Passengers in Bournemouth travelling to the New Forest will see changes to several bus routes starting 23 May 2026, as Morebus rebrands its services to join the New Forest Breezer family. The updates include new route numbers, improved Sunday services, and the upcoming arrival of a new fleet of vehicles.
From 23 May, the X1 and X2 routes will be renumbered as 81 and 82, respectively. Additionally, the route currently known as the Bluestar 6 will become route 86. These changes are part of a wider effort to align the services under a single, recognisable brand, which will also feature updated bus stop flags and newly painted green poles to match the New Forest Breezer scheme.
Commuters and visitors can expect service improvements on the Bournemouth to Lymington route, specifically on Sundays. The Summer timetable changes include the addition of extra journeys, and for the first time, the 82 service will operate on Sundays. Single fares across these routes will remain capped at £3.
Looking further ahead, the company has confirmed that five new British-built buses are expected to join the fleet in early June 2026 to support these routes. In addition to the New Forest services, the company announced that route 20 will be extended from 23 May, travelling beyond Castlepoint to Christchurch by way of Royal Bournemouth Hospital and Southbourne.
More information regarding the rebrand and the New Forest Breezer routes is available through the official operator website.
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