Improving the Stagecoach 67 bus route – Have Your Say

Fed up sitting in a queue at M3 Junction 9 waiting for a six-second green light? Fancy a trip into Winchester without having to nominate a driver? Keen to save a few pounds on fuel, do your bit for the environment, or simply have a transport option when the car is in the garage?

Itchen Valley residents are invited to take part in a new community-led campaign aimed at improving local bus services — starting with the Stagecoach 67 route.

An interactive online tool, My Ideal Bus Journey, has been designed to capture how people would like to use local bus services, where current provision falls short, and what improvements are needed.

The campaign focuses on better connecting communities along the current route of the 67 bus service across Winchester, Kings Worthy, Easton, Martyr Worthy, Avington, Itchen Abbas, Itchen Stoke, Alresford, Tichborne, Cheriton, Hinton Ampner, Bramdean, West Meon, East Meon, Stroud and Petersfield.

At present, many residents experience limited and unreliable services, with particular gaps in early morning, evening and Sunday provision. The imbalance between the more frequent 64 service and the less frequent 67 has also left many Itchen Valley villages at a disadvantage.

This new campaign seeks to address these issues by gathering real, evidence-based data directly from residents. By recording desired journeys and highlighting unmet demand, the tool will help build a compelling case to Hampshire County Council and bus operators for improvements — including revised timetables, increased frequency, and potentially new or amended routes. Similar campaigns elsewhere in the County have already demonstrated its value in identifying thousands of potential journey improvements each year. The more people who take part, the stronger the evidence base becomes.

As well as service improvements, the campaign is also exploring wider issues such as reducing car dependency, improving accessibility for older and younger residents, and supporting more sustainable transport options — including the potential for zero-emission buses.

The Itchen Valley Parish Council is encouraging all residents to take a few minutes to complete the online tool and make their views known.

The campaign will formally feed into discussions with Hampshire County Council, including an urgent review of bus services in the Itchen Valley, with the aim of establishing clear service standards and greater accountability for providers.

With public transport provision under increasing pressure, this community-driven approach offers a practical way for residents to shape the future of local services.