Portsmouth Buses Partnership has claimed the Gold Award for Partnership for Excellence at the UK Bus Awards 2025 for the second year running, cementing the city’s reputation as a national exemplar in public transport collaboration.
The Portsmouth Buses Partnership unites Portsmouth City Council with bus operators Solent from First Bus and Stagecoach South to provide an enhanced, environmentally-friendly, and dependable bus network throughout the city. Working as a unified team enables coordinated planning and implementation of improvements that distinguish Portsmouth from comparable urban areas.
The success stems largely from the Portsmouth Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP), a government-supported initiative delivering £52 million investment to revolutionise local bus services. Through BSIP funding, the partnership has implemented bus priority schemes reducing journey durations, upgraded passenger information systems, enhanced network-wide accessibility, and simplified ticketing amongst other advances.
Results demonstrate significant progress: passenger numbers have increased 22.3% over the past year, with monthly journeys exceeding 1 million, establishing buses as Portsmouth’s preferred sustainable transport option.
Future plans focus on continued passenger experience enhancement. Upcoming initiatives include additional bus priority measures for shorter journey times and improved real-time travel information for greater service reliability. The partnership will persist in developing accessibility features and ticketing solutions, making bus travel Portsmouth’s most convenient and sustainable transport choice.
Cllr Peter Candlish, Cabinet Member for Transport, commented: “Securing this recognition consecutively demonstrates Portsmouth’s pioneering approach to public transport development. With passenger numbers rising over 22% annually and £52 million invested, we’re creating meaningful improvements for city travellers. This partnership establishes collaborative standards, and we’re determined to deliver further enhancements throughout the coming year.”
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Simon Goff, Managing Director of First Bus South (operator of Solent from First Bus), stated: “We’re absolutely thrilled the Portsmouth Buses Partnership has triumphed for consecutive years at the UK Bus Awards. Achieving Gold in Partnership for Excellence demonstrates what operator and local authority collaboration can accomplish. From introducing cleaner electric buses to service expansion and reliability improvements, our Portsmouth City Council Bus Service Improvement Plan work delivers genuine, measurable benefits for Portsmouth residents.
“This represents years of commitment and teamwork from First Bus staff and council partners and crucially, passengers benefit most. We remain dedicated to progressing through the Enhanced Partnership model, ensuring accessible, sustainable bus travel whilst helping build a greener, better-connected city.”
Marc Reddy, Managing Director at Stagecoach South, added: “Receiving national acknowledgement for Portsmouth’s achievements delights us. This award recognises our partners’ dedication, who’ve worked relentlessly improving services and passenger experiences. Most significantly, it demonstrates local residents’ growing confidence in bus travel, contributing towards a cleaner, more connected, sustainable city for all. This accomplishment shows what’s achievable when organisations and communities unite behind improved public transport.”
The Portsmouth Bus Service Improvement Plan represents Portsmouth’s ambitious delivery programme aligned with government National Bus Strategy objectives, aiming to substantially enhance bus services citywide and re-engage passengers.
Managed through enhanced partnership between Stagecoach South, Solent from First Bus and Portsmouth City Council, the £52 million Department for Transport grant funds Portsmouth BSIP’s mission to increase ridership through community engagement and network transformation delivering faster, more reliable, affordable services.
Portsmouth BSIP has already funded early morning and extended evening services, tap-on tap-off technology, fare-free weekends encouraging bus trial, Christmas Day services and more, with further developments planned throughout 2025.
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Latest Department for Transport statistics reveal Portsmouth achieved 20% passenger growth over the past year, ranking highest nationally for attracting travellers back to buses, with annual journeys exceeding 12 million.
Further details available on Travel Portsmouth website: https://travel.portsmouth.gov.uk/bsip/
