A NEW bus service for the Knightwood area of Chandler's Ford - set to swing into operation on Monday - has been heralded as good news for locals.

County councillor Alan Dowden said up until now the area west of Knightwood Road had not had any buses at all.

But from Monday, the hourly 46 bus service, which links Winchester's Royal Hampshire County Hospital and Southampton General Hospital, is set to be diverted to include the Knightwood area.

Mr Dowden said the new service had been made possible through money from the government's Rural Bus Service Subsidy grant, plus cash from developers of the Knightwood estate.

He said: "When it comes to Shannon Way, it will go up onto the Knightwood development, through Crusader Way, then back into Knightwood Road.

"But there will be alterations in the Hiltingbury area to do this.

"Service 46 will still serve Ashdown Road, but it will no longer serve Heathfield Road, Nichol Road and Hiltingbury Road, east of

the Ashdown Arms," explained Mr Dowden.

He added: "All in all, it is good news for people.

"I have been pushing to get a bus service into the new Knightwood development

"You can't expect people to use buses if they are not there."

Mr Dowden also said a new service, the 49, was set to be introduced from January 2.

This service would run from Shannon Way, via the Baddesley bridge, to the Chandler's Ford precinct, Fryern Hill, Velmore Estate and on to Eastleigh.