Hampshire County Council currently provides a large number of Home to School Transport Services (HTST) or ‘School Specials’ where there are groups of children entitled to transport. The aim of this new project is to open up the service to non-entitled children, at a small cost, to encourage greater use of the services. Opportunities to better cater for the extended school day, after-school activities and breakfast or homework clubs will be investigated.

The pilot schools on the Waterside are Applemore College and Noadswood School. Work has so far has included:

• afternoon 519 journey re-timed to better suit school finish time at Noadswood
• Re-routing Bluestar 8 via Applemore College at 1643 to suit after school activities
• Creating a Yellow school bus service A1 to Applemore College in place of service 517
• Creating a Yellow school bus service N1 to Noadswood School in place of service 519
• BusIT cards allowing school travel for £1 a day
• Latest BusIT offers: HMV, Subway, Waterstone's, Totton Health and Leisure

School bus times for the Waterside pilot schools are now on a dedicated web page for easy reference.