Residents of Hampshire can expect more frequent bus services as Bluestar rolls out enhanced and new routes from April 14.

This upgrade in connectivity is being made possible by a £4.2 million Government grant awarded to Bluestar, alongside Stagecoach South and First Solent.

The funding is directed towards increasing the frequency of 15 existing commercial bus routes in the county and adding three new Sunday services. The aim is to protect current bus services from potential downscaling and offer more frequent services.

Among these, Bluestar 1, operating between Winchester and Southampton, will now run every 15 minutes on weekdays and Saturdays, an increase in frequency from its current 20-minute interval.

In line with the weekday schedule, the Bluestar 2 route, linking Southampton, Eastleigh, and Fair Oak, will also run every 15 minutes on Saturdays, up from every 20 minutes.

Bluestar 2 will also introduce improved evening services on weekdays and Saturdays from April 14.

Additional weekday evening services and new late-night services in both directions on Fridays and Saturdays are planned for the Bluestar 1 route between Winchester and Southampton.

The Bluestar 4 route between Romsey and Southampton will receive additional evening services.

An earlier outbound journey from Southampton to Romsey on weekdays will also be introduced on the Bluestar 4 route.

The grant is part of Hampshire's £7.2 million portion of the Department for Transport's Bus Service Improvement Plan Plus funds.

Hampshire County Council has confirmed its use for bolstering bus travel promotion, thereby encouraging more daily bus use among residents.

Richard Tyldesley, general manager at Bluestar said: "We are excited to be introducing more frequent bus services in April on our Bluestar 1 and 2 routes. It means these services will be even easier and more convenient for people living in Winchester, Chandler’s Ford, Fair Oak and Eastleigh to travel around their areas and into Southampton."

James Eustace, commercial director at First Solent, added: "We’re proud to be able to serve communities in the Fareham, Gosport, Stubbington, Lee-on-the-Solent, Locks Heath and Lowford areas with increased frequency and better evening bus services from May onwards."