Free bus travel in Portsmouth on Sundays in March - these are the routes you can take

Portsmouth City Council has collaborated with local bus companies First Solent and Stagecoach to offer free travel on March 5, 12, 19 and 2 on all bus services when getting on the bus within the Portsmouth boundary.

It is hoped this will help families, and other passengers save money this spring, all thanks to a £48 million investment in Portsmouth, called the Bus Service Improvement Plan, an initiative which will transform bus travel for Portsmouth residents.

Yesterday was the first day of the scheme with many passengers taking advantage of the free travel to get around Portsmouth and it is hoped more people will use the buses later in the month. The scheme is for travel on routes in and around Portsmouth with bus users able to travel for free on all journeys that start within the city. The scheme does not include return journeys from outside of Portsmouth.

It comes as bus users also have more time to benefit from cheaper fares at all other travel times, thanks to an extended government backed campaign which caps single bus fares at £2 until June 30 2023. The scheme was originally set to end on March 31.

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Cllr Lynne Stagg, the city council’s cabinet member for traffic and transportation, said: "This is a great chance for everyone to get out on the bus, an opportunity to connect you with your community.

There is a reason the bus is the most popular form of public transport across the UK, and this scheme is designed to remind you how convenient and easy buses in Portsmouth really are. With an opportunity like this, there has never been a better time to get onboard!

For passengers who have not travelled by bus before, or are out of practice, the bus drivers are there to help and support you every step of the way."

Simon Goff, managing director, First Solent said: “We are thrilled to be working with Portsmouth City Council to offer fare free Sundays in March. This is a great chance for local people to try the bus for free, have a great day out around Portsmouth and do their bit to help reduce congestions and emissions. We can’t wait to welcome you onboard.

Gordon Frost, managing director of Stagecoach South, said: “We’re delighted to be working with Portsmouth City Council on another fantastic initiative for the residents of Portsmouth.

"By offering free journeys on Sundays, we want to encourage people to try the bus and swap their means of travel to decrease the reliance on the car and help the air quality in the city."

Free weekend travel is just one of the council's plans for buses. Travel time on key bus routes has already been extended and extra buses have been added too, later this year there are plans to launch new discounted tickets, and much more.

Find out more about public transport in Portsmouth at travel.portsmouth.gov.uk/public-transport/.

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