AN extra late-night bus service is set to be offered between Winchester and Southampton after public pressure.

Bus operator Bluestar has been offered funding by Hampshire County Council to operate an extra night bus from Southampton to Winchester.

It follows requests from the public through Facebook and direct email to the company.

From November 1 on the Bluestar 1 service there will be a bus from Hanover Buildings to Winchester bus station via Chandler’s Ford departing at 11.50pm on weekdays and Saturdays.

Currently the last evening bus departs at 10.50pm. Late nightstar buses on Friday and Saturday nights on the route do not start until 12.15am.

Simon Bell, Southampton City Council principal transport planner, said that the funding of the extra bus will fill the time gap: “We are pleased to offer funding for the 11.50pm service for 12 months to support the demand for a later evening service. We know from the interest shown that the addition will prove popular.”

Steve Cuff, assistant operations manager at Bluestar, said that he hopes that passenger numbers on the service will increase sufficiently over the trial period to allow the service to become independent of council funding.

“This service is in place due to the requests from existing and potential bus users so we will be watching the response. Our nightstar service launched in 2004 has exceeded our expectations and carries over 500 people each night.”