5 November to New Milton - will it be striked away?

[miklcct]

I have booked Advance tickets between Waterloo and New Milton on 5 November, which involves train travel to Brockenhurst then replacement bus to New Milton.

My outward journey departs 06:30 and my return journey departs 18:30.

My ultimate destination is Somerford and I plan to take a bus X1 from there.

The day has now become a strike day. Does it mean that the service to Bournemouth will no longer exist and I should use alternate transport, such as a coach to Bournemouth?

 

[30907]

A quick online search shows that no services ran west of Basingstoke on 8 October or Southampton on 1 October.

 

[miklcct]

A quick online search shows that no services ran west of Basingstoke on 8 October or Southampton on 1 October.

It seems that because of planned engineering work, it is still possible to make the journey indirectly via Bournemouth using replacement bus from Southampton Airport.

Depending on how early the strike day service run, as long as trains run to Southampton, it may still be possible for me to travel to Bournemouth and take a local bus to Christchurch in time for the race I have singed up.

However, the problem is that, I booked my tickets to New Milton and back which are Advance tickets, and it will be foolish to travel to Bournemouth on the fast replacement bus, then back to New Milton on the slow replacement bus, then back again to Christchurch / Somerford on a local bus and it may cause me an unacceptable delay of my journey, and now, obviously all Advance tickets to Bournemouth have been pulled and tickets are only sold at the full price, with day returns costing £39.95 using the classic split bought on Trainsplit (including the commission). My current tickets to New Milton and back cost £13.50.

As the current timetable hasn't been striked away yet, if I now buy a New Milton - Bournemouth return creating a "combination of tickets", obviously SWR has to re-route me onto the direct replacement bus when I show up with the combination of tickets when travel via Brockenhurst is not possible.

 

[miklcct]

South Western Railway has announced that no replacement bus will run as a result of the industrial action.

If I take the train to Southampton using the first train, arriving Southampton Central at 08:55, what onward transport can I use to get to New Milton / Christchurch / Bournemouth?

 

[30907]

Traveline tells me National Express 035 from Victoria Coach Station at 0630 to Bournemouth 0900 is your only option.

There appears now to be no service bus from Southampton towards Ringwood or Christchurch..
The only reasonably direct service bus is Bluestar 6 at 10.25 to Lymington (12.00) which would allow you to connect to the X1/2, the alternative is via Salisbury with an arrival just after noon.
I imagine that is too late for your purpose.

 

[miklcct]

Traveline tells me National Express 035 from Victoria Coach Station at 0630 to Bournemouth 0900 is your only option.

There appears now to be no service bus from Southampton towards Ringwood or Christchurch..
The only reasonably direct service bus is Bluestar 6 at 10.25 to Lymington (12.00) which would allow you to connect to the X1/2, the alternative is via Salisbury with an arrival just after noon.
I imagine that is too late for your purpose.

Thanks for your reply. It has again proved that the railway is a monopoly for travel outside London, to the extent that the industry has no incentive to stop the damaging strike actions because they know that the customers don't really have a choice, and have to pay the railways to travel no matter how bad it is.

I have refunded my train tickets and bought coach tickets at triple the cheapest advance-purchase rail fare.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Thanks for your reply. It has again proved that the railway is a monopoly for travel outside London, to the extent that the industry has no incentive to stop the damaging strike actions because they know that the customers don't really have a choice, and have to pay the railways to travel no matter how bad it is.

It really isn't. The car is the most popular mode of transport outside London by a very, very significant margin.

 

[DarloRich]

Thanks for your reply. It has again proved that the railway is a monopoly for travel outside London, to the extent that the industry has no incentive to stop the damaging strike actions because they know that the customers don't really have a choice, and have to pay the railways to travel no matter how bad it is.

This is wrong. I think you have a very jaundiced view - as @Bletchleyite says the car is the answer for most people.

 

[miklcct]

It really isn't. The car is the most popular mode of transport outside London by a very, very significant margin.

I have never been rich enough to afford one. Hiring one for the day will probably cost me £70+ which is out of my consideration.