Hampshire is set to invest more than £6.3 million into bus services over the next two years, with a package of route upgrades, later services and new transport links tied to growing housing developments across the region.

The funding, announced through Hampshire County Council’s Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP), will support 30 timetable improvements across 23 commercial routes, while also protecting another 15 services from potential cuts between 2026 and 2028.

For Southampton passengers, the changes mean more frequent buses, extended evening services and a completely new route connecting some of the county’s fastest-growing residential areas.

One of the biggest commitments is the continued expansion of the Bluestar 1 route between Southampton and Winchester.

The service, which was boosted in 2025, will retain its higher frequency of six buses an hour Monday to Saturday and three buses an hour on Sundays until at least August 2028.

The Bluestar 9 route serving Southampton, Hythe, Langley, Blackfield and Fawley will also keep its upgraded daytime timetable of three buses an hour.

Meanwhile, a new late-night N9 service will launch on Friday and Saturday nights, running via Marchwood and improving evening travel across the Waterside area.

Late evening travel is also being strengthened on the Bluestar 15 between Southampton, Netley and Hamble, with last buses continuing to run later into the night.

But the most significant development for Southampton could be the launch of a brand-new Bluestar route linking Southampton, Bitterne, Hedge End village, Botley, North Whiteley and Whiteley Shopping Centre.

The new service, due to begin in September 2026, is aimed directly at supporting large-scale housing growth in Whiteley and North Whiteley, where thousands of new homes have been built in recent years.

Buses will run hourly Monday to Saturday and every two hours on Sundays.

Council officers say the route will improve access between residential areas and major employment hubs, retail centres and business parks, while also offering a faster connection into Southampton than some existing services.

The county council is contributing £695,000 towards the service over its first two years of operation. Operators expect passenger numbers to grow steadily enough for the service to become commercially sustainable within four years.

Elsewhere across Hampshire, passengers in Gosport and Fareham will see Sunday services on the E1 and E2 increase to a bus every 10 minutes, while route 5 will gain later evening journeys until 11pm alongside more frequent Sunday buses.

Additional improvements are also planned for routes serving Romsey, Winchester, Portsmouth, Havant, Andover, Basingstoke, Aldershot, Farnborough and Bordon, including more evening buses, improved Sunday timetables and increased daytime frequencies.

Alongside the timetable upgrades, Hampshire County Council will spend a further £1.9 million supporting routes that are currently struggling to cover their running costs.

The council says the funding is intended to prevent service reductions that could leave communities isolated or make it harder for residents to reach jobs, schools, healthcare and shops.

Many of the routes receiving support had already seen improvements introduced over the past two years, with council leaders arguing that maintaining higher frequencies is essential to building passenger numbers and reducing reliance on cars.

The investment forms part of Hampshire’s wider push to improve public transport and support communities experiencing rapid housing growth, particularly around Southampton and south Hampshire.

Here is the full list of bus improvements:

First Bus – E1/E2 (Gosport–Fareham)Sunday frequency increased from every 15 minutes to every 10 minutes.June 2026 – June 2028

First Bus – Route 5 (Gosport–Fareham via Stubbington)Improved evening service Monday–Saturday with buses running hourly until 11pm instead of finishing at 7pm.June 2026 – June 2028

First Bus – Route 5 (Gosport–Fareham via Stubbington)Sunday frequency doubled from hourly to every 30 minutes between 8am and 7pm.June 2026 – June 2028

Bluestar 1 (Southampton–Winchester)Six buses per hour Monday–Saturday retained, up from four buses per hour before September 2025.September 2026 – August 2028

Bluestar 1 (Southampton–Winchester)Sunday daytime frequency maintained at three buses per hour, up from two previously.September 2026 – August 2028

Bluestar 9 (Southampton–Langley/Blackfield/Fawley)Daytime frequency maintained at three buses per hour Monday–Saturday.September 2026 – August 2028

Bluestar N9 (Southampton–Marchwood–Hythe–Langley)New late-night Friday and Saturday service via Marchwood.September 2026 – August 2028

Bluestar 15 (Southampton–Netley–Hamble)Continued late evening buses Monday–Saturday, with later final departures.September 2026 – August 2028

Activ8 (Salisbury–Amesbury–Andover)Three buses per hour Monday–Saturday retained instead of reverting to two.September 2026 – August 2028

Activ8 (Salisbury–Amesbury–Andover)Sunday frequency maintained at two buses per hour.August 2027 – July 2028

Stagecoach Route 2 (Hawley Lane–Farnborough)Timetable revisions to better match passenger demand.May 2026 – May 2028

Stagecoach Route 6 (Prospect Estate–Farnborough)Daytime buses continue every 12 minutes instead of every 15 minutes.May 2026 – May 2028

Stagecoach Route 32 (Basingstoke–Newbury)Hourly Sunday service retained.May 2026 – May 2028

Stagecoach Route 65 (Alton–Guildford)Hourly Sunday service retained.May 2026 – May 2028

Stagecoach Route 66 (Romsey–Winchester)Half-hourly Monday–Saturday service retained.May 2026 – May 2028

Stagecoach Route 2 (East Anton–Andover)Daytime buses continue every 20 minutes instead of every 30 minutes.September 2026 – September 2028

Stagecoach Route 76 (Andover–Basingstoke)Half-hourly Monday–Saturday service between Andover and Whitchurch retained.May 2026 – May 2028

Stagecoach Route 20 (Havant–Portsmouth)Hourly evening service retained.April 2026 – April 2028

Stagecoach Route 20 (Havant–Portsmouth)Half-hourly Sunday service retained.April 2026 – April 2028

Stagecoach Route 23 (Havant–Southsea)Saturday daytime buses continue every 10 minutes.April 2026 – April 2028

Stagecoach Route 75 (Andover–Winchester)Two-hourly Sunday service retained.April 2026 – April 2028

Stagecoach Route 13 (Bordon–Basingstoke)Two-hourly Sunday service retained.June 2026 – June 2028

Stagecoach Route 18 (Bordon–Aldershot)Half-hourly Monday–Saturday service retained.June 2026 – June 2028

Stagecoach Route 18 (Bordon–Aldershot)Hourly Sunday service retained.June 2026 – June 2028

Stagecoach Route 10 (Fleet–Farnborough)Two-hourly Sunday service retained.August 2026 – August 2028

Stagecoach Route 64 (Alton–Winchester)Additional early morning and late afternoon buses retained.August 2026 – August 2028

Stagecoach Route 64 (Alton–Winchester)Evening buses every 30 minutes retained until 8pm.August 2026 – August 2028

Stagecoach Route 69 (Fareham–Winchester)Additional weekday peak-time buses retained.August 2026 – August 2028

Stagecoach Route 69 (Fareham–Winchester)Hourly Sunday service retained.August 2026 – August 2028

Stagecoach Route 3 (South Ham–Basingstoke)Four buses per hour Monday–Saturday retained instead of three.August 2026 – August 2028