SEVERAL bus services have been cancelled today because of "operational difficulties".

Stagecoach posted a Tweet this morning detailing a number of routes and times that will no longer be going ahead.

They span four routes and more than 35 services.

The services cancelled include:

  • Service 3: 15.18, 15.54, 16.30, 17.06, 17.45, 18.25
  • Service 6, leaving East Popley: 14.16, 15.31, 16.45, 18.00
  • Service 6, leaving Winklebury: 14.49, 16.07, 17.20, 18.30
  • Service 8, leaving railway station: 09.20, 11.00, 12.40, 14.20, 16.00
  • Service 8, leaving Hatch Warren: 07.57, 08.42, 12.02, 13.42, 15.22, 17.02
  • Service 9, leaving railway station: 07.45, 08.30, 10.10, 11.50, 13.30, 15.10, 16.50
  • Service 9, leaving Hatch Warren: 09.34, 11.14, 12.54, 14.34, 16.14

On Twitter, Stagecoach South apologised for the inconvenience caused.

A spokesperson added: "Stagecoach confirm that due to staff sickness it has been unable to operate all journeys on Saturday 30th November, affecting some journeys on services 3, 6, 8 & 9.

"We have worked hard to minimise the impact, but unfortunately we have not been able to run all our services as usual on Saturday.

"We sincerely apologise to affected customers for any inconvenience this has caused to their travel plans today."

People took to social media to vent their frustration at the cancellations.

One person wrote on Twitter: "How is this in any way acceptable?

"It's a daily occurrence now, their standard level of 'service', and its avoidable."

This comes a month after a similar incident where a number of services were cancelled because of "staff shortages".

In the end, a last minute driver was found, restoring some of these routes.

It also comes the day before a new timetable is due to be launched, axing the route 9 service to Beggarwood and Hatch Warren.

Stagecoach say this will be replaced by a new and improved service 8, serving Buckskin and Kempshott Lane with an "improved frequency".

However, Brighton Hill, previously served by the 9, will not be a part of the 8.

There will also be minor timetable changes on services 1, 2, 3 and 5, with later journeys being introduced.

Service 6 will have a revised timetable with evening journeys no longer extending to Chineham - which now will be part of the "improved" service 7 timetable.

Evening and Sunday buses will now run every 30 minutes on the service 7, via Lychpit.

Service 11 will also run 20 minutes later on a Sunday.