The search is on for a provider to deliver a new bus route in Southampton.

A council tender process is underway for the service between the city centre, central railway station, Hill Lane, Outdoor Sports Centre and Lordshill.

The local authority also wants a provider to run a feeder route for Shirley.

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The services will be funded by a Department for Transport (DfT) allocation dedicated to improving the bus offer in Southampton.

Details of the route were outlined and agreed in the city council’s bus service improvement plan.

This document set out the local authority’s long-term vision for buses up to 2030.

In October last year, the council announced it had received £1.2million from DfT’s bus service improvement plan plus funding to support services over a two-year period.

Working with bus operators, this money was set to prioritise the delivery of improved bus frequencies to communities in Harefield, Thornhill, Shirley and Lordshill; exploring new bus services, including the Hill Lane corridor route and fare offers, such as the £1 evening deal and group promotions in the run-up to Christmas.

The tender for the Hill Lane bus service and Shirley feeder service has a contract value of £194,200, covering an 18-month period from an expected start date of September 2, 2024.

Potential suppliers have until midday on Friday, August 9, to submit an application to the council.

Cllr Eamonn Keogh, Southampton City Council cabinet member for environment and transportAt a full council meeting back in May, Bassett ward Liberal Democrats councillor Richard Blackman asked for details on the timescale for the introduction of the Hill Lane service.

Labour cabinet member for environment and transport Cllr Eamonn Keogh replied: “We can’t just award it to the operator of our choice, so it is out, as I understand, to procurement.

“That procurement is likely to hopefully be concluded very soon.

“The timescale is that we would hope to start it at the beginning of September because Richard Taunton College would be hopefully a key user of that route and it would make sense to start it at the beginning of their new term and obviously it does have implications for the other supported services, such as the X11 and X12 in that area.

“We just want to make sure that we have an improved service that benefits all users along that route.”

The LDRS asked Southampton City Council for details about the Hill Lane bus service, why it was an important route to fund through the DfT allocation, what was the council looking for from the provider and when could residents expect the service to start.

In response, a local authority spokesperson said: “Information regarding this will be available following the conclusion of the tender process towards the end of August.”