Wessex

[fleetline6477]

Hi Simon what is happening to Wessex bus in Bristol, just lately a lot of services are being withdrawn, when You first entered Bristol you where real competition to First but now there seems just cuts & more cuts, even route one is getting the chop.

A number of UWE routes have been withdrawn partly because the exclusive deal for Wessex to run UWE routes ended. A number of South Gloucestershire contracts were lost and awarded to Stagecoach who I assume put in a block bid for the routes.

New route 51 has recently started following First's withdrawal from the route and Wessex will begin operations on route 90 Centre - Hengrove in the next couple of weeks.

Route One Centre - Westbury-on-Trym has recently been increased in daytime frequency from every 10 to every 8 minutes. First have just reduced off peak frequency from 10 to 12 minutes. Passenger numbers are slowly increasing and fares are much lower that First who have just increased fares again and cash fare payers are now waiting for Wessex. Where have you heard route One is getting the chop? two of the biggest barriers for Wessex are buses running with outdated route branding, including still promoting route One2 which finished at Christmas and they seem reluctant to promote fares which are considerably cheaper than First's.

They tried route One 2 Centre - Southmead Hospital but didn't really give the route long enough. First were running untimetabled short journeys on both 1 and 2 covering the Wessex part of the route which have now stopped.

[winston]

@fleetline6477 - the One cancellation was registered this week.

Wessex had taken all the UWE routes commercial a couple of years ago

First have doubled the frequency of their 90 a week after Wessex 90 starts

PH1066711/125 Cancelled
WESSEX BUS LTD
Route: Broadmead, Union Street to Brentry Roundabout via Westbury Village, Whiteladies Road
Service number: ONE
Service type: Normal Stopping
Effective date: 10 Jul 2017

PH1066711/8 Cancelled
WESSEX BUS LTD
Route: Totterdown to Broadmead via Windmill Hill/Bedminster
Service number: 512
Service type: Normal Stopping
Effective date: 03 Sep 2017

PH1066711/7 Cancelled
WESSEX BUS LTD
Route: Stockwood to Bedminster via Knowle
Service number: 511
Service type: Normal Stopping
Effective date: 03 Sep 2017

PH1066711/95 Cancelled
WESSEX BUS LTD
Route: Southmead Hospital to Bower Ashton via Hotwells
Service number: 505
Service type: Normal Stopping
Effective date: 03 Sep 2017

PH1066711/69 Cancelled
WESSEX BUS LTD
Route: Bristol, Saville Road to Bristol, UWE Campus
Service number: 16
Service type: Normal Stopping
Effective date: 01 Aug 2017

[woody38]

A number of UWE routes have been withdrawn partly because the exclusive deal for Wessex to run UWE routes ended. A number of South Gloucestershire contracts were lost and awarded to Stagecoach who I assume put in a block bid for the routes.

New route 51 has recently started following First's withdrawal from the route and Wessex will begin operations on route 90 Centre - Hengrove in the next couple of weeks.

Route One Centre - Westbury-on-Trym has recently been increased in daytime frequency from every 10 to every 8 minutes. First have just reduced off peak frequency from 10 to 12 minutes. Passenger numbers are slowly increasing and fares are much lower that First who have just increased fares again and cash fare payers are now waiting for Wessex. Where have you heard route One is getting the chop? two of the biggest barriers for Wessex are buses running with outdated route branding, including still promoting route One2 which finished at Christmas and they seem reluctant to promote fares which are considerably cheaper than First's.

They tried route One 2 Centre - Southmead Hospital but didn't really give the route long enough. First were running untimetabled short journeys on both 1 and 2 covering the Wessex part of the route which have now stopped.

Cheers Fleetline 6477

[woody38]

Route One Centre - Westbury-on-Trym has recently been increased in daytime frequency from every 10 to every 8 minutes. First have just reduced off peak frequency from 10 to 12 minutes. Passenger numbers are slowly increasing and fares are much lower that First who have just increased fares again and cash fare payers are now waiting for Wessex. Where have you heard route One is getting the chop? two of the biggest barriers for Wessex are buses running with outdated route branding, including still promoting route One2 which finished at Christmas and they seem reluctant to promote fares which are considerably cheaper than
Here

https://www.vehicle-operator-licensing.service.gov.uk/search/find-registered-local-bus-services/browse/results/?fields%5Bstatus%5D=&fields%5BacceptedDate%5D=2017-05-17&fields%5BtrafficAreas%5D%5B0%5D=H&security=46d8ac555460d2a648f64a45e2ec42a3-7f6b7d8517b3ecb8e5627f2c1d91f601&form-actions%5Bsubmit%5D=

[B61 ANDREW]

Both BU52UWE and LJ03MWN noted on the M5 heading north today.  And in all-over black livery, YJ62FHZ went south, a quick check on Flickr shows the latter has been painted up in the Bicester Village livery.  8)

[winston]

Both BU52UWE and LJ03MWN noted on the M5 heading north today.  And in all-over black livery, YJ62FHZ went south, a quick check on Flickr shows the latter has been painted up in the Bicester Village livery.  8)

@B61 ANDREW - picture here from the day before:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/jongraham890/34644481162/in/dateposted/

Looks as though it has been painted somehwere different to where Rotala normally have their repaints done.

