Southern Vectis services are set to resume serving Havenstreet next month after the quiet village was stripped of its public transport route some 11 years ago.
The Isle of Wight Council has announced that the new service will uphold elements of the past, including its number. Named the Route 33 service, buses are expected to carry the first of the new route’s passengers on 28th September 2026, where the often forgotten spots of Havenstreet Steam Railway, The White Hart Inn and Haylands Primary School will now have a direct link to Ryde and Newport.
As previously reported by Island Echo, the rural town has been without its bus service since September 2015 when Southern Vectis Route 33 and the Community Bus Route 34/34a were withdrawn.
Since the withdrawal, the closest current service is Route 37, which passes approximately 500 metres from the edge of the village. However, reaching it involves using a narrow, unlit road with no pavement – a route described as unsafe for many residents.
In October of last year, the results of a survey commissioned by the Havenstreet and Ashey Parish Council aimed at assessing the demand for a local bus service found significant backing for a reinstated bus service, with respondents highlighting its potential to reduce social isolation and improve access to work, school, and essential services.
Speaking on the news, Councillor Tony Barry, has said:
“The news comes just over a year since Havenstreet and Ashey Parish Council launched it’s Bus User Survey as the first step in a campaign to get Havenstreet back onto the Island’s bus network. Success has come much sooner than could possibly have been anticipated.
Article continues below this advertisement “There’s still more work to do before the final details can be confirmed, a timetable and information leaflet will be delivered to residents of the area before the service gets underway.
The total per year cost of the proposal equates to £68,000 (£136,000 over the initial 12 month term plus extension of a further) which is within the Bus Service Fund (BSF) revenue and Bus Service Operator Grant (BSOG) funding allocation to the Isle of Wight Council.
It is understood that Havenstreet Steam Railway, who are very supportive of the proposal, are committing to cover the cost of operating one of the weekend days.
