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317:
36:
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324:
At launch, the company ran two main routes, the U1 and the U2, with a number of smaller routes and variations also in existence. Later in the life of the company, Uni-link launched the U6 and the U9 routes. As some of these routes, especially the U1, was used very heavily the company received various
356:
were named as the winners of the next ten-year contract to run the service. The service launched on 29 September 2008, coinciding with the new university year. The new company used a fleet initially composed of five new vehicles under a £3m investment with wheelchair ramps and two doors at the rear.
308:
In
September 2001, as the university's agreement with First finished, the university made some changes to the service following some dissatisfaction and some bad experiences. The university set up Uni-link as a separate company and put the contract for the operation of the service out to tender. The
401:
In
December 2017, during a joint announcement by Bluestar and the University of Southampton it was revealed that the contract between the University of Southampton and Bluestar for the latter to operate the service would be extended to run to 2028. To mark this, they made a £7m investment into new
262:
to run a new bus service under the Uni-link name. First's service launched on 21 September 1998 and saw the introduction of three new routes, 101, 102 and 103, operated under the Uni-link branding. First also rerouted their 4, 6, 11, 13 and 20 routes so that they would run closer to the university
420:
double decker buses. These went into service in
September 2018 and feature a refreshed turquoise green livery with different colour stripes down the side. They replace the double decker and single decker fleet used previously and are used on all routes. The old fleet has since been reallocated to
397:
In
January 2013, Bluestar ordered around 30 ADL Enviro400 double deckers, with two Scania CN230UB Omnicitys and five Wright Eclipse Urban 2's to mark their rebranding of the service from the old white and blue colour scheme to the new turquoise and blue-green colour scheme.
368:
was installed on all Uni-link and
Bluestar buses as a result of a £4.5 million investment from Transport for South Hampshire. In July 2013, Uni-link changed their smartcard system to 'The Key' smartcard that adheres to
381:
operators. However it meant that the older cards, which included the
University of Southampton student ID card, would not work with the new system leading to some controversy among the student population.
184:
in
Hampshire, England. The service was created in 1998 following the university's expansion onto several new campuses, requiring new transport links between them. The current contractor of the service is
1053:
226:
being the main examples). As a result, the university launched the student only shuttle service to serve the new campus. The service ran every half-hour with one service every hour running via
1046:
329:
to run the City-link service shuttle service in
Southampton city centre. This nearly doubled their passenger numbers, adding one million passengers per annum.
1039:
377:. The smartcard allowed Uni-link pass holders access onto Bluestar's central Southampton services (and vice versa) and allowed for greater deals with other
742:
442:
408:
In
September 2023, Unilink introduced two new routes connecting Winchester and Chilworth to the university campus under routes U7 and U8 respectively.
207:
993:
915:
704:
1155:
1079:
841:
325:
grants that allowed their fleets to expand. The company added its last route in
September 2005 when it was awarded a five-year contract by
1479:
889:
1484:
1474:
263:
allowing better connections with other areas of Southampton. The company also ran two night services, labelled the 104 and the 105.
941:
1186:
678:
868:
816:
600:
497:
417:
403:
50:
967:
1427:
1386:
1304:
1191:
1232:
223:
789:
652:
1227:
259:
247:
193:, who took over in 2008. The service also encourages use by members of the public outside the university community.
44:
626:
421:
Bluestar to help with passenger increase schemes and to replace older Bluestar buses. All buses are maintained by
447:
181:
108:
734:
1453:
1422:
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1138:
326:
219:
20:
1355:
1325:
1133:
1074:
281:
1217:
1118:
430:
426:
422:
390:
353:
345:
186:
150:
98:
62:
1309:
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712:
214:, this was the first of the university's campuses that were not either within walking distance of the
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764:
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1165:
1103:
1406:
1330:
1143:
1108:
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493:
332:
Uni-link also began trials of articulated buses and Wi-Fi on some of their fleet during 2007.
211:
893:
1448:
1432:
1396:
1237:
310:
215:
1350:
1299:
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1401:
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1148:
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340:
190:
158:
154:
68:
1031:
1468:
1376:
1335:
1181:
1098:
1088:
313:, who started their 5-year contract at the beginning of the 2001/2002 academic year.
227:
218:
or were self-contained (whose students had no need to travel to a different campus –
682:
242:
604:
563:
385:
255:
793:
373:
specifications and is currently used by several other companies owned by the
1212:
656:
231:
316:
295:
1026:
1294:
370:
35:
1252:
630:
361:
bus with a capacity of 97 passengers for one month on its U1 service.
287:
The Uni-Link logo used by First and Minerva Accord. From 1997 to 2008.
234:. The service was run by the university's Business Services division.
