A VITAL Hampshire bus service has been saved Pensioners who feared the worst after their bus service was axed are now celebrating after a new route was announced.

It comes after residents living in Westwood Road, Portswood and Highfield, campaigned to save the Bluestar P1 bus service which was withdrawn after its subsidy was removed by Southampton City Council, in a bid to save £20m in the next year.

But now Hampshire coach company Wheelers will launch a new service between Romsey and Southampton.

It will run hourly from Monday to Saturday and will stop off at Woodley, North Baddesley, Chilworth, Portswood and Above Bar Street from Friday.

One of the lead campaigners to save the P1 was Audrey Boys, 77, from Guardian Court in Westwood Road. She said: “It is a brilliant service and the residents in Westwood have a lifeline now.

“We are all very grateful and we are all excited about being able to get to Romsey with this route.”

Conservative councillor for Portswood Linda Norris said: “I am absolutely thrilled that our campaign to retain a bus service in Westwood has been successful.

It shows that people power works.”

The route from Romsey will go through both Westwood Road and Highfield Lane and be supported financially by the council.

And Wheelers Travel owner Derek Wheeler explained the new bus route was a natural progression for his company.

He said: “Having built up a successful coach and private hire business in the south Hampshire area we see a move into bus services as a logical progression for the business.”

Wheelers will be one of five bus services operating in Southampton, along with First Bus, Bluestar, Uni-Link and Xelabus.

Mr Wheeler added: “We have designed the service to complement rather than compete with other bus services in the area and we look forward to welcoming people aboard.”

The service will be officially launched at Romsey Bus Station on Friday by Romsey MP Caroline Nokes.