CityRed to leave Southampton

You may have seen that CityRed, operated by First Bus, are leaving Southampton.

They have released a statement today confirming that their final day running buses in Southampton will be 18 February 2023.

The reason behind the withdrawal of their services is down to being unable to rebuild a sustainable business following the Covid pandemic, and the changing travel demands this has created.

The following FAQs are from their website:

When will CityRed stop running bus services in Southampton?

The last day of running will be Saturday 18 February 2023.

Will all timetables and routes operate their current timetables until then?

We plan to run all of them as now until the final date. However, if we do have to make any changes we will provide information here.

Will my tickets be valid until the last day?

Yes. However, we will stop selling some tickets during the run up to the last date. For example, we will stop selling monthly tickets a month before the end and weekly tickets a week before the end. Please do not buy any tickets that you will not have used by the 18th February 2023.

Will replacement routes be provided by alternative bus operators?

We do not yet know that. The process for other bus operators providing routes requires a formal notification to the regulator so it is unlikely that the information will be known straight away. However, we will provide information here when it becomes available.

Following on from the announcement that CityRed will be withdrawing their services in Southampton, Bluestar have issued the following statement via their Social Media platform:

“We understand that local people and visitors may be worried that bus travel across the region will be impacted by this decision – but they need not be concerned,” said Andrew Wickham, Bluestar managing director.

“I can reassure them that Bluestar is ready to step in, to ensure bus users can still get to where they need to go. From 19 February 2023, the city and its surrounding area will be covered by a very similar level of services – albeit with different coloured buses running the routes.

We will be working hard over the coming months to plan the new services.”

Bluestar’s parent company, Go South Coast, is no stranger to saving the day when services have been withdrawn by fellow operators. Earlier this year, another of its companies, Morebus, worked tirelessly to ensure people in Bournemouth and Poole continued to enjoy comprehensive bus services – following the collapse of Bournemouth Transport Ltd (Yellow Buses).

“With little more then 48 hours’ notice, our team at Morebus recruited more than 100 new staff, and implemented a raft of new services in-and-around Bournemouth and Poole. Despite its speedy introduction, the new operation got off to a fantastic start – and continues to run smoothly across the region.

“On this occasion, we have a little more time, and are already planning the new routes and timetables. We will announce these as soon as they are complete.

“We are very proud to be helping to keep our communities running. And we look forward to welcoming new colleagues and customers on board, as we aim to transform Southampton bus services for the better over the coming months and years.”

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