Buses are an important mode of travel to Southampton and Southampton City Council has a long track record of partnership working with operators and neighbouring authorities, growing the number of people use the bus more often and improving buses, punctuality and offers.
The council, working with our local bus operators, has developed a Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) that sets out the continuing ambition to improve buses and the bus network in the city to 2030. It is based on nine goals for buses in Southampton and has a delivery plan of measures that will speed up bus journey times and improve reliability, make bus travel more affordable, improve bus passenger facilities, implement electrification of buses, and the longer term aspiration to develop the Southampton Mass Rapid Transit (MRT).
The BSIP is monitored and overseen by the Southampton Enhanced Partnership, with a joint board consisting of officers and a Cabinet Member from the council, and senior management representatives from the main bus operators in Southampton. Further information on the Enhanced Partnership, agendas, meeting papers and minutes can be found here.
The latest version of the BSIP, approved in June 2024, is available here the Bus Service Improvement Plan 2024 alongside the BSIP Delivery Plan for 2025/26 to download.
Information on how the Bus Service Operators Grant, and other bus grants, are spent is available here.
Latest News
March 2026 - Stakeholder update
Read a summary of the BSIP improvements delivered over the past two years.
March 2026 - Delivering in the Southampton to Eastleigh Corridor
Visualising the bus related enhancements to the Southampton to Eastleigh corridor over recent years, all made possible by working together with our partners.
