Seven new buses have been introduced on a route where services were cut earlier this year.

Bluestar has invested £1.7 million in two double-decker and five single-decker vehicles for the Bluestar 9 route between the city centre, Fawley, and Calshot.

This comes after the bus operator cut services on the route in September, leaving Calshot with just one bus to Southampton every eight hours during weekdays.

Bluestar managing director, Andrew Wickham, said: "We are continuing our investment in sustainable travel here - which complements a commitment from Southampton City Council and Hampshire County Council to embrace green and efficient public transport along the Waterside, Western Approach and the city centre.

"Our new buses are British-built ADL E400 MMC and ADL E200 MMC vehicles - with the latest Euro 6, low emissions, engines.

"They also feature on-board screens and audio announcements to alert passengers about next stops.

"This ongoing investment is all about making bus travel an even more attractive proposition."

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Councillor Eamonn Keogh, cabinet member for environment and transport at Southampton City Council, said: "I am delighted at Bluestar’s commitment to delivering new buses to The Waterside to Southampton route to enhance the journey for passengers and with the latest low emission engines, to improve air quality.

"As a result, we are all working together to support our combined public transport network to make it more affordable, more reliable and with quicker journeys and this is reflected in the increasing number of journeys local people are making by bus."

Councillor Lulu Bowerman, Hampshire County Council’s cabinet member for highways and passenger transport, said: "This is a welcome investment by Bluestar into a greener bus fleet serving the Southampton Waterside area, supporting our shared aim of encouraging more people to travel by bus more regularly.

"It comes after the county council has delivered local road improvements that are helping to make Bluestar 9 bus journeys faster and more reliable.

"We have also provided better bus shelters along with improved pedestrian and cycling infrastructure, to make it easier for people to access bus services and travel to their destinations."