New bus stops have opened on Southsea Terrace, plugging a long-standing gap in Portsmouth’s public transport network. The Portsmouth City Council scheme, part of the city’s Bus Service Improvement Plan, sees Stagecoach’s Service 18 now serving the stretch between Clarence Pier and St Jude’s Church.
Buses run up to every 20 minutes on weekdays and Saturdays, with a 30-minute service on Sundays. The route creates a direct link from the Hovertravel terminal at Clarence Pier to Queen Alexandra Hospital, also serving the independent shops, galleries and cafés of Castle Road. Councillor Peter Candlish, Cabinet Member for Transport, said the addition filled a missing connection for residents and visitors alike.
Bus journeys across Portsmouth have climbed by more than 50 per cent over the past three years, topping one million passenger trips every month. The £52 million Bus Service Improvement Plan, funded by the Department for Transport and managed jointly by the council, Stagecoach South and First Solent, has underpinned that growth. Service 18 itself was upgraded in April 2025, when extra funding increased weekday frequency and extended the route to reach the seafront and Castle Road.
Rob Vince, Business Development Manager at Stagecoach South, welcomed the partnership that delivered the new infrastructure. The Southsea Terrace stops complement recent public realm investment in Castle Road, where new planting, seating and improved spaces have transformed the street.
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