estate with under-provision of bus services, but are there any others like it?