@B61 ANDREW

Both Wessex DD's have turned up at Deepdale Rd depot (Preston Bus)

40030:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/mjrprestonbus/34677744782/in/dateposted/

40201
https://www.flickr.com/photos/mjrprestonbus/34708682201/in/dateposted/

[Roy]

PH1066711/8 Cancelled
WESSEX BUS LTD
Route: Totterdown to Broadmead via Windmill Hill/Bedminster
Service number: 512
Service type: Normal Stopping
Effective date: 03 Sep 2017

PH1066711/7 Cancelled
WESSEX BUS LTD
Route: Stockwood to Bedminster via Knowle
Service number: 511
Service type: Normal Stopping
Effective date: 03 Sep 2017

PH1066711/95 Cancelled
WESSEX BUS LTD
Route: Southmead Hospital to Bower Ashton via Hotwells
Service number: 505
Service type: Normal Stopping
Effective date: 03 Sep 2017

PH1066711/69 Cancelled
WESSEX BUS LTD
Route: Bristol, Saville Road to Bristol, UWE Campus
Service number: 16
Service type: Normal Stopping
Effective date: 01 Aug 2017

The 16 is being taken over by First from September according to Steve White's website.
Bristol City Council subsidised services are up for renewal from 3 September.  Evening and Sunday services on routes 1 to 90 are being operated commercially by First from that date.  However, the notifications of cancellations by Wessex are interesting as the 511 and 512 service levels remain the same after September, while the 505 core 30-minute service remains the same with just the peak hour short workings cancelled.  The only other Wessex route being changed is the 506 which will only run from Southmead to Broadmead, reducing the PVR from 4 to 3.  As a regular user of the 506, I was hoping that Wessex would cancel that!

[fleetline6477]

X14 Centre - UWE via M32 seems to have finished also, no sign of it this week. First began a duplicate UWE Express back in September, possibly explains why they've been able to send 2 double deckers up to Preston.

[winston]

X14 Centre - UWE via M32 seems to have finished also, no sign of it this week. First began a duplicate UWE Express back in September, possibly explains why they've been able to send 2 double deckers up to Preston.

And the UWE 11 has finished, I don't think either are set to return when the Uni starts back in Sept

[fleetline6477]

I wonder whether the date of 10th July is correct for the one to finish as this is a Monday.

Would make sense for it to be 10th June at the end of Saturday service ready for the new 90 to start on Monday 12th.

[Roy]

The last day for the "one" is this coming Saturday (8 July).

Services 505, 506, 511 and 512 will be taken over by CT Plus on 3 September.

[winston]

The last day for the "one" is this coming Saturday (8 July).

Services 505, 506, 511 and 512 will be taken over by CT Plus on 3 September.

The 90 has also been cancelled from 21st August

[Ally]

The 90 has also been cancelled from 21st August

I'm not surprised by that one, every one I've seen all week has had passenger numbers in single digits and has turned up within minutes of a First 90 having departed.
They could do me a favour and offer me a cheaper alternative to/from work on the busy 49 service! :P

[PM]

I'm not surprised by that one, every one I've seen all week has had passenger numbers in single digits and has turned up within minutes of a First 90 having departed.
They could do me a favour and offer me a cheaper alternative to/from work on the busy 49 service! :P

The Bath Uni 17 is coming off next week too, UoB service is the replacement

http://www.wessexbus.com/news/UniversityofBathServiceChangesJuly2017_606.html

Suggestions that Wessex have won a version of the cancelled First 18 on tender, also Severnside have cancelled their service routes in this area which will also presumably be re-tendered.

[winston]

The Bath Uni 17 is coming off next week too, UoB service is the replacement

http://www.wessexbus.com/news/UniversityofBathServiceChangesJuly2017_606.html

Suggestions that Wessex have won a version of the cancelled First 18 on tender, also Severnside have cancelled their service routes in this area which will also presumably be re-tendered.

UoB is only a short term replacement

Cancelled (Short notice)
WESSEX BUS LTD
Route: Avonmouth Station to Avonmouth Station via Avonmouth Industrial Area
Service number: SNF
Service type: Normal Stopping
Effective date: 31 Jul 2017

PH1066711/136 Cancelled
WESSEX BUS LTD
Route: University of Bath, Bus Station to University of Bath, Bus Station via city centre and Lower Oldfield Park
Service number: UoB
Service type: Normal Stopping
Effective date: 22 Sep 2017

PH1066711/138 Registered
WESSEX BUS LTD
Route: Southmead Hospital to Avonmouth, Mclaren Road via westbury on Trym
Service number: 11 (11A)
Service type: Normal Stopping
Effective date: 03 Sep 2017

PH1066711/137 Registered
WESSEX BUS LTD
Route: Southmead Hospital to Emersons Green, Sainsburys via Frenchay Hospital
Service number: 10
Service type: Normal Stopping
Effective date: 03 Sep 2017