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
28 July 2026 - Changes to some bus services from Sunday 30 August 2026
In partnership with Bluestar and Hampshire County Council, we are making some changes to bus services from Sunday 30 August. This information is available in leaflet form below, under "further information".
Residents living in the east of the city will see the following service changes:
New: Bluestar 6 connecting Townhill Park with Bitterne and the City Centre via Peartree and Woolston
This means Peartree Avenue will now have a bus every 30 minutes Monday to Saturday daytime, and hourly Sunday daytime.
Bluestar 16 extended
Bluestar 16 will be extended to:
- Northam
- City Centre
- Southampton Central Station
- Hill Lane
- St James’ Road to the General Hospital
It will terminate at Aldermoor Shops.
This will provide a bus every 30 minutes Monday to Saturday daytime, hourly on Sunday, linking Bitterne with the General Hospital. This will result in a regular bus service through St James Road in upper Shirley, enabling another cross-city link.
Bluestar 7
Bluestar 7 will now terminate every day of the week at the Aldermoor Road bus turning circle. It will no longer extend to Lordshill Centre. Bluestar 7 will also see an improved timetable.
New: Nightstar N9
Nightstar N9 will be introduced on Friday and Saturday nights as two journeys from the City Centre towards Totton and the waterside.
Bluestar 10
Bluestar 10 will no longer serve Peartree Avenue. Instead, it will run direct from Bitterne to the City Centre via Northam. This will provide a quicker and straighter route from Sholing. The frequency will remain hourly during the daytime.
Bluestar 13, 14, and 19/19a
These services will receive revised timetables.
Bluestar 21
Bluestar 21 will now run via Milton Road, Wilton Avenue, and Bedford Place, instead of the Central Station which will be covered by Bluestar 16. Bluestar 21 will provide a Monday to Friday service through the Polygon area.
New: Bluestar 26
Thanks to funding from Hampshire County Council, Bluestar 26 will run hourly on Monday to Saturday, and two hourly on Sunday, between:
- Whiteley shops
- North Whiteley
- Botley
- Hedge End Village Centre
- Bitterne
- City Centre
Combined with Bluestar 3, this will provide a bus every 30 minutes daytime along Bitterne Road East to the City Centre. Bluestar 3 will no longer serve Turnpike Way in Hedge End, serving Charles Watts Way instead. Please note that Bluestar 26 will not serve the Hedge End Sainsburys and M&S superstores.
Bitterne Hoppa
From the same date, the Bitterne Hoppa daytime shopping services will no longer operate. Residents in the Midanbury, Sholing, and Thornhill areas will be able to use alternative bus services including the updated Bluestar 6, 10, and 16.
For further information
New timetables and maps will be available from the Bluestar bus website and travel shop (opposite the Albion Place Bus Hub) leading up to 30 August.
A new Southampton Area Public Transport Map and Guide will be available here leading up to 30 August. Printed copies will also be available at the Bluestar Travel Shop in September.
You can also see our new leaflet about the changes.
July 2026 - Bus Network Information Posters
Alongside our published Public Transport Map & Guide, we're trialling new bus network information posters at selected bus stops across the City Centre. If successful, these could be rolled out on a regular basis and to a larger number of bus stops.
Let us know your feedback on these: public.transport@southampton.gov.uk
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.
