New commuter shuttle service to launch in Whiteley to reduce congestion

Lucketts Travel is launching a commuter service, open to the public, on Monday, September 30.

The firm’s new Whiteley Connect service will offer three separate morning departures, two from Portsmouth and the third from Fareham train station, plus three afternoon return departures from Whiteley Business Park.

Managing director Tony Lawman says that the new service could help firms based at Whiteley to attract and retain staff.

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He said: ‘The service has the potential to play an important part in reducing congestion in Whiteley.

‘That’s good news for Whiteley, with less traffic on the roads, less cars parked on the streets and less emissions in the air.

‘It’s also good news for commuters, who can enjoy a more stress-free journey to and from work, without the hassle of parking. Plus, there’s the benefit of not having to drive, freeing up a few extra minutes every day to catch up with friends, work or simply relax.

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‘Knowing that it’s easy to get to and from work plays a big factor in people’s decisions of where to work. We hope this will support the many successful local businesses based in Whiteley and help them attract the best talent to prosper.’

To celebrate the launch of the new service, the firm is making the service completely free in the first week.

After that, commuters will pay £2 from Fareham or £2.50 from Portsmouth, each way.

All vehicles will be fitted out with contactless technology, so customers can tap a credit or debit card, or smart phone or watch to pay.

USB ports and WiFi will be installed onto the vehicles in coming weeks.

Services will run Monday to Friday, excluding bank holidays, in the morning and late afternoon.

The last departure from Whiteley will be at 6.14pm each day.