TWO NEW bus routes are set to open in Southampton.

Unilink, the official bus service for the University of Southampton, is introducing new bus routes in the city this September.

The new U7 service will expand connections between Highfield Campus and Winchester School of Art, and the U8 will connect Highfield Campus with Southampton Science Park and Airport Parkway railway station. 

The Unilink bus network, which is operated by Bluestar on behalf of the University of Southampton, will operate the U7 and U8 routes from September 2023.

Richard Tyldsley, Unilink general manager, said: “The U7 and U8 are a reflection of our strong partnership with the University.”

"The U7 will operate between the Highfield bus interchange, Winchester School of Art and Winchester Broadway, Monday to Friday at peak times during term time - complementing the existing Bluestar 1 service, which operates between Southampton and Winchester seven days a week at regular intervals.”

READ MORE: Eastleigh family who fled war in Ukraine win national vlog competition

Richard added: "In Winchester, the bus will run a circuit entering the city via St Cross, then stopping at Jewry Street, North Walls (for Winchester School of Art), and The Broadway - before exiting via Bar End and on the M3 back towards Southampton. This new U7 service offers direct links for students travelling between the two cities.

"The U8 will connect the University of Southampton Science Park with both Highfield Campus and Southampton Airport Parkway. It will operate all year round, excluding bank holidays. 

“We expect this service to be especially popular among staff and students at the university who mainly travel to-and-from Highfield - as well as workers at the science park who travel from Airport Parkway station. Passengers can, of course, connect from other buses in Southampton onto the U8.”

Adam Tewkesbury, associate director, environment & sustainability at the University of Southampton, added: “This is a great opportunity to improve our network.  We’re keen to offer staff and students at both Winchester and Southampton Science Park a bus service similar to the established and thriving Unilink network, and we are hopeful that these new routes will provide better flexibility for those living and studying in the area.”