SWT slash funding for rail-link buses
FUNDING is being withdrawn by South West Trains for the rail-link bus between Romsey and Winchester.
The company has blamed poor usage of the route for making the decision.
On July 28, five of the seven services backed by South West Trains will disappear from the schedule.
Bus operator, Stagecoach, which has run the additional services, will continue to operate two which still make money, the 0740 from Winchester to Romsey and the 0807 from Romsey to Winchester.
Meanwhile, the 0615, 0645 and 2145 Romsey to Winchester services and the 2010 and 2110 from Winchester to Romsey will be withdrawn.
South West Trains' area manager, Chris Haresign, said: "We have been talking to local authorities and user groups every step of the way to inform them of our plans.
"We realise that those who do use it will be disappointed and we are sorry that they will now have to look for alternative ways of getting to the city centre."
A working group was set up last December to see how many people were using the service, and if the subsidies should continue.
It included members from Hampshire County, Winchester City and Test Valley Borough Councils. Stagecoach and South West Trains were also represented.
The remaining daytime hourly X66 services run by Stagecoach will be unaffected by the changes.
9:48am Friday 30th May 2008
Print 
Email this 
CommentPosted by: Mellow from Wellow on 10:24am Fri 30 May 08
On yer bike Perry - your unselfish and modest protest was all in vain.
On yer bike Perry - your unselfish and modest protest was all in vain.
Posted by: Elizabeth, Romsey on 1:42pm Fri 30 May 08
The loss of the 0615 and 0645 buses means that it will no longer be possible for residents en route from Romsey to get to Winchester before 0730. This means that the first train to London which can be caught without driving a car to Winchester arrives at 0849, too late to get to work by 9 o'clock unless you work very near to Waterloo station. This was a very useful and environmentally friendly service and will be sorely missed by its users.
The loss of the 0615 and 0645 buses means that it will no longer be possible for residents en route from Romsey to get to Winchester before 0730. This means that the first train to London which can be caught without driving a car to Winchester arrives at 0849, too late to get to work by 9 o'clock unless you work very near to Waterloo station. This was a very useful and environmentally friendly service and will be sorely missed by its users.
Posted by: Lou on 1:47pm Fri 30 May 08
Not everyone in Romsey can afford a car or can actually drive so the bus was a life line as well as means of getting to work. No one disagrees that Stagecoach are a commercial venture, but HCC had a responsibility to its residents but sadly they put their commercial relationship with Stagecoach before the people it stings for Council Tax every month. This is I am sure the thin end of a wedge that will see Romsey getting more and more isolated as more buses are cut.
Not everyone in Romsey can afford a car or can actually drive so the bus was a life line as well as means of getting to work. No one disagrees that Stagecoach are a commercial venture, but HCC had a responsibility to its residents but sadly they put their commercial relationship with Stagecoach before the people it stings for Council Tax every month. This is I am sure the thin end of a wedge that will see Romsey getting more and more isolated as more buses are cut.
What are these links for?
If you liked this article and would like to share it with others on the web who might be searching for good content we've made it easy for you to do it.
At the bottom of all articles, you'll see links to six sites. These sites - commonly called 'social bookmark' or 'social news' sites - have large communities of web users who share and rate interesting, useful and fun things on the web.
Clicking the links will automatically add the address of the story you are reading to one of these sites, letting you share it with others. Each site will ask you to register to share stories. Registration is free and once a member, you can store, recommend and search for stories that interest you.
More on Digg
More on del.icio.us
More on Furl
More on reddit
More on NowPublic/
More on Yahoo!
