Source: City of Portsmouth
Bus passengers in Portsmouth have reason to celebrate as bus operators and local authorities join forces to launch a new bus ticket that promises to make bus travel more convenient, affordable and accessible to all.
The new SolentGo ticket, the Greater Portsmouth Travelcard, is now available to purchase online, or direct from the driver. This ticket allows interchangeable and unlimited travel on both First and Stagecoach buses in Portsmouth and beyond. These tickets have been developed in partnership with local bus companies, First Solent and Stagecoach South, and local authorities Portsmouth City Council and Hampshire County Council as well as the Solent Transport Partnership.
Passengers can now travel for work or leisure to Emsworth, Horndean, Bishops Waltham, Botley, Fareham, Gosport, Hayling Island and Portsmouth. Daily and weekly tickets are available, which cost £7.50 and £30 respectively and are designed to take people where they need to go, with convenience in mind. These travelcards allow unlimited travel within the extended area, and you can tap on, tap off with your ticket, or use your mobile phone app.
Cllr Peter Candlish, Cabinet Member for Transport at Portsmouth City Council said:
“The new SolentGo Greater Portsmouth Travelcard is a great step towards making bus travel easier, more affordable and more convenient. Passengers can now travel seamlessly across different bus operators, both within the city and to nearby areas. This launch is the result of strong collaboration between local councils and bus companies, and this initiative comes from consultation with the public, all with the aim of improving public transport for everyone.”
Cllr Lulu Bowerman, Cabinet Member for Highways at Hampshire County Council said:
“This is a good example of how, by working collectively to bring about bus service improvements, through the Bus Service Improvement Plan, we can make travel easier and, in this case, the cost of travel more affordable. We know many bus users who live in the areas outside the City, travel in regularly for work, shopping and leisure. If they use the services of more than one bus operator, they can now buy one ticket for the whole of their daily travel needs.”
Marc Reddy, Managing Director of Stagecoach South said:
“We are delighted to announce the arrival of this newest addition to the SolentGo range of travelcards which give customers the chance to travel between the services of different operators on a single ticket. They are easy to buy on your phone, or – if you just want a day travelcard – from the driver.”
Simon Goff, Managing Director of First Solent said:
“We are very keen to make travel by bus as easy as possible, and SolentGo is one of the ways we do this. Over 200,000 journeys are made each year in south Hampshire on SolentGo travelcards by customers who use the services of more than one operator, and we are sure this new Greater Portsmouth ticket will be a popular addition to the range”
Find out more about public transport in Portsmouth and the improvements to bus services and tickets: travel.portsmouth.gov.uk/public-transport/