Golden 7 in Fleet
As well as the various service changes in August 2015 triggered by Surrey CC's review of tendered services, there were a number of changes to commercial services made in the area, from the same time.
These included Stagecoach Hants & Surrey's 72 and 82, which don't enter Surrey (though the 72 used to), but are covered by Surrey CC publicity; SCC and HCC jointly cover the Camberley/ Farnborough/ Yateley/ Aldershot area.
Following Hampshire CC's review of services from January 2015, which saw savage cuts to services in the Fleet area particularly, and the death of the Fleet Buzz brand name (see my album covering these changes) - there was something of a U-turn with the August 2015 changes:
-Prior to the January 2015 changes, the 72 had run from Reading to Hartley Wintney, then: through Elvetham Heath > Fleet rail station > Fleet town > Fleet Oatsheaf > Reading Road South > Quetta Park > Weybourne > Aldershot.
-This was changed in January 2015 to run after Fleet to Farnborough instead of Aldershot, from Hartley Wintney to Elvetham Heath (turning circle only, then back out) > Reading Road North > Fleet Oatsheaf > Crookham Road > Church Crookham > Reading Road South > back up to Fleet Oatsheaf > Fleet town > Fleet rail station > Ancells Farm > Farnborough College > Farnborough.
-The Fleet - Farnborough section on the revised route covered withdrawn route 30, and the U-shape around Church Crookham partially replaced the withdrawn 30 around that area (not including Zebon Copse or The Verne, which lost all buses).
-All other buses services in Fleet were withdrawn with the January 2015 changes, leaving just the hourly 72. Zebon Copse, The Verne, Pondtail, Quetta Park, Dukes Mead and most of Elvetham Heath were left with no buses. With the 72 diverted to Farnborough, there was no public transport link between Fleet and Aldershot - people were actually walking instead as they had no other option.
So... with the August 2015 changes, the 72 was diverted back to Aldershot, instead of Farnborough, with Hampshire CC now finding £££s to support this section of route once more. Following a large consultation conducted by Stagecoach, various route changes were made around Fleet, to partially cover areas which lost all their buses in January. With the revised route, the 72 was renumbered 7.
The new 7 now runs in from Hartley Wintney, via Elvetham Heath, where it now serves more of the estate (with a loop > Mounts Way > Turners Way > Elvetham Heath Way) > back out > Dukes Mead (instead of Reading Road North) > Fleet Oatsheaf > Fleet town > Fleet rail station (peak times only) > Pondtail > Reading Road South > via Aldershot Road & Fleet Road > Aldershot Health Centre > Aldershot (not reaching Aldershot through Weybourne (passing through Surrey) as the 72 used to - the consultation showed demand to serve to Health Centre).
A new route, 10, covers the previous Farnborough - Fleet section of the 72, and then does a loop around Church Crookham, Quetta Park and The Verne, covering the previous U-shape part of the 72 and also putting buses back through other areas that lost them in January 2015.
The changes took effect from Sunday 30th August, but as neither the new 7 or 10 have Sunday services, the effective first day was Tuesday 1st September 2015 (Monday 31st was a Bank Holiday).
Seen in the 7's first week, Gold MAN 22752 (GX58 MVR) is snapped at Fleet, heading for Reading.
Fleet Road, Fleet, Hampshire.
Golden 7 in Fleet
As well as the various service changes in August 2015 triggered by Surrey CC's review of tendered services, there were a number of changes to commercial services made in the area, from the same time.
These included Stagecoach Hants & Surrey's 72 and 82, which don't enter Surrey (though the 72 used to), but are covered by Surrey CC publicity; SCC and HCC jointly cover the Camberley/ Farnborough/ Yateley/ Aldershot area.
Following Hampshire CC's review of services from January 2015, which saw savage cuts to services in the Fleet area particularly, and the death of the Fleet Buzz brand name (see my album covering these changes) - there was something of a U-turn with the August 2015 changes:
-Prior to the January 2015 changes, the 72 had run from Reading to Hartley Wintney, then: through Elvetham Heath > Fleet rail station > Fleet town > Fleet Oatsheaf > Reading Road South > Quetta Park > Weybourne > Aldershot.
-This was changed in January 2015 to run after Fleet to Farnborough instead of Aldershot, from Hartley Wintney to Elvetham Heath (turning circle only, then back out) > Reading Road North > Fleet Oatsheaf > Crookham Road > Church Crookham > Reading Road South > back up to Fleet Oatsheaf > Fleet town > Fleet rail station > Ancells Farm > Farnborough College > Farnborough.
-The Fleet - Farnborough section on the revised route covered withdrawn route 30, and the U-shape around Church Crookham partially replaced the withdrawn 30 around that area (not including Zebon Copse or The Verne, which lost all buses).
-All other buses services in Fleet were withdrawn with the January 2015 changes, leaving just the hourly 72. Zebon Copse, The Verne, Pondtail, Quetta Park, Dukes Mead and most of Elvetham Heath were left with no buses. With the 72 diverted to Farnborough, there was no public transport link between Fleet and Aldershot - people were actually walking instead as they had no other option.
So... with the August 2015 changes, the 72 was diverted back to Aldershot, instead of Farnborough, with Hampshire CC now finding £££s to support this section of route once more. Following a large consultation conducted by Stagecoach, various route changes were made around Fleet, to partially cover areas which lost all their buses in January. With the revised route, the 72 was renumbered 7.
The new 7 now runs in from Hartley Wintney, via Elvetham Heath, where it now serves more of the estate (with a loop > Mounts Way > Turners Way > Elvetham Heath Way) > back out > Dukes Mead (instead of Reading Road North) > Fleet Oatsheaf > Fleet town > Fleet rail station (peak times only) > Pondtail > Reading Road South > via Aldershot Road & Fleet Road > Aldershot Health Centre > Aldershot (not reaching Aldershot through Weybourne (passing through Surrey) as the 72 used to - the consultation showed demand to serve to Health Centre).
A new route, 10, covers the previous Farnborough - Fleet section of the 72, and then does a loop around Church Crookham, Quetta Park and The Verne, covering the previous U-shape part of the 72 and also putting buses back through other areas that lost them in January 2015.
The changes took effect from Sunday 30th August, but as neither the new 7 or 10 have Sunday services, the effective first day was Tuesday 1st September 2015 (Monday 31st was a Bank Holiday).
Seen in the 7's first week, Gold MAN 22752 (GX58 MVR) is snapped at Fleet, heading for Reading.
Fleet Road, Fleet, Hampshire.