180:
is the branded bus service operated under contract and serving the
384:
365:
339:
315:
241:
1021:
1035:
169:
994:"New multimillion pound fleet of eco buses set to hit streets"
916:"New multimillion pound fleet of eco buses set to hit streets"
711:. University of Southampton. 26 September 2008. Archived from
206:
The foundations for the service began with the opening of the
357:
Later in October 2008, Bluestar had also trialled a tri-axle
254:
In 1998, the university made a three-year agreement with
735:"Axle Bus In Uni Link Trial | University of Southampton"
705:"Brand new buses rev up award-winning city bus service"
402:
buses to replace the existing fleet by purchasing new
490:
The University of Southampton: An Illustrated History
1441:
1415:
1369:
1318:
1277:
1261:
1205:
1174:
1126:
1067:
784:
782:
539:
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511:
509:
464:
462:
165:
146:
138:
130:
122:
114:
104:
94:
76:
58:
416:Uni-link's current fleet is made up of thirty-two
301:Bluestar Uni-Link Logo used from 2008 until 2013.
968:"Southampton is set to get 32 new 'green' buses"
585:"New additions to the uni-link fleet unveiled".
869:"Unilink Relaunch Marks Franchise Anniversary"
817:"Unilink Relaunch Marks Franchise Anniversary"
1047:
492:(Paperback). James & James. p. 126.
8:
28:
942:"Two new bus routes to open in Southampton"
443:List of bus operators of the United Kingdom
1054:
1040:
1032:
34:
389:UniLink's second livery contracted under
1027:University of Southampton Transport site
344:UniLink's first livery contracted under
767:. Uni-link (Bluestar). 19 February 2012
488:Sally Nash and Martin Sherwood (2002).
458:
27:
792:. Uni-link (Bluestar). Archived from
653:"Uni-link bus becomes a WiFi Hotspot"
7:
1062:Bus operators in South East England
867:Osborn, Steven (6 September 2013).
815:Osborn, Steven (6 September 2013).
681:. Uni-link (Accord). Archived from
655:. Uni-link (Accord). Archived from
629:. Uni-link (Accord). Archived from
603:. Uni-link (Accord). Archived from
601:"More U1 buses for you on weekends"
320:A Scania OmniCity in Accord Livery.
587:University of Southampton Bulletin
546:University of Southampton Bulletin
524:University of Southampton Bulletin
471:University of Southampton Bulletin
99:Southampton Empress Road Bus Depot
14:
765:"Free WiFi on all Uni-Link Buses"
741:. 20 October 2008. Archived from
544:"From Campus-link to uni-link!".
1117:
294:
280:
43:
892:23 January 2018. Archived from
208:Southampton Oceanography Centre
53:buses used on Unilink services.
842:"Unilink - New fleet launched"
418:Alexander Dennis Enviro400 MMC
51:Alexander Dennis Enviro400 MMC
1:
1228:First Hampshire & Dorset
224:Southampton General Hospital
890:"BlueStar Bus | Welcome..."
82:; 26 years ago
1501:
1480:Bus operators in Hampshire
1115:
844:. Uni-link. Archived from
530:(45): 1. 3 September 2001.
431:Eastleigh Chickenhall Lane
309:first contract winner was
18:
1485:University of Southampton
477:(20): 1. 3 February 1997.
448:University of Southampton
182:University of Southampton
109:University of Southampton
42:
33:
1475:Transport in Southampton
1423:Arriva Southern Counties
1326:Arriva Herts & Essex
1285:Arriva Southern Counties
1139:Arriva Southern Counties
552:(47): 1. 24 August 1998.
427:Southampton Empress Road
327:Southampton City Council
248:First Hants & Dorset
230:while the other ran via
220:Winchester School of Art
21:Unilink (disambiguation)
246:UniLink livery used by
1022:Uni-link official site
469:"Bus Service 93/93a".
394:
349:
321:
251:
16:Transportation Service
1356:Swindon's Bus Company
1310:Stagecoach South East
1197:Stagecoach South East
566:. Uni-link (Bluestar)
564:"Company Information"
388:
343:
319:
258:'s local subsidiary,
245:
518:"A new look for Uni-
364:In March 2012, free
210:in 1996. Located in
170:www.unilinkbus.co.uk
19:For other uses, see
1361:Thames Valley Buses
1243:Thames Valley Buses
1187:Brighton & Hove
1166:Thames Valley Buses
1104:Thames Valley Buses
404:ADL Enviro400 MMCs.
393:, from 2013 to 2018
348:, from 2008 to 2013
30:
1407:White Bus Services
1331:Oxford Bus Company
1144:Oxford Bus Company
1109:White Bus Services
1085:Oxford Bus Company
896:on 23 January 2018
848:on 12 January 2014
796:on 30 January 2013
589:: 3. 19 July 2004.
395:
352:Local bus company
350:
322:
252:
1462:
1461:
1392:Safeguard Coaches
1290:Chalkwell Coaches
1134:Arriva The Shires
1075:Arriva The Shires
685:on 12 August 2007
679:"Bendy Bus Trial"
659:on 12 August 2007
607:on 28 August 2008
260:First Southampton
250:from 1998 to 2001
238:First Southampton
212:Southampton Docks
175:
174:
1492:
1454:National Express
1433:Stagecoach South
1397:Stagecoach South
1345:Pulham's Coaches
1238:Stagecoach South
1152:
1121:
1056:
1049:
1042:
1033:
1010:
1009:
1007:
1005:
1000:. 29 August 2018
990:
984:
983:
981:
979:
964:
958:
957:
955:
953:
938:
932:
931:
929:
927:
922:. 29 August 2018
912:
906:
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853:
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801:
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597:
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582:
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571:
560:
554:
553:
541:
532:
531:
515:
504:
503:
485:
479:
478:
466:
298:
284:
157:division of the
90:
88:
83:
72:
47:
38:
31:
1500:
1499:
1495:
1494:
1493:
1491:
1490:
1489:
1465:
1464:
1463:
1458:
1437:
1411:
1365:
1351:Stagecoach West
1314:
1300:The Kings Ferry
1273:
1269:Southern Vectis
1257:
1201:
1170:
1161:Stagecoach East
1146:
1127:Buckinghamshire
1122:
1113:
1063:
1060:
1018:
1013:
1003:
1001:
992:
991:
987:
977:
975:
974:. 30 April 2018
966:
965:
961:
951:
949:
940:
939:
935:
925:
923:
914:
913:
909:
899:
897:
888:
887:
883:
873:
871:
866:
865:
861:
851:
849:
840:
839:
835:
825:
823:
814:
813:
809:
799:
797:
788:
787:
780:
770:
768:
763:
762:
758:
748:
746:
739:web.archive.org
733:
732:
728:
718:
716:
715:on 10 June 2015
709:web.archive.org
703:
702:
698:
688:
686:
677:
676:
672:
662:
660:
651:
650:
646:
636:
634:
633:on 14 June 2008
625:
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579:
569:
567:
562:
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542:
535:
517:
516:
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500:
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486:
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359:Scania OmniLink
338:
306:
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304:
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302:
299:
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289:
288:
285:
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240:
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54:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
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1402:Sullivan Buses
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1394:
1389:
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1382:London General
1379:
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1371:
1367:
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1364:
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1358:
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1343:
1341:Carousel Buses
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1233:Salisbury Reds
1230:
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1207:
1203:
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1200:
1199:
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1189:
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1149:Carousel Buses
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1136:
1130:
1128:
1124:
1123:
1116:
1114:
1112:
1111:
1106:
1101:
1096:
1093:Carousel Buses
1082:
1077:
1071:
1069:
1065:
1064:
1061:
1059:
1058:
1051:
1044:
1036:
1030:
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1024:
1017:
1016:External links
1014:
1012:
1011:
985:
959:
948:. 18 July 2023
933:
907:
881:
859:
833:
807:
778:
756:
745:on 26 May 2024
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452:
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379:Go South Coast
375:Go-Ahead Group
337:
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311:Minerva Accord
300:
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267:Minerva Accord
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191:Go-Ahead Group
189:, part of the
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159:Go-Ahead Group
155:Go South Coast
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69:Go South Coast
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1377:Arriva London
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1342:
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1336:Thames Travel
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1262:Isle of Wight
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1182:The Big Lemon
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1162:
1159:
1157:
1156:First Beeline
1154:
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1120:
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1099:Reading Buses
1097:
1094:
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1089:Thames Travel
1086:
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1080:First Beeline
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228:Avenue Campus
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153:(part of the
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52:
49:A line-up of
46:
41:
37:
32:
26:
22:
1247:
1002:. Retrieved
997:
988:
976:. Retrieved
971:
962:
950:. Retrieved
945:
936:
924:. Retrieved
919:
910:
898:. Retrieved
894:the original
884:
872:. Retrieved
862:
850:. Retrieved
846:the original
836:
826:13 September
824:. Retrieved
821:Wessex Scene
820:
810:
798:. Retrieved
794:the original
769:. Retrieved
759:
747:. Retrieved
743:the original
738:
729:
717:. Retrieved
713:the original
708:
699:
687:. Retrieved
683:the original
673:
661:. Retrieved
657:the original
647:
635:. Retrieved
631:the original
621:
609:. Retrieved
605:the original
595:
586:
580:
568:. Retrieved
558:
549:
545:
527:
523:
519:
489:
483:
474:
470:
415:
407:
400:
396:
363:
351:
331:
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307:
253:
205:
177:
176:
115:Service type
105:Service area
95:Headquarters
25:
1416:West Sussex
1319:Oxfordshire
1175:East Sussex
749:1 September
719:1 September
216:main campus
202:Foundations
1469:Categories
1004:1 February
998:Daily Echo
978:1 February
972:Daily Echo
946:Daily Echo
926:1 February
920:Daily Echo
900:1 February
874:11 January
852:11 January
499:0907383947
454:References
274:Past Logos
256:FirstGroup
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952:16 August
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1295:Go-Coach
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800:21 March
771:21 March
689:22 March
663:22 March
637:21 March
611:21 March
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391:Bluestar
354:Bluestar
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187:Bluestar
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1091:&
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928:2021
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876:2014
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520:link
494:ISBN
371:ITSO
222:and
87:1998
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522:".
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118:Bus
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